TRAINING NEEDS FOR THE TEACHERS OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND STUDENTS AT SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTERS IN AMMAN, JORDAN

The present study aims at identifying the needs of the teachers of visually impaired students in Amman city. For this end, the researchers have developed a special tool which consists of 31 statements. The tool has been validated by a group of professionals from the University of Jordan and World Islamic University. The liability of the tool was calculated by using (Cronbach’s, alpha=0.953). The sample has been collected from some governmental and no governmental schools which deliver special education services to students with visual impairment. The community research comprises (100) teachers of both sexes, from 20 schools. Sixty participants (60) have been chosen to a chief the purpose of the study. The participants had been chosen according to the following criteria; teach at least one visual impaired or blind student, have an experience at least 6 months. For the purpose of this study, the researchers have tested the assumption. Through using SPSS program (Version 21). A suitable statistical approaches (Mean, SD Percentages; t-test; Chronback alpha test). ANOVA, Ancova and post comparative have been used to analysis the data. The results of the study revealed the need for training in braille writing and reading, communication skills for the visually impaired teachers (mean=2.07/4) which is the lowest and for all statements was (mean=2.81/4) with percentage of 70.28%. Which consider moderate according the scale? However the statement which indicated the need for early intervention has a (Mean=3.52) which was the highest of all scale items. Also the study indicates no relation between demographic variable (sex; education; experience; class level) and training needs (sig 0.677, 0.094, 0.434, 0.322; respectively) but there is a significant difference (*.003) due to teachers' characteristics. In addition, when Scheffe’s test for post Hoc comparison (*0.76) the results indicate presence of significant differences in quality and quantity of training needs of the teachers of the visually impaired students relate to teachers' characteristics toward the sighted teachers of visually impaired students (mean=3.06). The results of Scheffe’s test for Post Hoc comparison (*0.89) also indicate a presence of significant, a difference in the teachers of the visually impaired student between the blind and partially sighted teachers in favor of partially sighted teachers (mean=3.19)