Teachers' barriers in implementing the revised curriculum for deaf learners: The case of two special schools in Northern Namibia.

The study was conducted to explore teachers' barriers in implementing the revised common curriculum for learners with special educational needs in Northern Namibia. The study used a mixed research approach to collect data from the sample of 20 special education teachers currently teaching at two special schools located in Northern Namibia. Participants were selected using the total population sampling method and data were collected using a questionnaire and focus group discussion. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The study found that the special education teachers' barriers in implementing the revised curriculum for deaf learners include a shortage of specialised teaching and learning materials, inadequate time per lesson for scaffolding deaf learners, lack of teaching methodology, lack of refresher workshop, minimal parental involvement in learners' education, teachers inadequate knowledge of sign language, lack of assessment tools for deaf learners, insufficient teaching assistance to assist learners, and no specialised curriculum for learners with hearing impairment. The study recommended that the schools as well as the Regional Directorate of Education should organise more workshops for special education teachers in sign language to enable them to develop common signs to teach the learners. Additionally, the government should install Wi-Fi in the Special schools to enable the teachers to access and utilize relevant online resources such as visual teaching materials when teaching. The Universities in Namibia should introduce a teaching specialisation course in Sign language to train teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]