Challenges in e-learning for visually impaired secondary school learners during the Covid-19 lockdown period in Masvingo District schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges encountered by secondary school learners with visual impairment as they were preparing to write their examinations during the Covid-19 pandemic period in Masvingo District. Following the pandemic, most governments worldwide were forced to close all educational institutions in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Zimbabwe also closed schools on 24 March 2020 and reopened for examination classes on 28 September 2020. It was during the lockdown period that online learning was implemented in Zimbabwe, with the WhatsApp platform inadvertently becoming the major medium of instruction used for teaching and learning in most institutions, including those for learners with visual impairment. The qualitative, phenomenological research design was used, with focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews as data collection instruments. The population of the study was all secondary school learners with visual impairment in Masvingo District, parents of such learners, as well as teachers who taught such learners in Masvingo District. A sample of thirty (30) participants participated in this study. Twenty-four (24) learners with visual impairment were randomly selected from the special school and purposively selected from the inclusive school. Four (4) parents, two (2) from each school, and two (2) teachers, one from each school, were purposively selected. The study established that most learners with visual impairment did not have the JAWS software that enhances screen reading in their ICT gadgets. Learners with low vision indicated that reading on a computer had a negative effect on their eyes if they took long on a computer. Some assistant readers for learners with total blindness were found to be incompetent in assisting on screen reading at home. Internet connectivity was also identified as a challenge since internet broadband was expensive and network connectivity was poor in some rural areas. The research found out that most learners failed to complete their online learning assignments during the Covid-19 lockdown. For online learning to be successfully conducted from home, parents should purchase or download the JAWS and screen readers for Visually Impaired (VI) learners to use.