BUILDING BRAILLE COMPETENCE: TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES AVAILABILITY FOR BRAILLE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT IN BLIND LEARNERS IN GHANA

This study examined teachers’ knowledge and the availability of resources for Braille literacy development among learners with visual impairments in Ghana. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through interviews and observations from teachers in three foremost schools for the blind in Ghana. The findings revealed that while teachers demonstrated a foundational understanding of Braille as a code and were aware of the appropriate sequence for introducing Braille literacy, variations existed in their instructional approaches. The study also found that schools possessed a range of Braille-related resources such as slates and styluses, Braille printers, tactile learning tools, and talking computers, but these were often inadequate, outdated, or poorly maintained. Again, the study established that the ways of improving resource availability for Braille literacy require coordinated interventions across supply, teacher and transcriber capacity, technology, and sustainable financing. The study concludes that strengthening teacher training, standardising instructional practices, enhancing resource provision, and fostering community and institutional partnerships are essential for building Braille competence and promoting inclusive literacy outcomes for blind learners in Ghana. It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education develop and implement a national Braille literacy policy to guide teacher preparation, resource allocation, and sustainable support systems across all schools for the blind in Ghana.