CHAPTER 4: DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
4.3 THEME 1: Lecturers’ feelings about teaching students with visual “disability”
4.3.5 Negative and positive feelings about training
The lecturers felt that most of their negative feelings about teaching students with visual
disabilities emanated from the fact that they have not received any training that prepared them to deal with or be able to teach students with visual disabilities.
In the beginning, when this thing was introduced, it was as if we were going to be capacitated in terms of training to be given proper training of how to deal with these particular students. But there was no training provided whatsoever. We try our best. The issue is in the way it was introduced. It was walk so long we will find you along the way with the assistance. And it never happened, in other words, we will provide training but just start so long and do something but sadly as I said there is nothing. (Frank)
When we started there was no training. At the moment, there is a three day [March 2017] Inclusive Education workshop that is run by UNISA. (Steven)
I’ve never been trained to do it. One doesn’t have experience in doing it, but you try to use your own thinking. I am not used to teaching the non-visual. We have asked several times [from management] for the trainings or workshops or empowerment whatever that can help us. In order to be able to work with these people in a proper way. (Linda)
The three participants confirmed that there has been no training prior to them teaching students with visual “disabilities”. Frank expressed that they were promised that they would be trained but sadly as he claimed, that did not take place. Steven also confirmed that there was no training apart from the three days training which only took place in March 2017 when the project had already started two years before in 2015. It, therefore, implies that though such a workshop was provided it only came two years after when one would have expected it prior to the commencement of the project for students with visual “disabilities”. The workshop itself as its name suggests ‘Inclusive Education workshop’ might have not addressed issues to deal with students with visual
“disabilities” directly to capacitate and empower the lecturers but addressed inclusive education in general. Therefore, a need for a training workshop to address issues pertaining to teaching students with visual “disabilities” remains a necessity.
In Linda’s case, unlike the other participants, she became an agent for change in which she engaged with management requesting training not only for herself but for other lecturers as well. Linda’s
‘The use of inverted commas in this study is used a sign of respect as I was uncertain of the correct term to use to refer to people with no sight’
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engagements with management on training issues was because she perceives training and workshops as the fundamental element that could prepare them, empower them and assist them to cope with these students. Frank and Linda declared that though there has been no training provided to them, they ‘try our best and try to use your own thinking.’ Their claims suggested that though they have not received any training to deal with the students they are using their own discretion to cope with these students. It could be inferred, therefore, that when lecturers are not trained to teach students with visual “disabilities” they apply their own discretion which could have serious consequences as they try to do their best in teaching these students. For lecturers to be confident in teaching students with visual “disabilities” and to not exercise trial and error methods with these students to examine what works, they need to be trained.
Sam, on the other hand, was a different case because he had received some form of training.
When it comes to training, there are some other trainings that we do attend with some other universities or colleges who have students with disabilities. Whenever I’m in those trainings I get to know other people who are teaching the same students as I am teaching.
That is where we start to share some challenges that we are facing and good practice. (Sam)
Sam’s response revealed he had numerous training because he stated ‘some other training’ suggesting that it was more than once. Attending training had assisted him to mingle with other lecturers and make friends with them. This suggested he had support from people who are more experienced than him and who would guide and share best practices with him to improve his teaching strategies. From Sam’s experience when lecturers attend training they can network with other colleagues from other institutions possessing similar experiences as theirs which builds a strong foundation of their support system. Furthermore, they can apply the knowledge gained in training in their teaching practices for it to improve.
4.3.6 Feeling unsupported by College management and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
Apart from being neglected by college management lecturers also stated that they did not receive any assistance of any kind from the college management and from the Department of Higher
‘The use of inverted commas in this study is used a sign of respect as I was uncertain of the correct term to use to refer to people with no sight’
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Education and Training since they were teaching these students. The participants perceived a lack of support as the major contributing factor to most of their challenges.
Actually, this is the sad one hey, there is nothing, because whenever you ask for help [from management], the response is, make a plan, and see what you can do. There has been like those sort of encouragements and motivation, well! I know you guys you can do something to make sure that this project succeeds. Do whatever you can. It was as if, do something but we are behind you. We are going to support you. Whatever we know is through our own experiences. Lack of support is creating a lot of difficulty for us. I will apportion the blame to the management for the lack of support because we’ve never been trained. (Frank)
So, far there is no support system, just using our own discretion. To help ourselves. So far there is no support from management but if they can at least provide us with resources if they can at least train us. (Linda)
Basically, I’m getting my support from my family, friend because sometimes when I’m relaxing or chilling with my friends. I just have to talk about all these things because I can’t keep these things within myself. (Sam)
Nothing from management. There is no support. They only say they like this thing to work but they are not practical. (Steven)
All four participants unanimously confirmed that they have not received any support from management as lecturers teaching students with visual “disabilities”. In Frank’s view, management should take all the blame for their failure because he believes that had they supported or trained them, they would have been doing things in a different way. Frank outlined that though they did not get support from management they constantly provided motivational comments. These comments from Frank’s view are not enough but merely the management’s agenda of ensuring that the project of students with visual “disability” was a success. Considering Frank’s comment, support from management is needed to teach students with visual “disabilities”.
In Linda’s view although the management has not provided the necessary support for them at least necessary resources could be provided as well as training their teaching could improve. In view of
‘The use of inverted commas in this study is used a sign of respect as I was uncertain of the correct term to use to refer to people with no sight’
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Linda’s comment, two factors, management support, and training are vital in successfully teaching student with visual “disabilities”.
In Sam’s case due to lack of support from management, he had to look elsewhere for support.
His major support system was his family and friends, who assisted him in offloading some of the challenges he experienced while teaching these students. Expressing his feelings to his primary reference group, his family and friends and people he trusts, Sam finds relief as he explained it assisted him. Sam’s view about using immediate family and friends is probably one of the best support systems one could ever find to offload experiences encountered while teaching students with visual “disabilities” or when one does not receive support from management.
All four participants when asked about the kind of support they have received from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) stated:
For now not yet, but we [Sam and Project Co-ordinator through campus management] have tried in writing some memos or requests stating resources [teaching resources such as computers with Jaws, voice recorders] but the challenge is that we have not got any support from DHET. (Sam)
No support from DHET. (Linda) Nothing from the DHET. (Steven)
The only thing that we have been told is that students who are blind must actually indicate their condition so that they are given extra time in examination to carter for their situation. There is nothing. And I wonder how serious they are [Department of Higher Education and Training] or they have never sat down and thought about students that we have and the challenges that we are facing. I do not think that it ever cross their minds.
Given what we see. I really don’t think so and I’m tempted to say they never think that we got blind students here. (Frank)
All participants in unison confirmed that they have not received any support from the Department of Higher Education and Training. In Sam’s case, he had communicated with them in writing to request assistance and resources, but the department seemed to have not responded. The silence by the department, demotivated and discouraged the lecturers.
‘The use of inverted commas in this study is used a sign of respect as I was uncertain of the correct term to use to refer to people with no sight’
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In Frank’s case, he felt that the department of education takes no interest in their work to teach students with visual “disabilities”. Frank believes that it is not that they are not aware because they do apply for a concession of extra time for students during examination where students indicate their specific needs but still there is no support. It could be deduced, therefore, that when lecturers feel they have no support from the department their assumptions are that the department does not care about them and their work as lecturers teaching students with visual “disabilities”.