Challenges Faced by Teachers in Teaching and Managing Learners with Deaf Blindness at Paka School for Learners with Special Needs in Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract : The study explored the the challenges faced by teachers in teaching and managing learners with deaf blindness (DB) at Paka (Pseudonym) School for Learners with special needs in Lusaka, Zambia. Constructivism paradigm and explanatory qualitative case study were employed to address the experiences of educators of learners with deaf blindness. The sample size comprised 10 teachers and homogeneous sampling was used to select them and was determined by the completeness of the data and the achievement of theoretical saturation. Data were collected by means of interview guide and document analysis. The study revealed that teachers were committed to providing quality education for learners with deaf blindness, they faced significant obstacles, including inadequate training, insufficient resources, emotional strain, and limited support systems. These challenges often hindered the ability of teachers to fully meet the diverse and complex needs of their students. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the school should increase teacher support and counselling services and provide capacity building programmers on DB in order to have wider understanding of DB to enhance communication and interpersonal interaction between teachers and learners with DB.