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By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Dr Olabimpe Abayomi-Ige, American-based Nigerian special education teacher, has emphasised the need for consistent efforts in addressing the educational needs of individuals living with disabilities and assisting them in reaching their maximum potential.
She said this while speaking on the topic, ‘Learning Helpers Presentation to Nigerian Education Journalists’, during a virtual news conference in Lagos on Monday.
According to Abayomi-Ige, her primary goal is to raise awareness and provide assistance to parents, caregivers, government agencies, schools, teachers, and especially individuals who require special education support.
The special teacher, who is the Chief Executive Officer, Learning Helpers LLC, practicing in the state of Pennsylvania, U.S., described special education as specially designed instructions, at no cost to the parents to meet the unique need of a child with a disability.
“ This includes instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in the hospital, institutions and other settings; and instruction in physical education.
“ Speech and language pathology services or any other related services, if the service is considered special education; occupational, physical, nursing and hearing therapies,” she added.
According to her, the initiative is to help children and adults in Nigeria who find learning particularly difficult due to disabilities, language barrier (English learners) and other reasons.
“ We believe in mastery learning, which allows children to learn at their own pace with no learning gaps and with the ultimate goal of teaching them how to become lifelong self-directed learners.
“ Children learn challenging skills and master them without forgetting the skill that they learn from us,” she said.
Abayomi-Ige identified 13 disability categories under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to include Autism Spectrum Disorder (IDS), Deaf Blindness, Deafness, Emotional Disturbances, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disabilities.
It also includes Orthopedic Impairment, Special Learning Disabilities, Speech or Language Impairment and Traumatic Brain Injury among others.
“ We approach teaching and learning method from each individual zone of proximal development (vygotsky),” she added.
The special teacher who specialises in autism, specific learning disabilities and other health impairment, noted that her initiative would be of benefit to parents, guardians, caregivers, teachers, school administrators, education stakeholders,non-governmental organisations, children and adults.
She said that services under the initiative include: direct consulting, parent support and awareness programme, diagnostic testing, functional behaviour assessment, positive behaviour support plans, and special education awareness among others. (NAN)
Edited by Folasade Adeniran
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