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) is critical in the education policy of any country. Kenya promotes education for all, but SWD are less than 1% of the enrolment in higher education. This research attempted to establish measures public universities have put in place to ensure readiness for access to higher education by SWD. A case study basic qualitative research method of a descriptive nature is used because disability is about experiences of PWD in relation to the environments they constantly interact with and the meaning they ascribe to the same. Accordingly disability also affects a small percentage of the student’s population. The target population was students with disabilities, university administrators (Academic registrars and deans of students) and lecturers who taught SWD. The sample participation comprised of 202 SWD, 46 lecturers and11 administrators, from 6 public universities. Research instruments were questionnaire for each of the target group, focus group discussion (FGD) for SWD and an observation checklist. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics through IBM SPSS 23 computer package. Presentation used tables and graphs and it revealed that readiness for access to H.E by SWD is lacking. Recommendation was that universities should adopt a Universal Design model in their infrastructure, curriculum and teaching/ learning to ensure readiness for access by SWD.