Challenges of Teaching Science and Mathematics to Students with Visual Impairment: The Need for a Directorate of Resource Centre Services

Abstract

In this paper, the authors discussed the challenges facing students with visual impairments (SVI) in the study of science, technology and mathematics (STM) from the perspectives of the SVI, the school/teachers and the classroom environment. These challenges were found to significantly impede their access to the study of STM. Specific ways to address these challenges from the home/parents, the S VI, and the school, were advanced. Above all, an all inclusive and super ordinate stratagem in the name of Directorate of Resource Centre Services (DRCS) was proposed as the key to open Sl!‘('S.\‘ free access to every course that S VI wish to study in any post-secondary institution in this country. The DRCS underlying basis, objectives, rationale, location. policy formulation, human and equipment resources including the services it is expected to provide were specified. The authors conclude that the DRCS is an example of accommodation and best practice in special needs education and promises to liberalize access to qualitative higher education for S VI in the country.