The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) is an open and distance learning institution with a mission to provide affordable quality education for all. The university has established a special unit headed by Dr Cosmas Mnyanyi called “Assistive Special Technology” to support students with disabilities and has implemented a number of education services for people with special needs and disabilities. The use of information and communications technologies (ICT), including audio materials and Braille prints, has been key to OUT’s success.
Since 2004, OUT has been integrating ICT in teaching by converting all learning resources to digital formats to support online and offline delivery. The question has been how best to support students with visual impairment in digital learning. At a time when no other institutions in Tanzania were providing training in assistive technology, OUT had over 50 visually impaired students. Through collaboration with non-governmental organizations like Sightsavers Tanzania, Tanzania Education
Authority (TEA), Tanzania League of the Blind (TLB) and the Ministry of Education, the first ICT for persons with disabilities training was conducted at OUT in 2011, with 15 participants attending.
“Open university changed my life,” said OUT graduate Clement Ndahani. “I was a chemical engineer for years, but I became blind at 50 and lost hope. Through OUT I got training in ICT and joined other OUT and international course programmes.”
Ndahani studied using ICT for his postgraduate diploma in Social Work and is now doing his masters degree in Social Work. OUT is now a leading university providing education to people with visual and hearing disabilities. The university has enrolled over 200 students with disabilities with more than half of them graduating in different degree and non-degree programmes. After introducing ICT support services, people with disabilities are completing their studies in the same period as able students.
In 2015, OUT successfully introduced ICT support in education for the deaf and has introduced an entry examination that will allow deaf students without the requisite qualifications to join the foundation course. This exam will pave way for more disabled students to join OUT bachelor degree programmes. Most disabled students face challenges in paying course and registration fees. To help with this, the university is looking for more partners to support it in advancing education and knowledge transfer to people with various disabilities.
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Nimeiona sehemu nimeona niwashirikishe watanzania wapenda kusoma soma!!
Since 2004, OUT has been integrating ICT in teaching by converting all learning resources to digital formats to support online and offline delivery. The question has been how best to support students with visual impairment in digital learning. At a time when no other institutions in Tanzania were providing training in assistive technology, OUT had over 50 visually impaired students. Through collaboration with non-governmental organizations like Sightsavers Tanzania, Tanzania Education
Authority (TEA), Tanzania League of the Blind (TLB) and the Ministry of Education, the first ICT for persons with disabilities training was conducted at OUT in 2011, with 15 participants attending.
“Open university changed my life,” said OUT graduate Clement Ndahani. “I was a chemical engineer for years, but I became blind at 50 and lost hope. Through OUT I got training in ICT and joined other OUT and international course programmes.”
Ndahani studied using ICT for his postgraduate diploma in Social Work and is now doing his masters degree in Social Work. OUT is now a leading university providing education to people with visual and hearing disabilities. The university has enrolled over 200 students with disabilities with more than half of them graduating in different degree and non-degree programmes. After introducing ICT support services, people with disabilities are completing their studies in the same period as able students.
In 2015, OUT successfully introduced ICT support in education for the deaf and has introduced an entry examination that will allow deaf students without the requisite qualifications to join the foundation course. This exam will pave way for more disabled students to join OUT bachelor degree programmes. Most disabled students face challenges in paying course and registration fees. To help with this, the university is looking for more partners to support it in advancing education and knowledge transfer to people with various disabilities.
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Nimeiona sehemu nimeona niwashirikishe watanzania wapenda kusoma soma!!
