An Investigation of Learning Difficulties for Visually Impaired Students Ethiopian Public Universities in Focus

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the learning difficulties of visually impaired students (VISs). The target population of this study was obtained from three Ethiopian universities using stratified random sampling, snowball sampling, and purposively selected instructors, VISs, and visual students enrolled in the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 22 academic years. A sample size of 270 (90 VISs, 90 visual students, and 90 instructors) was involved in the study. There were also 57 FGD participants involved in the study. Questionnaires and FGD were used to gather the data. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS version 27 and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that VISs receive financial remuneration, meals, accommodations, health services, and computer lab services from their universities. However, VISs confirmed that the challenges related to learning resources inadequacy, inability to write using Braille, time constraints during examinations, less accessibility of service provision, instructors' lack of training to handle VISs, barriers to the course of learning and the acquisition of education, and inability to move in campus due to lack of safe routes to dormitory, library and laboratory, and contact friends for different social affairs. These were due to carelessly erected poles, uncovered ditches, and heaps of stone left over during the previous constructions; these became the main obstacles not only to studying with their counterparts but also to participating in social events outside the classrooms. Based on these findings, some recommendations were directed to educationalists, higher education institutions, policymakers, and future researchers.