THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS’ LEARNING ENGLISH USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY

THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS’ LEARNING ENGLISH

USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN INCLUSIVE

EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY

THESIS

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofMagister Humaniora (M.Hum)

in English Language Studies

by Sri Wiyanah

056332040

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are ideas, phrases, and sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the consequences involving the degree cancellation if she took people’ ideas, phrases, or sentences without proper references.

WORDS THAT MEAN A LOT

You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself ---Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

The Youth who is bright and memorizes a large amount of information is not to be admired; but he who thinks carefully and searches for truth diligently is to be admired ---Lu Tung-lai (1137-81)

If you are in doubt, think out by yourself. Do not depend on others for explanations. Suppose there was no one you could ask, should you stop learning? If you could get rid of the habit of being dependent on others, you will make your advancement in your study--Chu His (1130-1200)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This thesis is the biggest product of the writer during more than two years of study in the Graduate Program in English Studies, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. I have learnt many things during that precious time from the teachers at Sanata Dharma University of their greatest knowledge and current perspective in English language teaching. Their broad experience about the education world inspired the writer to bring out into view about the marginalized learners, in this case, visually impaired learners, who still do not get satisfied in their education and learning. Therefore, inclusive education is one of the better choices for visually impaired students to learn more and compete with other normal learners and socialization. How the visually impaired students learning English using information technology in inclusive education became an interesting topic in this thesis.

My first great and eternal gratitude is addressed to God who always blessed and guide me in every strenuous works and problems in this life. God has helped and showed me the best way to accomplish this thesis writing. The writer could finish the thesis with the help of other people around her. Therefore, I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to those who have helped me.

my thesis as well. My gratitude is also addressed to Drs. F.X. Mukarto, M.S., Ph.D., for his amazing knowledge in education. I was so impressed with his jokes in every single meeting. Moreover, he has given a better way how to teach children.

I am also indebted to Dr. J. Bismoko for his knowledge and view on the current perspective education that refers to autonomy and empowerment. He has given me an idea to write this thesis. Next, my debt gratitude is also due to Dr. Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A, for her amazing literature analysis. I was impressed with her fascinating style in speaking. I would like to thank all lectures in English Language Studies. Dr. Fr. B Alip, M.Pd., M.A., for being the thesis reviewer and examiner, and the other lecturers who I cannot mention one by one. To all administration staff, Mbak Leli, Mbak Lia and other staff, I thank them for their help to overcome some technical problems in my study.

I would also like to thank all teachers and the headmaster of SMA Muhammadiyah 4 Yogyakarta, Drs. Slamet Fauzan, who allowed me to conduct research in his school. My best thanks are also for the visually impaired students who always willing to be participants of my study, Hen, Fik and Tyas.

I would like to dedicate this thesis for my beloved husband, Anto’; who always loves, supports and understands to everything that I do. My beloved parents who always pray for me in my whole life; my young brothers, Tri and Wan; and my child in the heaven, Luqman. Last but not least, I would like to thank all friends in English Language Studies and all people who helped me doing this thesis but I could not mention them one by one. Thanks for the friendship and unforgettable moments we shared together during our studying.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ………... i

APPROVAL PAGE……….. ii

THESIS DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE………... iii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY……… iv

WORDS THAT MEAN A LOT……….. v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………. vi

a. Students with Special Need (SSN)………. b. Visually Impaired ……….. c. Classification of Visually Impaired……… d. Characteristics of Visually Impaired….. .……….. 4. An inclusive Education……… a. Definition of Inclusive Education……….. b. Purposes and Principles of Inclusive Education………. c. Inclusive Education Models……….. 5. Learning ………...

a. Learning ………. b. Learning English……… c. Learning English of Senior High School………... d. Text Type………... e. Visually Impaired Development……… f. Visually Impaired Students’ Learning English……….. g. Visually Impaired Students’ Learning Style……….. 6. Information Technology………

b. MELDICT……….. C. Data Setting and Sources……… D. Data Gathering Instruments……… E. Research Procedure and Data Processing……….. F. Technique Data Analysis ………..

68 1. Processing Students’ Learning Practices as Observation Data……….. 2. Processing Observation and Interview data……… B. Result………... 1. The Profile of Visually Impaired Students’ Learning Process………… a. Description of Andy’s Learning Process……….. b. Description of Sarah’s Learning Process………. c. Description of Iko’s Learning Process………. 2. The Profile of Visually Impaired Student’s Learning Experience in

Inclusive Education……… a. Description of Andy’s Learning Experience……… b. Description of Sarah’s Learning Experience……… c. Description of Iko’s Learning Experience……… C. Discussion……… 1. Visually Impaired Students’ Learning Process………...

a. Andy’s Learning Process………... b. Sarah’s Learning Process……….. c. Iko’s Learning Process……….. 2. Learning Experience in Inclusive Education……….. a. Social Interaction………. b. Classroom Practices/Works……….. 3. Support System………..

a. Visually impaired students’ learning result ………. b. Visually impaired students’ feeling in learning English using JAWS and MELDICT……….. c. Visually impaired students’ feeling in inclusive education ……….

Appendix 1: Observation Data………. 185

Appendix 2: Interview Questions………. 198

Appendix 3: Interview Data (Transcripts of Interview)... 203

Appendix 4: Coding Data……… 238

Appendix 5: Data Gathering Schedule………... 271

Appendix 6: English Module ……….. 272

Appendix 7: JAWS Presentation……….. 286

Appendix 8: MELDICT Presentation 1………... 287

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Defining autonomy: the capacity to take control over learning… Figure 2.2 Cognitive Processes are interconnected between one to others… Figure 2.4 Theoretical Framework of the visually impaired learning

English………... Figure 3.1 Building a picture of English learning process of visually

impaired students using JAWS and MELDICT in inclusive education………... Figure 3.2 Research Procedures………. Figure 3.3 The model of qualitative analysis………... Picture 4.3.1 Andy’s English learning process ..…..……….. Picture 4.3.2 Sarah’s English learning process ….….……… Picture 4.3.3 Iko’s English learning process …..………

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Blueprint of observation………. Table 4.1.1 First observation data of Andy (a sample)……….. Table 4.1.2 Interview Questions……… Table 4.1.3. First observation data of Andy (a sample)……….. Table 4.1.4 The second interview of Andy (sample)……….. Table 4.2.1 Second observation data of Andy ………. Table 4.2.2 Second observation data of Sarah……… Table 4.2.3 Second observation data of Iko ……….. Table 4.2.4 Andy’s learning ……….. Table 4.2.5 Sarah‘s learning……….. Table 4.2.6 Iko’s learning ………..

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

JAWS Job Access with Speech

ABSTRACT

Sri Wiyanah, 2007. The visually impaired students’ learning English using information technology in inclusive education: a case study. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate program, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis aims to respond the current issue about current perspectives in education which emphasizes on the learners progress from being marginalized to be autonomous and empowered learners. The study was conducted especially in helping marginalized students, namely visually impaired students in learning English as unique phenomenon in education. The study also advocated on visually impaired students’ inherent rights to receive an education like the other normal students on the basis of equality of opportunity. Inclusive education was the current model in education that integrated the normal and visually impaired students to learn in the same class and curriculum in a regular school. All students could learn and benefit from education. Individual differences between students were a source of richness and diversity, not a problem. Teachers who wanted to promote their students' independence needed to focus less on explaining various aspects of the language being learned and more on organizing learning activities that enabled students to take control of their own learning. Therefore, teachers should facilitate them in learning. Media were used to support their learning. This study applied information technology that focuses on electronic devices (JAWS and MELDICT) as computer softwares were suitable to their characteristics in optimizing their sense of hearing. The researcher chose narrative text to be a module theme because they learned it in all grades of Senior High Schools’ students. Therefore, the researcher explored the process and experiences of visually impaired students in learning English using electronic devices in inclusive education.

This study was a qualitative, progressive case-study. As it was a case study that the main data of which were the participants’ narrative and descriptive of students’ learning. The study attempted to answer one single research question, namely how visually impaired students learned English with the use of information technology in inclusive education. This research question was answered through a series of naturalistic observations, in-dept interviews, documents and interpretation of the (result of) data which were confirmed using concurrent triangulation. The triangulation data from some multiple facets of cases was implemented to validate the accuracy of findings. These data were accountability analyzed using a model of qualitative analysis. Coding and categorizing the data into some themes were done in this study. The extracts from the data were needed as evidence, and the researcher gave commentary on the data that would support the argument. The research was conducted at one of Senior High school in Yogyakarta as an inclusive school. There were three participants who had visual impairment in this study.

activities were done almost by all participants in their learning. They also applied some learning strategies in their learning such as cognitive strategies and metacognitive strategies, and socio-affective strategies. The most applicable learning strategies were cognitive strategies.

The other results were the visually impaired students’ learning experiences in inclusive education that involved three sub-themes such as social interactions, classroom practices/works and some support systems. In inclusive school, they did not have obstacles in interacting with other normal students. In classroom practices, they sometimes could not follow the physical activity. It was replaced by other activities. Support system described learning result, how their feeling and opinion about their learning in inclusive education and facilities provided. Those also played a significant role in the process of learning. They also enjoyed and felt happy learning English using JAWS and MELDICT. Those part of information technology gave positive effect and promoted their learning as those aids could encourage their learning English. Moreover, they could train themselves to operate those media in order to have ability in it. Thus, they were aware in using and doing both of them. As a result, they could help and improve themselves as their learning progress in order to become excellent in their own right. The learning processes were correlated with some English skills that were learned by students. The continuous learning and training using the aids improved their ability in learning English. Moreover, they became autonomous, empowered and self-fulfilling in learning. It also helped them to understand better and actualize their potentials individually and socially.

ABSTRAK

Sri Wiyanah, 2007. The visually impaired students’ learning English using information technology in inclusive education: a case study. Yogyakarta: Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Program Pasca Sarjana, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Thesis ini bertujuan untuk merespon isu masa kini tentang perspektif mutakhir pendidikan yang menekankan pada kemajuan siswa dari marginal menjadi siswa yang lebih mandiri dan memiliki otonomi dalam belajar. Studi ini dilakukan terutama untuk membantu siswa marginal yang tidak bisa melihat dalam belajar sebagai suatu penomena unik di dunia pendidikan. Studi ini juga mendukung anak yang tidak melihat yang mempunyai hak yang melekat dalam dirinya untuk mendapatkan kesempatan yang sama dalam pendidikan seperti halnya anak normal yang lain. Pendidikan inklusi adalah model pendidikan terkini yang menggabungkan anak normal dan anak yang tidak bisa melihat untuk belajar di kelas dan kurikulum yang sama di sekolah reguler. Semua anak dapat belajar dan mendapatkan manfaat dari pendidikan. Perbedaan individu diantara anak adalah sumber yang kaya dan beragam, dan bukan suatu masalah. Guru yang akan mengembangkan kebutuhan anak untuk mandiri harus lebih sedikit menekankan pada menjelaskan beragam aspek bahasa yang dipelejari dan lebih menekankan pada mengatur kegiatan belajar yang dapat memungkinan anak untuk mengatur atau mengendalikan diri dalam belajar. Oleh karena hal tersebut, guru harus memfasilitasi mereka dalam belajar. Media digunakan untuk mendukung belajar mereka. Studi ini mengaplikasikan teknologi informasi yang menfokuskan pada peralatan elektronik (JAWS dan MELDICT) sebagai software computer sesuai dengan karakteristik mereka dalam mengoptimalkan indera pendengaran mereka. Peneliti memilih narrative sebagai tema module karena mereka belajar text tersebut di semua anak tingkat SMA. Oleh karena itu, peneliti ingin menggali proses dan pengalaman belajar pelajar tuna netra dalam belajar bahasa Inggris menggunakan peralatan elektronik di sekolah inklusi.

Penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dan studi kasus progresif karena data utama dalam studi kasus ini adalah narasi dan deskripsi dari process belejar peserta. Studi ini berusaha untuk menjawab satu permasalahan yaitu bagaimana para tuna netra belajar bahasa Inggris dengan menggunakan teknologi informasi di sekolah inkllusi? Permasalahan tersebut dijawab melalui serangkaian observasi natural pada saat belajar, interview mendalam, dokumen dan interprestasi hasil temuan data yang di konfirmasikan dengan menggunakan triangulasi. Triangulasi data dari beberapa segi permasalahan di implementasikan untuk mensahkan keakuratan hasil temuan. Data tersebut dianalisis dengan menggunakan model analisa kualitatif. Pengkodingan and pengkategorian data sesuai dengan tema juga dilakukan Intisari dari data digunakan sebagai bukti, dan diberikan komentar untuk mendukung argument. Penelitian dilaksanakan di salah satu sekolah menengah umum di yogyakarta sebagai sekolah inklusi. Ada tiga orang siswa tuna netra yang menjadi responden di studi ini.

yaitu cognitive strategy and metacognitive strategy, and socio-affective strategy. Cognitive strategy adalah yang paling sering digunakan.

Hasil penelitian yang lain yaitu pengalaman pembelajaran anak tuna netra di sekolah inklusi yang meliputi tiga sub tema seperti interaksi sosial, kegiatan kelas dan beberapa system penunjang. Di sekolah inklusi mereka tidak mengalami hambatan dalam berinetraksi dengan teman normal yang lain. Dalam aktivitas kelas, mereka kadang tidak bisa mengikuti aktivitas fisik. Oleh karenanya, hal tersebut diganti dengan kegiatan belajar lain. Sistem pendukung menggambarkan hasil belajar, bagaimana perasaan dan pemikiran mereka tentang terhadap pembelajaran dan fasilitas yang tersedia dalam pendidikan inklusi. Hal tersebut memainkan peranan penting dalam proses belajar. Mereka juga merasa senang dalam belajar menggunakan JAWS dan MELDICT. Bagian dari teknologi informasi tersebut memberikan efek positif dan mendukung dalam belajar karena alat tersebut dapat mendorong mereka dalam belajar bahasa Inggris. Selain itu mereka dapat melatih diri mereka sendiri untuk menjalankan alat tersebut dan memiliki ketrampilan atasnya. Alhasil, mereka dapat membantu dan meningkatkan belajar mereka agar menjadi pembelajar yang lebih baik. Proses belajar berkorelasi dengan ketrampilan bahasa Inggris yang mereka pelajari. Pembelajaran dan latihan terus menerus dengan menggunakan alat bantu belajar dapat meningkatkan ketrampilan berbahasa Inggris pada anak tuna netra. Lebih-lebih lagi mereka menjadi mandiri dan memiliki otonomi dalam belajar, hal ini akan membantu mereka untuk memahami diri mereka sendiri dan mengaktualkan potensi mereka baik secara individu maupun social.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter discussed the background why this title was interesting to study. This introductory chapter contains six major sections, namely (1) background, (2) problem identification, (3) problem limitation, (4) research question, (5) research goals and objectives, and (6) research benefits.

A. Background

This section has several kinds of major reasons why the research was conducted. This study was conducted in order to respond some issues in education that focus on the visually impaired students’ learning English using electronic devices in inclusive education as a unique phenomenon in educational research. As it was known that they were not able to see. The current perspective in education referred to the learner’s autonomy in applying the electronic media or devices that were going to associate and facilitate the visually impaired students in their learning. From that new phenomenon in English learning, the researcher employed the concept of postmodernism in progressivism research. The purpose context was helping the participant to be more autonomous and empowered in their learning English. In this area of research, the participants were marginal learners who needed help in learning to become more emancipated.

process of based assumption that humans needed to learn because they needed to be self-fulfilled, individually and socially. To become self-fulfilled, learners should be empowered. It was beneficial to prepare the students to cope their world future which was unforgettable, not to impose our culture to them. It meant that teachers should not force students to do something as what and how like the way teachers did.

The goals of education not only determined the products, but also considered the learners’ process in understanding, doing some activities, empowering themselves, and getting self-fulfillment in their future of learning. Teachers more or less should become facilitators who facilitated their students in learning. The important thing that teachers should give guidance, help and facilitate students in their learning. Giving knowledge and guiding learners were very important to improve learner’s abilities in planning their own learning, monitoring their works and trying to assess what they have learned. The new curriculum fosters the condition of teaching learning process in which focus on learners center not teachers center. Therefore, teachers just facilitated the student’s learning and created many challenges and suitable activities for students in learning.

hearing. Helping them in learning by facilitating their leaning activities using media and giving chance to have some learning activities which were challenging and suitable to their characteristics brought positive effect to their learning achievement.

Media played an important role in contributing and providing several activities and knowledge to the students. It was part of the guideline used by the students in order they gain the maximum result. In learning process, media had very significant contribution toward the achieving of maximum result and target of the students in improving their competency. Choosing a representative media enabled to give a good effect to contribute the process of language leaning. Learning was not a simple process. The input and process how the student’s learning affected the student’s outcome. Selection of media would be very advantageous if the media chosen were appropriate with the students’ need and the material given to them. Media were important equipments to support the process of students’ learning. Media that were in accordance with the material, challenging, attractive, and simple to use would stimulate and provoke both teachers in creating and constructing lesson, so that the learning process run well.

technology that was helpful to the students in learning English using computer software. In order to learn English better and optimize their potentials in inclusive school, visually impaired students needed to be helped in learning by facilitating them electronic devices i.e. JAWS and MELDICT as part of information technology. Those teaching aids were suitable to the visually impaired students’ characteristics to promote their learning as they learned by optimizing their sense of hearing. Considering to the phenomenon, the study was conducted to explore the participants’ learning English through a case study as it is a unique context.

JAWS stands for Job Access with Speech that has been developed to help the visually impaired students in improving their ability in learning English. JAWS for Windows was a name of computer software. Besides JAWS, there was another kind of program that was called a MELDICT. It was a kind of electronic dictionary that helped visually impaired students to find out many difficult words or sentences in English. JAWS for Window is the text to speech solution for blind or visually impaired individuals working in the rapidly growing computer industry. By using JAWS, a blind user can use a computer as functionally as a sighted user, and can perform the same tasks as fast, or in some cases, faster than a sighted person (manual book)

computer software programs, i.e. JAWS and MELDICT as teaching aids in learning. In its development learning media followed the technology development. In addition, technology in general had a positive effect on learner.

The research was conducted also to accommodate the issue emerged about the government policy that was related to the people’s rights in obtaining better education needs especially education for visually impaired students. Education was very important for people in this entire of the world. Every citizen has equal rights to receive an education. It shows that students with special needs have equal rights and opportunities as well as the other normal students in education. (Act 2/1989 on National Education System)

Based on estimation by Directorate of Special Education, students with special needs only got attention about 3% from other normal students’ population in education. The census in 2001 described that only 3.7% or 33.850 who got service and allowed to study in school institutions either regular or specific school. Moreover, there were about 96.3% students with special needs that had not got their right to get chance in education yet. They seem to be neglected by the government and had not got better education service.

it was one of their problems in reaching the far distance to the destination place, (3) Regular schools did not pay attention to their condition by allowing them to study in that school with normal students, because some considerations that would hamper them in learning.

Because of the reasons, it was better to give a model of education which accommodates and facilities students with special needs in learning. Government’s Regulation no. 20 2003 about the National Education System provides education to students with special needs that referred to the explanation of section 15 about special education as education for deviation students which was conducted inclusively. Therefore, an inclusive education was chosen to accommodate the students with special needs to learn with other normal learners.

Through inclusive education, students of different abilities were together educated with normal students to optimize their potentials. In education, the visually impaired students needed the same rights as well as normal students in their learning process because their life could not separate with their real social interaction with others. Therefore, they needed inclusive education to accommodate them in getting better service in education as well as their learning process without differentiating and discriminating among learners.

B. Problem Identification

that focus on computer software (JAWS and MELDICT). How do visually impaired students do some tasks in learning via that information technology? What kind of attitudes and psychological aspects that come up while they are learning English? How visually impaired students’ strategies in learning by using information technology? Because of visually impaired student’s weaknesses, they needed to get much attention in teaching learning process than normal students. What kinds of English competencies achieved with the use of the information technology while the visually impaired students are learning by doing some tasks? In further learning, they could automatically learned by themselves—autonomous after several times, so it investigated ‘how to’, ‘why’ and ‘what’ questions.

In conducting the research, the researcher identified how JAWS program could be applied toward visually impaired students in learning English. This research aimed to respond current perspective in the world of education especially in helping marginalized students who had visual defects (in learning English). This thesis raised up issues on the visually impaired students who still did not get better attention and education service in their chance in getting equal right to receive an education as well as normal students.

In further, how the visually impaired learning experienced in learning with other normal students in inclusive school also give clear description to explore the visually impaired students’ condition in their environment.

C. Problem Limitation

Several issues came up concerning to the observation during the research. The discussion about learning, teaching and the process gave another point of view in the science of education in the global era. The research produced a kind of dynamic change in education that was not fixed and keep changing from time to time. Because of the complexity of the problem identification stated before, so it was necessary to limit the current study become in depth on the discussion of the issue.

learning. The visually impaired students’ experience in their learning in inclusive school and the environment also needed to be described as well.

The available English module was to help the students to do some tasks concerning to the text type. In this research, the researcher chose a narrative text. It was one of genre that was learned by students that was relevant to the new curriculum of Senior High School. It helped students in improving their competencies in learning English. Moreover, they become more autonomous, empowered and get self-fulfillment to learn by themselves in their future.

The next issue was about the visually impaired student English skills and competencies that were achieved and possibly improved after several practices and a long process of learning. Those competencies referred to English competencies that were possibly required by them when they learnt. Applying the new curriculum and facilitating visually impaired student with electronic devices helped him to be autonomous learners and get self-fulfillment. It was beneficial for the visually impaired student to learn anything confidently and felt acceptable in their environment, and also enjoyed in their learning.

D. Research Question

The study, therefore, aimed to address the following research question: How do the visually impaired students in inclusive education learn English with the use of information technology? This seemed to be a simple question, but it needed of course, work hard to conduct and process to obtain a good and acceptable research finding in this thesis.

Having known and understood the visually impaired students’ learning English using information technology, it brought result as description how they could understand themselves and actualize their potential in learning individually and socially.

E. Research Objectives

As the context of the study of visually impaired student learning English with the use of information technology (JAWS and MELDICT) in inclusive education, the study attempted to attain the following goal i.e., to describe visually impaired students in learning English using information technology in inclusive education.

After exploring and revealing the process of teaching English for visually impaired students with the use of information technology in inclusive education, the subsequent procedural objectives are the significant steps to follow in the study; they are discussed in the following steps:

notes, video). Second, it is to examine some actions that were done by the visually impaired student in employing the information technology in learning English (interview questions). Third, it is to explore the visually impaired students in learning English, especially observation in the process of how were they doing some activities (based on the text type that he learnt, narrative, (interview data: how are they doing some activities–audio-taped).

Fourth, it is to construct the visually impaired student‘s work (what does he do, what does he say about it, why does he do, how does he do). Fifth, it is to investigate how information technology promotes the visually impaired students in their English learning (how far the role of electronic devices promotes learning). Next, it is to investigate some English competencies those are able to cover during the visually impaired students are doing some activities in learning, as they should be able to communicate in oral and written such as listening, speaking, reading and listening fluently and accurately. Finally, it is to reveal how visually impaired students learn English and language teaching model with the use of information technology in the innovation or development of language teaching theories.

F. Research Benefits

Indonesian context. The original goal was to give children and students with a visual impairment a chance to learn English well enough to have good knowledge of a foreign language in order to reach the goal of education. The other benefits of this study are as the followings.

Firstly, the study provides a model of progressive qualitative research in education in general that is done in the type of case study, especially in inclusive education for the visually impaired students in their learning in inclusive education as an attempting to empower them and to promote their autonomy in learning English associated with information technology that focuses on computer software as electronic devices i.e., JAWS (Job Access with Speech), and MELDICT as an electronic dictionary that help visually impaired students in their learning.

Secondly, the study may contribute to the development of English learning model for the visually impaired students who need some attention in their right to get better education and improvement in their learning. Thirdly, the study provides qualitative information to the government, educational managers or policy makers, curriculum designers, language researchers, teachers, visually impaired students’ teachers to take into account about the condition of visually impaired students in learning in order to make wise and equitable policy in treating them in receiving education as well as the normal learners.

improve their potential and life skill in learning English. Moreover, they can study autonomously and get self-fulfilling.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

This chapter attempted to contextualize some related theories of the research problems. It consist two major sections, namely (1) theoretical review, and (2) theoretical framework.

A.

Theoretical Review

The current literature on related themes in this section includes the reviews of (1) a case study, (2) autonomy, (3) visually impaired students, (4) an inclusive education, (5) learning, and (6) electronic devices.

1. A Case Study

(Nisbet and Watt, 1984: 72). Case studies can penetrate situations in ways that are not always susceptible to numerical analysis (Cohen et al., 2000:181).

Case study research represents a much broader view like conducting an empirical investigation of a contemporary phenomenon within its natural context using multiple sources of evidence (Yin, 2003, as cited in Hancock and Algozzine, 2006: 15). Moreover, Merriam states that people sometimes use the term case study as a catchall category for research that is not a survey, an observational study, or an experiment and is not statistical in nature (Merriam, 2001).

Additional similarities and differences sometimes found in other forms of research also characterize case study research. For example, in contrast with the experimental research, case study research is generally more exploratory than confirmatory; that is, the case study researcher normally seeks to identify themes or categories of behavior and events rather than prove relationships or test hypotheses. Because it involves collecting and analyzing information from multiple sources, such as interviews, observations, and existing documents, case study research sometimes requires the researcher to spend more time in environment being investigated that is the case with other types of research. Finally, as with most research, doing case studies creates opportunities for the researcher to explore additional questions by the act of investigating a topic in detail (Hancock and Algozzine, 2006: 16).

In addition, they state that case studies represent another type of qualitative research. They are different from other types in they are intensive analyses and descriptions of a single unit or system bounded by space and time. Topics are often examined in case studies include individuals, events, or groups. Through case studies, researchers hope to gain in-depth understanding of situations and meaning for those involved. Merriam (2001) suggests that insights gleaned from case studies can directly influence policy, procedures, and future research.

Lincoln (1996b) make it very clear that there are no tight categories for strategies of inquiry. For example, you do not have to choose between case study, ethnography and grounded theory. Case study can be an ethnography or not an any subject and do not have to be quantitative at all. They are ‘defined by interest in individual cases, not by method or enquiry’ (Stake, 1994:236). Although ethnography is often associated closely with participant observation, ’it has been argued that in a sense all social research is a form of participant observation’ (Atkinson and Hammersley, 1994:249) While focusing on ethnography, in further, Hammersley and Atkinson (1995:31) build in the ideas of Glaser and Strauss. It is usually associated with grounded theory, and talk about ‘cases’ as a specific phenomenon within or across social setting (1995:41).

A case study is said to be a life-long research because it takes long time observation and long narrative to make a story about every phenomenon which comes up in the research. Alwasilah (2000: 273) states that case study is a kind of a challenge report compared with others like journal, article and newspaper. The description of this report is believed not only to be tiring, spend along time, frustrated and annoyed but also pleased, smart, and open our mind or view. Nisbet and Watt (1984:91) in Cohen et al. (2000:182) state that it should avoid the journalism that refers to picking out more striking features of the case, thereby distorting the full account in order to emphasize these more sensational aspects.

Hence it is important for events and situations to be allowed to speak for themselves rather than to be largely interpreted, evaluated or judged by the researcher. In this respect the case study is akin to the television documentary. This is not to say that case studies are unsystematic or merely illustrative; case study data are gathered systematically and rigorously (Cohen, et al.: 2000:182).

Lincoln and Cuba (1985) in Alwasilah (2000) set three requirements of case study researchers. Firstly, the researcher should have a writing skill over the average. In case study writing, it is just not like writing a fiction either pure fiction, because it must be scientific report. Secondly, the researcher should accept extroverted on the all suggestions and critics from other people. This case study is not like fiction but report the science truth opened from other critics in order become trust report. Thirdly, the researcher is a person who truly inspires the case that s/he reported. S/he is a person who has long-close relationship with the participants.

2. Autonomy

self-directed learning, or learning in which the objectives, progress and evaluations of learning are determined by the learners themselves (Benson, 2001:8).

Holec states that these definitions do not differ substantially, autonomy is perhaps best described as a capacity, as Holec has often described it, because various kinds of abilities are those that allow learners to plan their own learning, activities, monitor their progress and evaluate their outcomes (Holec as cited in Benson, 2003:290). We tend to say that an autonomous learner can be fostered not to be taught. The learner himself who decided what and how to do it in learning activities to acquire language.

Holec (1988), in Allwright (2005:13) states that under learner autonomy, it is the learner who decides what shall be the focus of attention at any given time. From that statement it can be taken into account that the learners will be autonomous if they can plan what they should learn based on the need, monitor their works by themselves and they are able to evaluate what they have done and learned.

A helpful definition of learner autonomy is given by Little (1991:4) in Benson (2000: 49) below:

“Essentially, autonomy is a capacity – for detachment, critical reflection, decision-making, and independent action. It presupposes, but also entails that the learner will develop a particular kind of psychological relation to the process and content of his learning. The capacity for autonomy will be displayed, in the way he or she transfers what has been learned to wider contexts”.

will be displayed when they transfer the learning result to the wider context. This is related to psychological relation to the process and content of learning.

Moreover, Benson (2001: 9) states further of the similarity of autonomous. He said that autonomy can be understood as self-access or self-directed learning. Further, it also tended to become similar with technology-based learning that its work will lead to autonomy of learner in learning. He said that:

….self-access was seen as a means of facilitating self directed learning. Self-access language learning centers have proliferated to the point where ‘self-access language learning’ is often treated as a synonym for self-directed or autonomous learning. Self access work will automatically lead to autonomy. Because self access centre have been enthusiastic consumers of educational technologies, self-access learning has also tended to become synonymous with technology-based learning. Within the field of computer-assisted language learning, especially, autonomy has become an important issue.

In further, he states that as the case of self access researchers on autonomy emphasize that learners who engage in technology-based learning do not necessarily become more autonomous as a result of their efforts. A great deal depends on the nature of the technology and the use that is made of it (Benson, 2001: 10).

Figure 2.1 Defining autonomy: the capacity to take control over learning

These three levels of control are clearly interdependent. Effective learning management depends upon control of the cognitive processes involved in learning, while control of cognitive processes necessarily has consequences for the self-management of learning. Autonomy also implies that self-management and control over cognitive processes should involve decisions concerning the content of learning

In order to optimize the visually impaired students’ potential, to be independent, and autonomous in learning, the teacher should enable to empower the learner. Consequently, they are able to actualize themselves in achieving self actualization or self-fulfillment. Maslow (1967, 1971), as cited by Pikunas (1976: 300), adds something about a self-actualizing person: the self-actualizing person transcends the lower needs and engages in self-actualization and cognitive development; he shows self-respect, relatedness to others, and willingness to

Autonomy in language learning

Learning management Learning behavior

Learning situations Learning content control

control

control Cognitive processes

continue to grow as a human person. He gains autonomy from others close to him but also from his total environment and culture, he is becoming a fully functioning person who trusts himself and accepts his own experiences. He finds what he needs to adapt himself to all the aspects of reality he faces.

A self-actualized person, as stated above always wants to grow, learns from his surrounding, and is able to adapt himself to reality. Self-actualization, Hall and Lindzey (1978: 250) state, is the creative trend of human native and it is a universal phenomenon in nature and it is a universal phenomenon in nature. However people strive in different ways, because they have different innate potentials that shape their ends and direct their individual development and growth as well as different environments and culture to which they must adjust and from which they must secure the necessary supplies for growth.

3. Visually Impaired Students

This paper discusses students with special educational need (SSN), visually impaired and classification of visually impaired.

a. Students with Special Need (SSN)

A student with a special educational need is a term that refers to students who has physical defect, so they are generally separated to the normal or perfect students in their social live and in education. The physical defect attributers are people who have physical different or the way of thinking which is disturbed. Moreover, it is a kind of an obstacle or obstruction for them to do anything properly (Section 1 of Act no. 4 1997).

In the beginning, physical defect children are often called as disabled which means not having capability. Actually, although, they do not have capability, they have capability in a certain field which is different from the capability of other defect students. For example, visually impaired students may have amazing capability in music, likewise the other physical defect children. Therefore, they exactly called diffable (different ability) or having different capability, notdisabled(having physical defect).

mental disorder or attitude both nature defect and disease caution including light mental backwardness, average mental backwardness and unsociable i.e. interference or obstacle or disorder of attitude. Moreover, they are not able to bring in line well toward the environment of family, school and society. Thirdly, physical defect and mental (doubles disorder) are condition where people have two kinds of defects all at once.

From that various kinds of differences types of physical defects above, consequently blind is one of disorder types which is grouped in the physical defect. Then, the student who has one or more types of physically defect are often called students with special educational need (SSN).

b. Visually Impaired

The term of blind as stated in the government law has a sarcasm sense as what Holliday statement in his qualitative research (2002). Holliday states that we should try to avoid using sarcasm sense in constructing the idea. Moreover, we should not humiliate disable students and differentiate them with others based on their gender, ethnics and sexist. Therefore, the term blind student is rude. In addition, it is changed to visually impaired students who are included in the students which special education needs (SSN).

visual and impaired. Defect means the lack that causes the value or quality is not to be good or imperfection (having by the body, object, inner, or morals), whereas eyes is eyes. In conclusion, eyesight defect is the damage of eyes or the injured eyes or do not have eyes that meaning blind or cannot have less sense of seeing.

Depdiknas (2004) states that a visually impaired student is a student who undergoes trouble in his seeing. It can be totally blind or a part of it. Even though they have been given aid by the special supporting equipment, they still need special educational needs. This term is attached to the person who can not see everything clearly. In inclusive education, they are called as students with special needs or SSN. SSN (students with special needs) are students who deviate significantly from normal criteria in one or more physical characteristic or neuromotor, sensory, intelligence, emotional, social behavior and communication

ability who need special education in order to develop their human potential integrated and optimally.

The term “blind” is interrelated to the visual efficiency and the surrounding area of vision/sight. Visual efficiency indicates as much as a person’s acuity to see with various distances. In another word, how is the person ability to see the object beside him if it is observed intently and directly (Deutsch and Luckasson, 1995).

..., “a visually handicapped child is one whose visual impartment interferes with his optimal learning and achievement, unless adaptations are made in the methods of presenting learning experiences, the nature of the materials used, and in the learning environment”

Based on the idea of Kirk and Gallagher above, it can be clarified that to gain optimal leaning achievement, visually impaired learners need all sort of adaptation, namely education component adaptation, not only the method but also the material as well as the learning environment.

c. Classification of Visually Impaired

Some scientists classify visually impaired into two groups, i.e., low vision and blindness. Low vision students are able to see a glance, but they likely have very limited vision or dimly. With their rest of vision, they are still able to learn in limited means (Deutsch and Luckasson, 1995).

Kirk and Gallagher (1986) classify five classes of blindness according to the acuity level as follows:

1) Level 1 (2/200 acuity). A person of this level cannot see hand movement on 3 feet distance(1 feet = 0,305 m) in front of his face;

2) Level 2 (5/200 acuity). A person of this level cannot count his finger on the 3 feet distance in front of his face;

3) Level 3 (10/200 acuity). A person of this level is still expected to walk by himself but he is not able to read big font as news title on the newspaper. 4) Level 4 (20/200 acuity). A person of this level can read big fonts on the

5) Level 5 (more than 20/200 acuity). A person of this level has not enough sight to do several activities that need vision and cannot read point font 10.

In addition, Purwanto (1998) states that a visually impaired handicapped can be classified into two groups. First, someone is called blind if he cannot see light or ray although he has used correction instrument, he learns fully reading and writing using Braille font. Secondly, an individual who still has rest vision but it cannot to be used to read sharp-sighted text even though he is helped by correction lens. They still possibly need special instrument. It is usually called partially sighted or low vision.

Further, Widjajantin and Hitipew (1996) classify visually impaired person according to the sharp sighted level and the time when the blindness happened. According to the sharp sight level, there are four kinds of visually impaired, namely:

a) Level 1 (6/6 M -6/16 M or 20/20 feet -20/50 feet). A person in this level usually called light visually impaired or even it still can be said as a normal one. She/he generally is still able to use their education instrument; they are still able to see the little object.

b) Level 2 (6/20 M – 6/60 M or 20/70 feet – 20/200 feet). A person in this level usually called partially impaired and she/he is still able to see with the help of glasses.

meter distance, see hand movement and just can differentiate dark and bright.

d) Level 4 (Visually impaired person who has 0 visus). A person in this level is usually called the last level of blind. She/he is not able to see stimulating light and everything.

According to the time when the blindness happened, a blind person can be classified into two. First, visually impaired who is from the time in fetus or before one year. The role of teachers or parents and surrounding people around the child is very important to train the senses he had. Second, visually defect of children under five. A child of 3 years old has experienced blindness. For visually impaired child, the vision concept that he still has will be lost fast. Thus, visual traces (objects, environment) that he has are not really useful for the next child life. In this level, the teachers, parents and surrounding people’s role are very important. They will help in repeat everything that has been understood by a child when he can see with the help of available media.

a. Characteristics of the Visually Impaired

Nevertheless, in general, Depdiknas (2004) states that visually impaired student can be identified based on these following features: (a) they cannot see, (b) they cannot recognize someone on the 6 meters distance, (c) the real damage both on the eyeball, (d) they often grope or stumble while they are walking, (e) they experience difficulties when take little object near them, (f) the part of black eyes is snoring, scaly or dry, (g) severe infection on both of eyes ball, (h) eyes are continue swayed.

As what stated in the previous part, Deutsch and Luckasson (1985) classified visually impaired into blindness and low vision. Each classification has its own characteristics. The characteristics of blindness are as follow: (1) feeling suspicious to others, (2) feeling offended, (3) over dependence to someone else, (4) they often do unconsciously movements (blindism), (5) feeling humble, (6) forward their hand and lower the body, (7) having strong fantasy to remember an object, (8) critical, (9) courageous person, (10) having high or centered concentration.

except if it has contrast color, (11) they get difficulties in doing the smooth and soft movement, like dancing, (12) Coordination or cooperation between eyes and par of the body is weak (Deutsch and Luckasson, 1995).

4. Inclusive Education

Every citizen has an equal right to receive an education. Students with Special Educational Need (SSN), or to more specific here, visually impaired students, have equal rights and chance like the normal students in gathering education without differentiate their weaknesses and their physical defect. (Act 2/1989 on National Education System)

a. Definition of Inclusive Education

A special education is an education for disorder students or students who have special intelligence, which is held inclusively or in special education in the elementary and intermediate education level. This section is possibly as a new paradigm of the educational service for deviation students in conducting inclusive education, the policy is reinforced by government rules about special education and special service education (Act 20/2003 on National Education System).

and administrator in managing it. However, from the student’s point of view, this model is harmful (Reynolds and Birch, 1988).

Regarding to that education model, it can be taken into account that that model does not guarantee disorder children to develop their potential optimally because the curriculum arrangement is different to the regular schools. Besides that, philosophically, this model is not logic because it prepares the students with the normal society but they are separated to them. In addition, this model is relatively expensive.

An inclusive education is an education model in this latest era for disorder student that is formally asserted in the Salamanca declaration in World Conference on deviation education on June, 1994. It produces a new paradigm that inclusive education basic principle i.e., as long as possible all children should learn together without determining their difficulties and distinctions.

First, a regular class (full inclusive) is an inclusive education model where disorder students learn together with the other normal students all day in regular class using the same curriculum. Second, a regular class with cluster is an inclusive education model where disorder students learn together with the other normal students in regular class in special group. Third, regular class with pull out is an inclusive education model where disorder students learn together with the other normal students in regular class even though in a certain time they are pulled out in sources room to learn with special teacher guide. Fourth, regular class with cluster and pull out is an inclusive education model where disorder students learn together with the other normal students where it combines the two terms and ways in conducting the teaching learning process. Fifth, regular class with various integrations is an inclusive education model where disorder students learn in special class in regular school. Even though, in a certain field they can learn with other normal students. Finally, full special class is a model that the disorder students learn in special class in regular school.

because of special educational service that is provided fail to educate divergent students and give them improvement and comfortable in their learning.

In Indonesia, based on an estimation by Directorate of Special education, students with special needs are only about 3% from other normal students’ population in education. Census in 2001 described that only 3.7% or 33.850 who got service and was allowed to study in school institutions either regular or specific school. Moreover, there were about 96.3% students with special needs who had not got their right to get chance in education yet. They were neglected by the government and did not get better education service in order to succeed government goal in education.

Further, Sapon-Shevin Oneil (1995) states that inclusive education as a system of educational service that requires all disorder students learn in near schools, in the regular class together with their friends in the same age. Therefore, it should be a school restructuring that becomes a community that supports special need fulfillment of each student. It means that the school should have rich learning resources. Students, teachers, parents, and the society around them support in running the school teaching learning process.

Through inclusive education, deviation students are taught together with other normal students to optimize the potential that they have (Freiberg, 1995). This case is based on reality of society that there are normal students and divergent students that cannot be separated as a community. Therefore, deviation students need to be given equal chance and opportunity with other normal students to get educational service in the schools which are next to each other. Inclusive education, hopefully, can solve the one of the problem concerning with the handling of education for divergent students all this time. It is impossible to build special school in every sub-district or village because it will spend much expense and need much time.

b. Purposes and Principles of Inclusive Education

In the education system of inclusive education, there are some specific purposes that are expected to gain namely: first, inclusive education distributes education to the deviation children who are studying in the near school in their home. Second, inclusive education increases the parents responsible toward the deviation children as they remain live with their own family so the relationship with their family is closed. Third, inclusive education implements inclusive education in natural condition. The handicap children are not isolated from their family. They can associate with other normal people. It will be a kind of preparation in the society live after they finish their school. Fourth, inclusive education can decrease the great budget in conducting specific school because it should build a dormitory. Finally, inclusive education has purpose to separate or maybe lost the society claim about students with special need (SSN) who are able to be an autonomous.

The purpose of inclusive education is actually to revere the human rights. This is accordance to the law of National Education System subject III, section 4, subsection (1) which states that “education is carried out democratically, in justice, and not discriminatory by revering human rights, religion, cultural value, and nation plurality “(Depdiknas, 2004).

c. Inclusive Education Models

inclusive education, whereas there are differences in the implementation system between one model the inclusive education and others.

Smith, et. al (1995) propose three models of inclusive education. They are self contained, main streaming, and full Inclusion. Self contained is an inclusive education that accommodates the deviation students in the regular school environment. They are placed in specific class in the regular school. This model gives a priority to the average physical defect. They learn with a special education teacher. Moreover, they try to do an activity together with the normal students in the extra curricular lesson and other social one, like, sport, art, literature, etc.

Next, main streaming is an inclusive education that assimilates both the deviation students together with the normal students to some enabling lessons. This is very important because of the assimilation system. Children socialization can develop better and increase the self confidence because they feel they have equal ability as other normal students. It is for the low visually impaired student level for their physics, mental and social. The special education teacher should cooperate with the other regular teacher so that they can help each other. Both of them should master and have the knowledge about education for students with special education (SSN).

Students with specific education (SSN) based on their condition of visually impaired.

From all the discussions about inclusive education previously, the model of inclusive education that was applied in the research setting was full inclusion where visually impaired students learn and follow the activities that were conducted at school entirely as well as the normal children all day in regular class using the same curriculum. In its implementation, the deviation children follow all the activities that are conducted at school entirely as well as the normal children. In this model subject teachers play important role, therefore they must be responsible to them. So, they should comprehend how to handle the class and also the knowledge about Students with specific education (SSN) based on their condition of visually impaired.

5. Learning

Learning has various kinds of definitions and broad meanings stated by scientists that are discussed in the following section.

a. Learning

language, domains of research and inquiry. They are as follow: (a) Learning is acquisition or “getting”, (b) Learning is retention of information or skill, (c) Retention implies storage system, memory, cognitive, organization, (d) Learning involves active, conscious focus on and acting upon events outside or inside the organism, (e) Learning is relatively permanent but subject to forgetting, (f) Learning involves some form of practice, perhaps reinforced practice, and (g) Learning is a change in behavior. In other words, Brown describes learning as a process whereby learners gain, understand, retain, memorize, and store knowledge in the mind. Practicing the knowledge gained is as a result of learning. By learning, there must be a change in behavior of learners.

Some years ago Säljö (1979) carried out a simple, but very useful piece of research. He asked a number of adult students what they understood by learning. Their responses fell into five main categories: (a) Learning as a quantitative increase in knowledge. Learning is acquiring information or ‘knowing a lot’, (b) Learning as memorizing. Learning is storing information that can be reproduced, (c) Learning as acquiring facts, skills, and methods that can be retained and used as necessary, (d) Learning as making sense or abstracting meaning. Learning involves relating parts of the subject matter to each other and to the real world, (e) Learning as interpreting and understanding reality in a different way. Learning involves comprehending the world by reinterpreting knowledge (quoted in Ramsden 1992: 26) at http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm.

complex view of learning. Learning is something external to the learner. It may even be something that just happens or is done to you by teachers (as in conception 1). In a way learning becomes a bit like shopping. People go out and buy knowledge - it becomes their possession. The last two conceptions look to the 'internal' or personal aspect of learning. Learning is seen as something that you do in order to understand the real world.

In the five categories that Säljö identified we can see learning appearing as a process - there is a concern with what happens when the learning takes place. In this way, learning could be thought of as 'a process by which behavior changes as a result of experience' (Maples and Webster 1980 quoted in Merriam and Caffarella 1991: 124). http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm.

Winkel (1991) defines learning as a mental or psychological activity that is persistent in an active interaction in the environment. Learning produces changes in knowledge, comprehending, skill, value and attitude. The learning’s changes are relatively constant and have a result. Besides that, Kohonen states that learning is “a holistic process of relating to the world. It involves feeling, observing, thinking and acting, as a cyclic process” (Kohonen, 2001:27). Brown also divides those concepts into several subfields (2000: 7):

Basically, the teaching learning process is the activity of teaching learning process that is the same time in the form of interaction in education process. In detail, in the law number 20, 2003 section (1), and subsection (20) states that learning is the interaction process of students with the educator and the learning resource in the learning environment.

Gagne said that performance of the learners will be seen differently when they have learned something (Gagne, 1977)

“Learning happened if a stimulus situation together with the content influences students in such a way so that the performance is different from the situation before they undergo the learning process and when they have experienced learning process”.

Relation to the previous point of view about learning that in line with feeling in it, Brown states that feeling is also emotion. Feeling involves “a variety of personality factors, feelings both about ourselves and about others with whom we come into contact” (Brown, 2000:143). Personality factors, such as learners’ emotional experience in learning, include self-esteem, inhibition, risk taking, anxiety, empathy, extroversion, and motivation.

b. Learning English

In learning English as second language as the main concern of Second Language Acquisition, there are individual differences in L2 acquisition. Ellis (1997:73) states that social factors to do with context of learning have an effect on how successful individual L2 learners are and possibly on how interlingua develops as well. He adds that affective factors such as learners’ personalities can influence the degree of anxiety they experience and their preparedness to task risk in learning and using an L2.

Ellis (1997) states that learners’ preferred ways of learning (their ‘learning styles’) may influence their overall orientation to the learning task and the kind of input they find it easiest to work with. He suggests that language aptitude that refers to how they posses a natural ability that is not only in part related to general intelligence but also to be in part distinct for learning second language. There are number of components of language aptitude. They are phonemic coding ability, grammatical sensitivity, inductive language learning ability, and rote learning ability (Caroll as cited in Ellis, (1997:74).

While language aptitude concerns the cognitive abilities that underlie successful second language acquisition, Ellis (1997):75) adds that motivation involves attitudes and affective states that influence the degree of effort that learner make to learn second language. Moreover he proposed various kinds of motivation that have been identified namely instrumental that relation to the learners motivation that come up because of functional reason like, to pass the text, get job or school, etc. Next, Integrative motivation that refers to the learners ‘motivation, it come up because they are interested in the people and culture represented by the target language group.

Then, a resultative motivation that refers to the motivation is that the cause of second language achievement like learners who experience success in learning may become more or in some contexts, less motivated to learn. The last, intrinsic motivation that refers to the motivation that comes up from the learners’ inside to learn. Ellis (1997:76) states that motivation involves the arousal and maintenance of curiosity and can ebb and flow as the result of such factors as learners’ particular interests and the extent to which they feel personally involved in learning activities. He adds that it is dynamic in nature; it is not something that a learner has or does not have but rather something that varies from one moment to the next depending on the learning context or task.

language. He also adds that it can be behavioral (for example, repeating new word aloud to help you remember them) or they can be mental (for example, using the linguistics or situational context to infer the meaning of a new word).

According to Ellis (1997:77), there are different kinds of learning strategies that have been identified. First, cognitive strategies are those that are involved in the analysis, synthesis, or transformation of learning materials. An example is ‘recombination’, which involves constructing a meaningful sentence by recombining known elements of the L2 in a new way. Second, metacognitive strategies are those involved in planning, monitoring, and evaluating learning. An example is ‘selective attention’, where the learner makes a conscious decision to attend to particular aspects of the input. Third, social affective strategies concern the ways in which learners choose to interact with other speakers. An example is ‘questioning for clarification’ (namely asking for repetition, a paraphrase, or an example).

Ellis (1997:78) states that strategies that involve formal practice (for example rehearsing new word) contribute to the development of linguistic competence whereas strategies involving functional practice (for examples, seeking out native speaker to talk to) aid the development of communicative skills. Successful learners may also call on different strategies at different stages of their development.

evaluation. Cognitive strategies have to do with repetition, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction, recombination, imagery, auditory representation, keyword, contextualization, elaboration, transfer, and inferencing. Socioaffective strategies are more limited to cooperation and question for clarification.

Metacognitive and cognitive strategies are the two best strategies for the visually impaired students in their learning process as based on the visually impaired students’ learning principles that are discussed in the subsequently section. Visually impaired students learn mainly through sense of hearing and touching. They understand around their world through working on the concrete objects that can be touched and manipulated. They need to unite information that they already heard and demand explanation and exploration directly in a real environment (Directorate of Special Education, 2004). Metacognitive strategies are usually applied self management whereby they need to understand the conditions that help one learn and arranging for the presence of those conditions. Functional planning that refers to the activity of planning for and rehearsing linguistics components to carry out an upcoming language task. Self-monitoring whereby they correct the speech of accuracy in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary or for appropriateness related to the setting based on the JAWS’ s voice. Delayed production whereby they consciously decide to postpone speaking in order to learn initially through listening comprehension (Brown, 2000).