Influence of Teachers' Attitude on Learning Outcomes among Visually Impaired Learners in Integrated Primary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

Author

Margaret Makunja, Demtilla Wanjala & Wamalwa Kijana

Abstract

 In inclusive learning environments, teachers' dispositions toward learners with special needs are widely regarded as a determinant of educational quality, yet the specific influence of teacher attitude on the academic performance of visually impaired learners remains under-examined in the Kenyan context. This study examined the influence of teachers' attitudes on the academic performance of visually impaired learners in integrated primary schools in Nairobi County. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Four integrated primary schools with substantial enrollment of visually impaired learners were purposively sampled from the thirteen integrated public primary schools in Nairobi County. From a target population of 106 teachers and 4 head teachers, a sample of 32 teachers was selected through simple random sampling, representing approximately 30 percent of the teacher population, while all 4 head teachers were included through a census. Teachers' attitudes were measured using a Likert-scale attitude questionnaire assessing their dispositions toward inclusive practice and toward visually impaired learners specifically, while head teachers' perceptions of teacher attitude and its classroom effects were captured through a structured interview guide. Validity of the attitude instrument was established through supervisor review, and its reliability was confirmed through a pilot study using the split-half technique. Learners' academic performance was measured using recent assessment scores, which were then compared across teachers grouped by attitude disposition. Quantitative data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test to compare learning outcomes between learners taught by teachers with more positive attitudes and those taught by teachers with less positive attitudes, while qualitative data from head teacher interviews were analyzed thematically to contextualize and triangulate the quantitative result. Of the 32 questionnaires distributed, 29 were completed and returned, yielding a response rate of 90.6 percent. The findings revealed that teachers' attitudes had a statistically significant effect on the learning outcomes of visually impaired learners (t = 2.492, p = .019) at α = .05, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis that teacher attitude has no significant effect on learner outcomes. Learners taught by teachers who demonstrated patient, accommodating, and inclusive dispositions recorded better academic and social engagement outcomes than those taught by teachers with less positive attitudes. This quantitative finding was corroborated by head teachers' qualitative accounts, which consistently identified attitude as among the most influential factors shaping the classroom experience of visually impaired learners. The study concludes that teacher attitude functions as an active instructional variable, rather than a peripheral personal trait, with direct bearing on academic performance in integrated settings. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education and school administrators implement structured attitude modification and awareness initiatives for teachers of visually impaired learners, and that pre-service and in-service teacher training curricula place greater emphasis on cultivating inclusive dispositions alongside technical instructional skills. These findings are expected to inform policy on teacher preparation and support within Kenya's inclusive education framework

Keywords

Teacher attitude; Visually impaired learners; Learning outcomes; Inclusive education; Integrated primary schools

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References

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