UNIT: 9 ROLE OF MEDIA IN PROMOTING THE EDUCATION OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Key Unit Competence Use media to communicate inclusive education
Introductory Activity
Read the following story and answer the questions:
Twenty-five years ago, in 1994, a genocide against the Tutsi happened
and more than 1.000.000 Tutsi were killed. The mass media played a big
role in disseminating hate propaganda and prepared its listeners for the
coming violence. The broadcaster provided a popular platform for ideas
already circulating in Kangura, an extremist magazine founded in 1990.
Broadcasters used increasingly dehumanizing language to speak about
the Tutsi and this mobilized Hutu against the Tutsi. Once the genocide
was happening, government leaders used different Radio stations to
promote violence and give specific directions for carrying out the killings.
25 years ago, Rwandans are still facing different challenges as a result
of the Genocide. Some of these challenges include an increased number
people with disabilities, orphans, widows etc.
1. Based on this history of Rwanda on Genocide, identify different
types of media used to sensitize Hutus extremists to perpetrate
Genocide against the Tutsi?
2. How do you explain the influence of media on Genocide against
the Tutsi in 1994? Link that to our lesson and explain how the
media can positively or negatively influence the perception of
people with disabilities in the society especially the education of
learners with disability or SEN.
9.1. Media channels and types of media
Activity 9.1.
Identify different types of media suitable for communicating inclusiveeducation.
9.1.1. What is Media?
The term media is derived from Medium, which means carrier or mode. Media
denotes an item specifically designed to reach a large audience or viewers.
The term was first used with the advent of newspapers and magazines.
However, with the passage of time, the term broadened by the
inventions of radio, TV, cinemas and Internet. In the world of today, media
has become almost as necessary as food and clothing. It is true that media
is playing an outstanding role in strengthening the society. Its duty is to
inform, educate and entertain the people. It helps us to know
current situation around the world. The media has a strong social and
cultural impact upon society. Because of its inherent ability to reach large
number of public, it is widely used to convey message to build public opinionand awareness.
9.1.2. Types of media
1. Print media
a. Newspapers:
Newspapers is a major source of information for a large number of readers. It
may be national or local, daily or weekly newspaper. It allows presentation of
detailed messages which can be read at readers’ conveyance. Newspapers
prompt delivery of detailed coverage of news and other information with
interesting features for readers. It is a high involvement media as readers
are required to devote some effort in reading the message. It is available
to masses at a very low cost. Newspapers can be classified into three
categories: National Newspapers, Daily Newspapers (local/ regional) and
Special audience newspapers
b. Magazines
A magazine is a specialized advertising media that serves educational
informational, entertainment and other specialized needs of consumers,
businesses and industries. A magazine allows presentation of a detailed ad
message along with photos, illustrations, colours, etc. It is a high involvement
media as readers pay a premium price for it and magazines are not dumped
after reading. They can be classified into local/regional/national or weekly/
quarterly/magazines.
Types of Magazines
Consumer magazines: Magazines bought by general public for information
and entertainment. It can be used to reach a specific target audience. It may
be a general interest magazine, glamour magazine, film magazine, special
interest magazine, women lifestyle magazine.
Business Publications: Business magazines include publications such as
trade journals for business industries or occupations. It may be published
weekly monthly or quarterly. Generally, readership includes business
managers and executives, businessmen, business students etc.
2. Broadcasting media
a. Television Advertising: TV is a principle source of information and
entertainment for people exposed to mass media. It is believed to
be the most authoritative, influential, exciting medium for reaching
very large audience. It combines visual images, sounds, motion and
colour to achieve viewer’s empathy. It allows development of creative
and imaginative messages in a unique way. It is considered intrusive
in nature as audience have no control over the nature and pace of
advertisements.
b. Radio is premier mass medium for users and advertisers. It has
a wide spread reach. It delivers the messages to a large number
of people across the length and breadth of a country. Commercial
broadcasting is undertaken in major cities even in rural areas.
It is one of the most personal medium and offers selectivity, cost
efficiency and flexibility advantage over other media. Efficiency of a
radio depends upon the precision of script, accompanying soundsand level distortion.
3. Support Media
a. Outdoor advertising: It is usually used as a supportive medium by
advertisers. It includes bill boards, boarding, signs posters, etc.
b. Transit advertising: Use billboards, neon signs and electronic
messages. It targets users of various modes of transportation. The
advertising rate depends on the amount of traffic which passes every
day.
c. Cinema and video adverting: Cinema is a popular source of
entertainment comprising of audience from all classes and socioeconomic
groups of society. Films are watched by a significant
number of people every day. It involves use of cinema halls and video
tapes to deliver the message. Commercials are shown before films
and previews carrying messages. Similar to TV, it is also combines
sight, sound, colour and movement to deliver a creative message.
d. Internet: Internet is a worldwide medium that provides means of
exchanging information through a series of interconnected computers.
It is a rapidly growing medium of advertising. It is a future medium
which offers limitless advertising opportunities. It involves use of
World Wide Web to showcase a website or-e-commerce portal to the
world. Advertising trough internet involves email marketing, social
media marketing, online and mobile marketing.
SELF Assessment 9.1
Based on different types of media learned, classify different media
channels used in Rwanda that can help in communicating and promoting
inclusive education in the community/ schools?
9.2 Role of media in promoting the education of learners
with SEN and disabilities
Television programs, internet websites, feature-length films, newspapers,
music tapes and CDs, magazines, billboards, radio programs are tools
/technologies which are used to transmit a message to a large external
audience. John Dewey stated that education could not be limited within
teacher and taught without social environment. So mass media is one
such potent force in the social environment of education. Through
modern electronic techniques and technologies, mass media prove
that education is, really comprehensive not confined within four walls of the
classroom.
Following are roles of media:
a. Providing Information: These media help in disseminating
information for the mass. People acquire different knowledge very quickly.
b. Providing vocational information: Media help in providing
vocational and professional information to a larger group of the
community.
c. Spreading awareness and civic responsibility: People can be
aware of different problems of the society and their role in changing
society through mass media.
d. Educational programs: Mass Media help in forming suitable habit
for different programs and they utilize their leisure time in a productive
way. It also influences the behavior of the people through different
programs.
e. Role as a non-formal agency: Now in an advanced society media
are not treated as informal agencies of education. They are called
non-formal agencies due to its wide coverage of educational items
in a systematic way. It is viewed that these media can substitute theclassroom teaching in future.
SELF Assessment 9.2
1. What is the importance of using mass media in communicating
inclusive education?
2. Positive and negative influence of media in the education of
learners with SEN and disabilities.
Activity 9.3.
1. How do you think media can influence positively or negatively the
education of learners with disability or SEN
It is inevitable to work with the media because the media is effective in
change and shaping the views of society. Society depends on the mass
media for information. The society depends on the media before adopting
a side on issues. People adopt positions because the majority of society is
for the view. They support a view because the class to which they belong is
for that view.
The other fact is that the mass media reaches out to many people at one go.
This is especially in the case of the radio and television. Mostly, the media,
when used effectively, is free or very cheap. It is free when it comes to news
stories. People have argued this way, “I heard this on radio, so please, do
not argue with me!” This is how influential the media is.
How the media portray disability or special needs issues can help increase
awareness throughout society about the realities faced by people with
disabilities and special needs reduce stereotypes, prejudices and harmful
practices, and promote awareness of their capabilities and contributions.
How and how often disability is presented and the language used can
nurture positive perceptions, foster respect for the rights and dignity of
persons with disabilities and SEN and promote inclusive societies.
For examples by using radio, print media, TV shows, magazines, etc, the
community can be informed on:
• Raising awareness of the challenges facing people with disabilities
or special need and issues surrounding disability, and factors that
contribute to the problem that lead to stigmatization of people with disabilities,
• Bring discussion of disability into the public arena to challenge the idea
of it as a taboo subject,
• Call on for better resources to address the exclusion of people with
disability from general social, economic and political life and overcome
lack of access to most areas of development, including health,
education, food, shelter, employment and land, etc
For a long time, media researchers focused almost entirely on the harmful
effects of media, including the effects of media violence on aggression, the
media’s role in increasing racial and gender stereotypes, and it’s potential
to shape people’s perception of the world as a dangerous place. However,
more recently, different studies have started to look at the flip side: the
positive effects media can have when it’s more uplifting and inspiring. In the
last few years, studies have illustrated how, just as some films, TV shows,
and other media can foster positive behavior and attitudes.
Briefly, the impact of media on the education of learners with disability or
SEN, can be positive or negative depending on how (strategies, methods,
types of media), where (favorable place), what (message to communicate)
to whom (the audience).
Following are tips for effectively using the media for positive influence to the
community:
• Identify the most popular media that can be used to reach as many
people as possible in a specific community or all over the country.
• Contact media owners and agree on frequencies and cost of publishing
a piece of information on inclusive education in the media.
• Write messages, stories or articles on inclusive education that will be
used by the media.
• Monitor the publication, assess and evaluate the accessibility and the
use of information by the audience.
SELF Assessment 9.3
How media can influence positively or negatively the education of learnerswith disability or SEN?
END UNIT ASSESSMENT
1. In your own words, explain the term media
2. Referring to the types of media learned, classify different official
media used in Rwanda
3. Explain the role of media in education
4. Explain how media can influence positively or negatively theeducation of learners with disability or SEN