THE INFLUENCE OF HANDS-ON-EXPERIENCE WITH THE TALKING LABQUEST ON BLIND STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN LEARNING SCIENCE

Back to Page Authors: Sariat Ajibola Adelakun, Ismail Adelabu Adegbola, Aminat Obakhume Abdulsalam

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Keywords: blind, visually impaired, labquest, sensors, inclusive, basic science

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Abstract: Blind students are erroneously considered to be unable to learn science at the basic education level in Nigeria. This has led to the very low enrolment of blind students in science related careers. Several literatures have listed many techniques and materials for including blind students in sciences, but these claims are not backed with research. The research was an attempt to examine one of the claims. Therefore, this paper presents the influence of the use of the Talking LabQuest on blind students’ interest in science subjects. The talking LabQuest and three Sensors were used during a weekly science practical in inclusive Junior Secondary Schools in Southwestern Nigeria for 18 weeks in twenty (20) classrooms. Twelve (12) of the classrooms were randomised for intervention and the remaining were placed on waiting list control group. There were no school dropouts but there was individual students’ attrition of 5%. Data collected through Interviews, observations and documentary analysis suggest that the blind students were excited been able to independently participate actively in the experiments which they were normally exempted. There was evidence that the blind students performed better than the sighted in the practicals. Although there was no past performance to compare for the blind students. The sighted students in the groups that used the Talking LabQuest also show excitement and more understanding of the experiments. The sighted classmates are randomised into groups using the Talking LabQuest and the results suggest better performance for sighted in the Talking LabQuest group. Overall, the results show that students with visual impairment developed interest in the science subject and wish to continue to participate in the experiments.

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