Challenges faced by learners with multiple disabilities at a resource school in the Oshana region of Namibia

Upon attaining freedom from the South African regime in 1990, Namibia adopted a constitution according to which access to education is a fundamental right. Before the Salamanca Statement in 1994 and Namibia's consequent ratification thereof, education in Namibia was mainly divided into two distinct streams: general education and special education. Post-Salamanca, there has been a slight shift in the provision of education for learners with special educational needs in that special education was, and mainly continues to be, offered in special schools, now called resource schools; in special classes and units attached to regular schools; and in mainstream classrooms with an inclusive education orientation. Learners with severe to profound special educational needs are mainly educated in resource schools, and this remains the preferred option for most parents and communities of children with severe to profound special needs. The resource schools are constructed for a specific set of disabilities, such as sensory, physical or intellectual disabilities. They are assumed to be well-equipped with material and personnel resources that enable staff to respond effectively to the needs of their learners. Most, if not all, the resource schools in Namibia were built a long time ago, to serve a specific population of learners. However, some learners present with a range of disabilities and barriers to learning that could be beyond the original scope of the specific school. Consequently, more and more teachers in resource schools report that they observe daily how learners struggle to function in schools in which the infrastructure and resources can barely accommodate their complex needs. This is mainly because of the diversity and comorbid conditions of these learners. This research focused on the challenges encountered by learners with multiple disabilities in a resource school for learners with sensory disabilities. The study followed a qualitative approach, with an intrinsic case study design. Purposive, criterion sampling procedures were employed to select the participants. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews, complemented by observation. The main findings of the study are that learners with multiple disabilities faced challenges associated with the physical infrastructure of the school (accessibility), the inability of staff to respond effectively to their needs, a lack of teaching and learning resources (leading to their exclusion from certain learning activities), as well as a poorly structured curriculum that undermines their multiple disabilities. The research reveals that there is limited agency and acknowledgement of the complex needs of children with multiple disabilities. The study concludes that learners with multiple disabilities need to access a curriculum that is cognisant of their needs and receive the quality education that they deserve, as set out in the Sector Policy on Inclusive Education. In addition to the curriculum, the school environment should be welcoming and stigma-free, to enable learners to experience a sense of belonging, love and security. We recommend an audit of the needs of learners with multiple disabilities in order to create a conducive learning and socialisation environment for them. Furthermore, the government could invest in renovating old buildings, as well as adjusting infrastructure to the complex needs of learners, so that resource schools can become more inclusive by identifying and responding to the needs of all learners.