IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/epw/ejedu0/v2y2021i6id30196.html

Virtual Learning for Persons with Visual Impairment: An Exploration of Learning Platform in a Home Environment from UTH Special School in Lusaka, Zambia

Author

Listed:
  • Esnart Mwanza
  • Magdalene Simalalo
  • Francis Simui

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the accessibility of virtual learning platforms for person with visual impairment in the home environment. The study was qualitative in nature and took the form of a case study design. Purposive sampling was used to sample fifteen participants who took part in the study. Emergent from this study was a cluster of digital tools in use such as WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet/ Classroom, or Email applied to access virtual learning. In addition, computers with JAWS, smart phones with speech reader and readily available internet facility, some radios and TVs were required for virtual learning at home. The study found accessibility of virtual learning in a home environment depended on internet connectivity and having rightful gadgets which were user-friendly to individual with visual impairment as well as low socio-economic background as it determined the purchasing power. Further, challenges faced included children’s lack of computers and phones with bundles to go online, poor internet connectivity and unconducive home environment. The study also revealed that parents needed social support and financial support from well-wisher like donor community and government to support them with ICT gadgets specifically designed for children with visual impairment. Besides, they need internet services and with ITC gadgets instilled with speech readers or JAWS. Thus, the study suggested among others, that teacher should start using video and audio-conferencing teaching, open up virtual resources Centre for learners, strength the collaboration between teacher and parents and make pricing of ICT equipment affordable for the visually impaired.

Suggested Citation

  • Esnart Mwanza & Magdalene Simalalo & Francis Simui, 2021. "Virtual Learning for Persons with Visual Impairment: An Exploration of Learning Platform in a Home Environment from UTH Special School in Lusaka, Zambia," European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, European Open Science, vol. 2(6), pages 60-67, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:epw:ejedu0:v:2:y:2021:i:6:id:30196
    DOI: 10.24018/ejedu.2021.2.6.196
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://eu-opensci.org/index.php/ejedu/article/view/30196
    File Function: Abstract page
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://eu-opensci.org/index.php/ejedu/article/download/30196/5743
    File Function: Full text
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.24018/ejedu.2021.2.6.196?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert W. Fairlie & Jonathan Robinson, 2013. "Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Home Computers on Academic Achievement among Schoolchildren," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 211-240, July.
    2. Godwin Kaisara & Kelvin Joseph Bwalya, 2021. "Investigating the E-Learning Challenges Faced by Students during Covid-19 in Namibia," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(1), pages 308-308, February.
    3. Amalia Ilonga & Daniel Opotamutale Ashipala & Nestor Tomas, 2020. "Challenges Experienced by Students Studying through Open and Distance Learning at a Higher Education Institution in Namibia: Implications for Strategic Planning," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(4), pages 116-116, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peter Bergman, 2020. "Nudging Technology Use: Descriptive and Experimental Evidence from School Information Systems," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 15(4), pages 623-647, Fall.
    2. Vladana Djinovic & Nicholas Giannakopoulos, 2024. "Home computer ownership and educational outcomes of adolescents in Greece," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 523-537, July.
    3. Bulman, George & Fairlie, Robert W., 2015. "Technology and Education: Computers, Software, and the Internet," IZA Discussion Papers 9432, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Fairlie, Robert W. & Kalil, Ariel, 2017. "The effects of computers on children's social development and school participation: Evidence from a randomized control experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 10-19.
    5. Nerea Gómez-Fernández & Mauro Mediavilla, 2018. "Do information and communication technologies (ICT) improve educational outcomes? Evidence for Spain in PISA 2015," Working Papers 2018/20, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    6. Benjamin Faber & Rosa Sanchis-Guarner & Felix Weinhardt, 2015. "ICT and Education: Evidence from Student Home Addresses," SERC Discussion Papers 0186, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Andrea Szabo & Gergely Ujhelyi, 2014. "Can Information Reduce Nonpayment for Public Utilities? Experimental Evidence from South Africa," Working Papers 2014-114-31, Department of Economics, University of Houston.
    8. Cardim, Joana & Molina-Millán, Teresa & Vicente, Pedro C., 2023. "Can technology improve the classroom experience in primary education? An African experiment on a worldwide program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    9. Patterson, Richard W. & Patterson, Robert M., 2017. "Computers and productivity: Evidence from laptop use in the college classroom," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 66-79.
    10. Malamud, Ofer & Cueto, Santiago & Cristia, Julian & Beuermann, Diether W., 2019. "Do children benefit from internet access? Experimental evidence from Peru," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 41-56.
    11. Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2023. "Beyond the Covid-19 pandemic: remote learning and education inequalities," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 50(1), pages 207-236, February.
    12. Ha Trong Nguyen & Huong Thu Le & Luke B Connelly, 2021. "Weather and children's time allocation," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(7), pages 1559-1579, July.
    13. Eric Bettinger & Robert Fairlie & Anastasia Kapuza & Elena Kardanova & Prashant Loyalka & Andrey Zakharov, 2023. "Diminishing Marginal Returns to Computer‐Assisted Learning," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 552-570, March.
    14. Fairlie, Robert W. & Bahr, Peter Riley, 2018. "The effects of computers and acquired skills on earnings, employment and college enrollment: Evidence from a field experiment and California UI earnings records," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 51-63.
    15. Karthik Muralidharan & Abhijeet Singh & Alejandro J. Ganimian, 2019. "Disrupting Education? Experimental Evidence on Technology-Aided Instruction in India," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(4), pages 1426-1460, April.
    16. Lisa J. Dettling & Sarena Goodman & Jonathan Smith, 2018. "Every Little Bit Counts: The Impact of High-Speed Internet on the Transition to College," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 100(2), pages 260-273, May.
    17. Sanchis-Guarner, Rosa & Montalbán, José & Weinhardt, Felix, 2025. "Home broadband and human capital formation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    18. Roland G. Fryer, Jr, 2016. "The Production of Human Capital in Developed Countries: Evidence from 196 Randomized Field Experiments," NBER Working Papers 22130, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Derksen, Laura & Leclerc, Catherine Michaud & Souza, Pedro CL, 2019. "Searching for Answers : The Impact of Student Access to Wikipedia," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1236, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    20. Patricia Dinis Mota da Costa & Luisa De Sousa Lobo Borges de Araujo, 2016. "Digital Reading in PISA 2012 and ICT Uses: How do VET and General Education Students Perform?," JRC Research Reports JRC104713, Joint Research Centre.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:epw:ejedu0:v:2:y:2021:i:6:id:30196. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://eu-opensci.org/index.php/ejedu .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.