Comparative Effectiveness of Assistive Technology Devices (Palpable medium and Digital Audio Mediated Instruction) on English Language Achievement among Students with Visual Impairment in Abia state Nigeria
Gertrude Egwim1
MaryAnn Iheme2
Charles Onwubiko3
2Department of Special Needs Education, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Nigeria
3Department of Psychology, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Nigeria
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of assistive technology devices (palpable medium and digital audio-mediated instruction) on English language achievement among students with visual impairment in Abia state Nigeria. The population of the study comprised all SS2 students with visual impairment in integrated secondary schools in Abia state, Nigeria. The study adopted a pretest, posttest and control group quasi-experimental design with a 3x2x2 factorial matrix. A sample size of twenty-one (21) SS 2 students with visual impairment purposively selected from three (3) integrated secondary schools in Abia state, Nigeria were used for the study. Two instruments were used to collect data for the study. Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version (BarOnEQ-i:YV) (ɑ=0.78) and Achievement in English language test (BR ɑ=0.82, AMR ɑ=0.79). The treatment lasted eight weeks. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of covariance and Scheffe post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed a significant main effect of treatment on achievement in English language among students with visual impairment. The study also revealed that gender and emotional intelligence had no significant main effect on the achievement in English language of the participants. It was recommended among others that the government should fund the provision of assistive technology devices such as Perkins Brailler, audio-mediated devices and other special equipment for students with visual impairment.
Keywords: Assistive technology devices, Palpable medium, Digital audio-mediated instruction, Achievement in English language, Students with visual impairment.
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