ACCESSIBILITY AND UTILIZATION OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY INFLUENCE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY IN RESOURCE CENTER: THE CASE OF MIZAN AMAN TOWN, SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This study investigated the Accessibility and Utilization of Assistive Technology Influence on Ac ademic Achievement of Students with Disability in resource center: The Case of Mizan Aman Town, Selected Primary School. An explanatory Sequential design and a mixed research ap proach were used in the study. The participants involved in the study were general and special education teachers, principals, supervisors, the head of the City administration's education of fice, and Education experts in the Woreda/Zone education office. Generally, 66 sample subjects were included in this investigation. Questionnaires, interviews, focus groups discussion, docu ment analysis and observation were used to collect data. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentiles, mean value, and standard deviation, whereas, the qualitative data were arranged, categorized, and subjected to thematic analysis in order to identify any develop ing response patterns. The findings revealed that barriers to the use of assistive technology to support academic success for children with disabilities were a lack of funding and information, a lack of budget, non-fulfillment of orders due to cost, a lack of skilled specialists in the field, and others. So, it is possible to conclude that students with disabilities in Mizan Aman selected pri mary School had little access to and did not have much utilize ATs in the way it is expected to be but the understanding about AT is good. In light of the findings, the study recommends that col laboration and evidence of commitment from the educational office, Woreda/Zone/schools, and other stakeholders to achieve the accessibility and utilization of assistive technology Influence on Academic Achievement of Students with disability in resource centers is necessary.