Abstract:
Physically Handicapped (PH) learners may lack in education if there are no environmental and
instructional adaptations to enable them compete on equal footing with their non-disabled peers.
Mathematics subject trains learners to think in quantitative terms. Performance in this subject has
been the worst among the PH learners in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education as indicated in
the results of the years 2008 to 2013. Conventional instruction has been the only method of teaching
these learners. There is need to device new ways to enable the PH perform better in learning
mathematics. Computer based learning had been reported to be effective in the teaching and learning
of complex concepts in physics and accounting and could provide a solution in the teaching of
mathematics to learners with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect
of CBL on Secondary school Physically Handicapped students’ on their academic achievement in
Mathematics. Pre-test-posttest quasi experimental research designs were employed. The conceptual
framework was adopted from Winnie and Butter model. Saturated sampling was used to get 128 form
three students. Purposive sampling to get 5 mathematics teachers for the physically handicapped was
used. The instruments used were Computer Assisted Statistics Text (CAST), student interview guide
(SIG) and teacher interview guide (TIG). Validity of instruments was established by experts in special
needs education. Reliability coefficient of the instruments was established by test re-test method
whereby coefficient of 0.70 and above at p value of 0.05 was considered reliable. The findings
indicated that there was statistically significant difference in using CBL method [F (2, 125) =33.14,
p=.000] on academic achievement. The study found that there was significant difference in final
examination scores of students receiving instruction through conventional methods and those learning
through CBL. Study found that teachers should understand the needs of PH and also provision of
diversity of mathematics software tailored towards the needs of learners with PH and modifying the
input systems in computers to suit learners with PH.
