The role of parental literacy in the learning of young adults with physical disabilities: a case study of Masaka district Uganda

Abstract

This study examined the role of parental literacy in the education of Young Adults With Physical Disabilities (YAWPDs) in Masaka District, Uganda. It was guided by three specific objectives namely: (i) to describe the home learning environment of YAWPDs in Masaka District; (ii) to analyze the different literacy events and practices of parents in the learning of YAWPDs in Masaka district; and (iii) to examine strategies that can be employed to support the learning of YAWPDs in Masaka district. The researcher located the study in an interpretivist paradigm and adopted a qualitative approach using instrumental case study design to aid the processes of data collection and analysis. The findings of the study revealed that: (i) the home learning environment of YAWPDs lacked essential facilities caregiver needed to adequately support their learning and education; (ii) Whereas a diverse range of literacy events existed in Masaka district the level of participation in them by parents and YAWPDs was low thereby diminishing their role in facilitating the learning of YAWPDs; and (iii) parents of YAWPDs employed a diverse range of strategies to enhance the learning of their YAWPDs such as Engaging reading skills advancement, attending meetings with teachers of YAWPDs, creating literate environment at their homes, and sharing inspirational stories about their YAWPDs. The study concluded that: the unconducive home learning environment for the YAWPDs was due to the social, economic, and technological challenges facing parents in their bid to support the learning of their children; the minimal participation in the different literacy events negatively impacts the learning of YAWPDs in Masaka district; and the different strategies being employed by parents to enhance the learning of their YAWPs in Masaka district does not seem to contribute towards the improvement of the children’s learning. The study recommended that parents of YAWPDs should: enrich their home learning environment with local literacy materials; adopt a positive attitude towards participating various literacy events that can help them enhance the learning of their YAWPDs; and invest in strategies that are cost-effective.