TEVET Curriculum Adaptations Responsive To Skills Development for Students with Visual Impairment in TEVET Institutions in Zambia

Abstract

This study explored the responsiveness of Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) curriculum adaptations for students with Visual Impairment (VI) in Zambian institutions. Grounded in the Social Model of Disability and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, the research investigated how current
Findings reveal that while localized adaptations such as strategic seating, task analysis, and improvised tactile materials are practiced, they are largely driven by individual lecturer initiative rather than systemic policy. Implementation is significantly hindered by a "Disability Gap" characterized by unsuitable infrastructure, a critical shortage of standardized assistive technology, and rigid academic timelines that fail to account for non-visual processing. The study concludes that for TEVET in Zambia to be truly responsive, there must be a transition from adhoc improvisations to formalized, well-funded inclusive standards. Key recommendations include the establishment of a National TEVET Inclusive Resource Fund, mandatory inclusive pedagogy training for instructors, and the adoption of competency-based modularization to provide the temporal flexibility required by learners with VI.