Competence in Expanded Core Curriculum Skills: Does the Level Taught Matter to the Visually Impaired?

Abstract

Educating the visually impaired requires unique consideration in which they would be provided with the tools, skills, and strategies they need to develop alternative means of obtaining information. The alternative means are compensatory access, sensory efficiency, assistive technology, orientation and mobility, independent living, social interaction, recreation and leisure career education and self-determination skills. The study sought to investigate the expanded core curriculum skills for students with visual impairment. It compares the level at which these skills were acquired and how they influence their competence. The researchers employed descriptive cross-sectional design for the study. 93 students with visual impairment were selected using multi-stage sampling technique from University of Cape Coast and University of Education, Winneba for the study. Frequency and percentages and ANOVA were used to analyse the data to answer the research questions and the hypothesis respectively. The results of the study indicated that majority of the students with visual impairment started the study of the expanded core curriculum skills from the basic level of education. It also became clear that those who started the learning of the expanded core curriculum at the basic level proved to be very competent. It was recommended that the Special Education Division of Ghana Education Service should intensify the teaching and learning of expanded core curriculum skills at the basic school so as to continue to impact ECC competence throughout a child’s academic life.