TEACHING AND LEARNING OF DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS INVOLVING LEARNERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN ZAMBIA: A DESCRIPTIVE CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NDOLA, ZAMBIA

Abstract

Teaching learners digital literacy skills is a challenging experience for both teachers and learners, especially for learners with visual impairment. The disability, such as visual impairment, comes with its own complexities that make learning digital literacy skills quite difficult. It was in this context, the present study sought to explore how learners with visual impairment were learning, acquiring and developing digital literacy and technical skills in the Zambian secondary school system. The study used a descriptive case study research design supported by qualitative approaches. The sample size was 12 (3 teachers and 9 LwVI). The participants were drawn from special education schools in the district. Homogeneous sampling was used to select teacher participants, while, learners were selected using an expert sampling technique. Data was collected using in-depth interview guides and observation checklists. The data from fieldwork, was analysed using thematic analysis approaches. The findings revealed that LwVI were learning basic digital literacy skills, such as; keyboarding, input and navigation skills, word processing skills, online communication, spreadsheets and digital presentations. On technical skills, it was found that LwVI were being exposed to: hardware and software knowledge; how to apply software skills - online research skills; information management skills; digital content creation; how to use digital media as well as digital collaboration. It was, however, also found that LwVI often faced several challenges in attempting to learn digital literacy and computer technical skills. These ranged from: lack of accessible to assistive technology, resources, difficulties with visually-based online platforms and issues of inadequate collaboration in the teaching and learning of such skills. The study equally, showed that there were socio-economic barriers, teachers' teaching inadequacies, high cost of devices, internet connectivity challenges and electricity outages, which negatively impacted on the teaching and learning of digital skills in the case of LwVI in secondary schools in Zambia. The study concluded that, although findings cannot be generalizable to other areas in Zambia, efforts were being made to expose learners with visual impairment to digital literacy skills in the study schools. This has the potential of enhancing the learning of LwVI with time. The study recommends that schools encourage teachers to use strategies which are more inclusive and sustainable in the teaching of digital literacy skills to LwVI. Additionally, teachers should make efforts to use differented learning to ease access to digital literacy skills among LwVI.

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