Transition services influencing school completion for learners with intellectual disabilities from selected basic special schools in Ghana

Abstract

This study determined how transition services influence school completion for learners with ID in Three Kings Special School in Battor, Garden City in Kumasi, and Twin City Special School in Sekondi-Takoradi, all in Ghana. Specifically, the study identified (a) available transition services for learners with ID in the curriculum of basic special schools, (b) ways basic special schools prepare learners with ID towards completing school, (c) factors that affect parents‟ hopes, desires and expectations about educating their children with ID, and (d) how ready employers are to engage learners with ID after their training from basic special schools. A mixed approach, involving cross-sectional design, was used. Fifty-one participants including 3 head teachers, 17 special education teachers, 25 parents and 6 craftsmen were involved in the study. Questionnaire and interview guides were used. The quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Services (SPSS) to generate frequencies, charts and percentages from the responses gathered while qualitative data from the interview were transcribed to explain the verbatim quotations from the respondents. The findings were that; (a) the basic special schools face difficulties in preparing learners with ID towards non-existing school completion programmes and transition services in their school curriculum; (b) parents‟ were disappointed that their children were unable to complete school; (c) even though some employers were ready to employ students with ID if they possess the required skills and abilities to work. Recommendations were that schools must provide adequate job training to learners with ID to make them employable after they leave school; teachers should continue to teach vocational skills as part of transition services; and schools must prepare learners with ID towards school completion.