PROBLEMS OF EDUCATING THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, EKIADOLOR-BENIN)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The handicapped children are gifted children who have ability to be educated irrespective of their disabilities, like the deaf, the blind, the dumb, lame etc. therefore, the handicapped children in Nigeria posses the talents and all the aggregate of learning just like their counter parts at school. Education which is a life provided for every individual, the physically handicapped inclusive. The team can be viewed in many ways mainly psychological and maladjustment.

A handicapped child is a child that lacks something that made him/her incapable of living like other children, it could be the hands, legs, eyes, ear etc in every day life, the term handicap is often used to signify a physical defect, limb, paralysis, partial or total blindness etc. all these features renders the child incapable of living in quite same ways as the normally endowed.

The term handicapped, when used in a wider sense, include intellectual disabilities and disadvantages which are cause learning hardship. In the light of the above discussion, the study will look into the various learning hardship likely to be faced by the handicapped child in school. Previous researchers have revealed that behaviours are judged in terms of the society existing standards, therefore the ability of the handicapped can be under estimated by their teacher because already they are termed that they cannot perform as well as the naturally endowed pupils/students. This study will examine the various problems facing the education of the handicaps ones.     

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

Handicapping conditions in students are of varied forms, of which physical handicap is one of the numbers. It is noted that handicapping situation could hinder academic progress in the world over. This posse a lot of problems to educators, parents and stake holders in the educational sector.

A lot of emotional, psychological or physical and psychomotor problems affect the education of students. The combined effect of this problem is the crux of this study. This is necessary because experience has shown that education is a delicate carefully. These studies therefore seeks to investigate these multifarious problems which could hinder the education of the physically handicapped students in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

          The study is limited to investigate the problem of educating the physically handicapped among students of College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin. Students in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin are the main aim and focus of this research because of the facts that they are more matured in age.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

          To identify the handicapped condition that are situate for learning.

To consider the effects of the physically handicapped on the career of the physically handicapped students.

To correct the general belief of people that handicapped students cannot contribute significantly to the society.

To access the problems of handicapped students in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          At the end of this study, the physically handicapped students need extra attention in order to be successful.

          It is also the responsibilities of teachers to the handicapped students has to be greatly improved than that of the normal students.

And they need special attention from their teachers before they can learn effectively, and also hoped that there are no special problems that can prevent the handicapped students not to learn. This study shall be of great importance to all learning centres, mostly to students and teachers in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          The research has formulated the following problems questions for the purpose of classification in this study.

1. Does being handicapped affects students performance in learning?
2. What are the special problems that prevent the handicapped students from performing effectively in learning?
3. Is it possible for handicaps to take part in learning activities like other normal students?
4. Does a handicaps student need special attention from the teacher/lecturers?

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          In the course of collecting data the researcher was faced with the problems of lack of materials and information, however the researcher employed every useful strategy in the searching and gathering of information and other useful materials for the purpose of this research. Thereby, breaking all the possible walls limitations and inadequacies, militating against this research.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

          Below is a summary definition of some of the terminologies used in this research study.

Handicap: A permanent physical or mental condition that makes it difficult or impossible to use a particular part of the body or mind.

Incapable: Not able to control yourself or your affairs and also not able to do something well. 

Physically: In a way that is connected with a persons body rather than their mind.  

Disability: A physical or mental condition that means you cannot use a part or your body completely or easily or that you cannot learn easily.

Psychological: Connected with a person’s mind and the way in which it works.

Mentally: connected with a happening in the mind.

Effectively: In a way that produces the intended result or a successful result

Stimulate: To make something develop or become more active or to encourage somebody.

Imagination: The ability to create picture in your mind.

Sub-normal: Having less than the normal level of intelligence. 

Deficiency: The state or quality of being hard to do or to understand, the effect that something involves.