INSTITUTIONAL READINESS FOR ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Access to education by students with disabilities (SWD) should be a critical component of the legal provision in any country in the world (UN CRPWD, 2006). The Kenyan government promotes access to education for all, but less than 1% of the enrolment in H.E comprises SWD. This research sought to establish institutional readiness for access to H.E by SWD in public universities in Kenya. The main objective investigated readiness and access, while specific objectives examined infrastructure, lecturers’ competencies, curriculum inclusiveness and determined institutional challenges. The systems theory, the social model of disability and the social constructivism paradigm were logical pillars upon which this research was grounded. They interpret a university as a social system with a socially constructed environment with a role to transform and impact positively on access to higher education by SWD. The study adopted a basic qualitative research methodology because disability is about experiences of persons with disabilities in relation to the physical and social environments they constantly interact with and the meaning they ascribe to the same. It is deemed appropriate for this study because disability affects a small percentage of the population of university students. The use of purposive sampling method was based on the characteristics of the target population. The target population was made up of SWD at various levels of their study, university administrators responsible for academic affairs and student welfare (Academic registrars and deans of students) and lecturers who taught students with disabilities at the time the study was conducted. The registrars of academics, deans of students and lecturers were strategic respondents because they are main custodians of students’ data and have direct access to the same. Participants were 5 registrars of academic, 6 deans of students, 46 lecturers and 202 SWD from 6 public universities. Research instruments included questionnaire for each of the target groups, focus group discussion interview (FGD) for SWD and an observation checklist. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by use of the split half reliability test. Each questionnaire items were split into two halves and each half administered to the two groups of respondents. After scoring the questionnaire items from the two groups, IBM SPSS23 computer package was used to calculate Spearman-Brown’s coefficient of correlation. The instruments showed a coefficient of correlation of 0.8, 0.86 and 0.89 for the student’s, dean’s and registrar’s questionnaire. Since the values were closer to1 they were reliable. Internal and external validity was determined through scrutiny of the instruments by fellow students and my supervisors as well as piloting on the same. Data analysis (nominal and ordinal) was done by use of descriptive statistics with the help of IBM SPSS 23 computer package. Data is presented using tables, pie charts and graphs. It was established that most of the infrastructure in public universities was not accessible; it needed a lot of modification to be accessible to SWD. Most lecturers had no special education background so their competencies about assistive devices for SWD were limited. Their pedagogical approaches lacked inclusivity. Curriculum inclusiveness was wanting in terms of flexibility of timetable arrangements, examinations and the teaching and learning materials that could be accessed by SWD. It is recommended that universities should adopt Universal Design model in their infrastructure, curriculum and learning to ensure readiness for access to HE by SWD. The researcher finally suggests areas that need further research.