The study investigates the efficacy of inclusive education strategies, specifically through cooperative learning settings, on the academic performance and retention capacity of visually impaired Islamic Studies students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the research involved pre-tests and post-tests to evaluate the impact of these strategies over a six-week intervention period. The population of the study involves 144 students, both visually impaired and sighted peers, from the School for the Blind, Kofar Yandaka, Katsina. Statistical analysis was conducted at a 0.05 level of significance to determine the impact of these strategies. Results indicated that students taught using inclusive education strategies significantly outperformed their counterparts who were instructed through traditional methods. The experimental group achieved a mean score of 25.000 compared to 19.429 in the control group for academic performance (p = .004), and for retention capacity, the scores were 20.739 versus 16.786 (p = .027). These findings suggest that cooperative learning not only enhances academic outcomes but also improves retention among visually impaired students, aligning with existing literature on the benefits of inclusive education practices. The study emphasizes the importance of tailored instructional methods to support diverse learners in achieving equitable educational experiences.
Abdulkadir et al. (Thu,) studied this question.