Lecturers’ learning journeys of teaching students with visual impairment: a narrative inquiry.

Abstract

This study explored lecturers’ learning journeys in teaching students with visual impairment. According to Wilder and Lillvist (2018), the learning journey theory views learning as a social process that leads to development. A theory of change defines how an intervention's activities (project, program, or policy) contribute to a series of events that result in the desired or observed outcomes (Anderson, 2022). The Learning Journey Theory and Theory of Change advocate that every student with visual impairment must have access to quality education regardless of any disability. Promoting inclusion and reducing exclusions in the education system is the cornerstone of the inclusive policy on education. By utilising an interpretive qualitative one-case study approach involving narrative interviews, narrative focus-group discussions, and written reflection narratives, data from six lecturers was generated. The thematic narrative analysis method was applied to interpret the data. Findings from the study revealed those lecturers’ learning journeys were understood as the inclusion and integrating of students with visual impairment with their mainstream peers in the same classroom to minimise stigmatisation, segregation, and exclusionary practices. Further, training was a major component influencing lecturers’ learning journey; more than equity issues, ability, and period of student registration. The teaching of students with visual impairment is facing major challenges despite the progressive principles evident in policies. These challenges stem from a variety of negative factors including the lack of educational resources, insufficient funding, inappropriate or absence of training programmes, and the blurred interpretation of policy regarding students with visual impairment. The study recommended that for teaching students with visual impairment, practice and policy implementation should be supported by relevant, effective, and on-going training. Government and institutional support should include providing the required educational resources, clear policy guidelines, and employing lecturers with knowledge and skills of teaching students with visual impairment. For college lecturers to successfully manage students with disabilities, a change in mindset must begin with top-management such that coherent understanding, a shared vision, and collaboration with the entire teaching staff become evident in practice. Commitment and best practice principles in teaching students with visual impairment should be the norm throughout the whole institution. Lecturers and other role-players in education should view this learning journey in the context ofthe rights of students with visual impairment rather than focusing on impairment problems associated with exclusion and segregation. This study employed thematic and personal narrative analysis. The study concludes that since lecturers’ learning journey involves teaching students with visual impairment, they should strive to achieve national objectives that enhance students’ trajectory to acquire information and skills which are vital for growth, confidence-building, and preparation for real-life experiences. The learning journey of lecturers will be successful if institutions enhance present and future human resource development and management. The effective adoption, understanding, and implementation of policy concerning students with visual impairment will contribute immensely to current and future human resource development of colleges, as well as create opportunities for further intensive research in this field.