Influence of Learning Environment on Psychosocial Development of Students with Visual Impairment in Special Schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Learning Environment, Psychosocial Development, Visual Impairment, School Climate, Teacher-Student RelationshipAbstract
This study examined the influence of the learning environment on the psychosocial development of students with visual impairment in special schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria, using a descriptive survey design. The Learning Environment and Psychosocial Development Questionnaire (LEPDQ), a researcher-developed tool, was validated by experts and produced reliability coefficients ranging from 0.72 to 0.76. Data were collected using the test-retest method. The population consisted of all 13 students with visual impairment. Study issues were addressed using the mean and standard deviation, and the hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using the independent sample t-test. The results showed that the psychosocial development of students with visual impairment is strongly influenced by the school atmosphere, the teacher-student connection, and the availability of special needs facilities. However, the mean assessments of these factors by male and female students did not differ statistically significantly. Among other things, it was suggested that school administrators encourage inclusive and supportive classroom environments that foster students' psychosocial growth.
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