The ordeal of the special students undertaking a diploma programme in the Faculty of Education, at the University of Jos is disheartening.
Although it came to our knowledge that the front seats in the class have been reserved for the special students for them to have easy comprehension, there are some important areas that have been overlooked which affect their learning. These areas also need attention.
The lack of a boarder machine or transcribers that help to print out words in Braille and the transcriber to interpret to Braille which is the language of visually impaired students can read with their hands is a necessity.
Furthermore, during examinations, there are people assigned to read questions to the visually impaired students in order for them to answer but these people are usually not patient enough with them. Some of them move to the next question too quickly and this affects their exam results. Also, when coming to the institution from the students’ village hostel, most of the special students come together in groups but they are being disturbed by motorbikes that pass the bridge and this needs to be discouraged because of the possible hazards involved.
The diploma program consists of students who are physically fit, visually impaired and hearing handicapped (HH) students so all these students together need to be put into consideration to encourage effective learning.
Lastly, these physically challenged students go through the stress of looking for people to record their handout contents or notes in an audio recorder while the HH get people to demonstrate to them.
UniJos Echo, therefore, pleads with the acting Dean of Education Faculty, Dr. John Longka, to make provision for transcribers, boarder machines and generally the resources and materials necessary to facilitate learning. Also, employing an interpreter to support their lectures as they demonstrate or interpret in sign language, for the sake of the HH students, could encourage and aid effective learning among special students.
