| As a part
of the Strategic Plan of ICEVI to develop " BEST PRACTICES",
ICEVI has initiated a research project in Uganda to identify the critical
conditions that need to be in place to allow children who are blind and
who have low vision to be successfully educated in local primary schools.
This is an empirical work based around two assumptions: that children
with visual impairment have an equal right to participation in education
at the equivalent of their peers; and that their participation at the
local primary school offers the best chance of widening the education
opportunities for most children with a visual impairment.
In order to identify the critical factors, the Research Team is considering
the problem at several levels of analysis by looking into child factors,
class environment, school environment, family, community, supporting services,
policy/political factors.
The ICEVI Research Team is working closely with the Sight Savers Office
in Kampala, Uganda in carrying out this study. Mr. Asher Bayo, Lecturer,
Uganda National Institute for Special Education is coordinating data collection
for this research with the help of trained staff for this purpose. The
research team developed appropriate tools for the data collection and
provided training on collecting information to 8 research assistants in
Kampala from 13 to 14 December 2003. Each research assistant has been
asked to recruit 2 teachers from neighbouring regions to assist in the
process of data collection ensuring representative coverage of the regions
in Uganda.
As the study is adopting an emergent design, a participatory approach
will be applied in validating the findings of the research at every stage.
The preliminary findings of the research will be shared with the stakeholders
and professionals in the field and feedback will be sought for the refinement
of the next stages of the research. The preliminary data will be available
during February 2004.
The study is expected to identify the factors that can help maximize the
impact of Government, and the efforts of INGOs and NGOs to provide equal
participation for children with visualimpairment and also provide data
that will enable schools in Uganda to create policies and practices that
will increase participation of children with visual impairment in learning.
Based on the outcomes of the study in Uganda, research may be undertaken
in other countries in Africa and other regions of the world in the subsequent
years of the quadrennium. The initiative is part of ICEVI's efforts to
address its long-term objective of the expansion of educational services
for children with visual impairment in the developing nations. The research
has a long way to go but the first step has been taken. |