About Us - Faculty of Special Needs & Rehabilitation

Educational Excellence

FSNR

About Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation

The Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation (FSNR) is Uganda’s lead academic institution and one of the very few in sub-Saharan Africa specialized in the disability inclusion fields. The faculty evolved from a small department of special education at the former Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) where it was established to train special education teachers at primary level. Between 1991 and 1996, the Government of Uganda, with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) constructed a new campus called Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE). In 1996, the Department of Special Education at ITEK was shifted to the former UNISE where the current faculty is located. Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD), constructed an extension additional lecture room blocks and offices and offered scholarships to students of community-based rehabilitation program.

From UNISE to Kyambogo University's Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation

In 1998, the Parliament of Uganda passed the UNISE Act which granted the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE) a semi-autonomous higher education status, mandating it to lead the personnel in special needs education rehabilitation and other disability fields, conduct research on disability and other special needs issues. In 2003, UNISE, ITEK and Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK) were merged by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, (Amended) 2003 into Kyambogo University which became Uganda’s 3^rd public university after Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). Under the merger, UNISE rebranded and became the Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation (FSNR) with three (3) departments namely, Department of Special Needs Studies, Department of Community and Disability Studies (CDS), and the Department of Adult and Community Education (ACE). The adult education component emerged out of the experiences of teaching adults in-service teachers in the faculty who required adult-centred approaches, creating a need to strengthen inclusive community education services provision for adults outside of the formal education structures.

Over 15 Years Of Excellence

Reorganization and Expansion

In 2018, following a Public Service Restructuring Committee Report of 2021/2023-2026/2027, the faculty was rebranded and reconstituted into five specialized academic departments to better meet the changing needs of the disability inclusion landscape. The five departments are: Department of Adult, Community and Lifelong Learning (DACoLL), Department of Community and Disability Studies (CDS), Department of Hearing Impairment and Sign Language Interpretation Studies (HISLS), Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD), and the Department of Visual Impairment Studies (VI). In addition, the faculty operates specialized centers initiated to facilitate hands-on learning, production of adapted assistive devices for persons with different disabilities and to extend assessment and early intervention services to the community. The faculty’s specialized centers include the Early Childhood Learning and Assessment Centre (ECLAC), H-Tech and Assistive Technology Hub, Ear Mold Production Unit, Rehabilitation Technology Workshop and a Sign Language Lab.

To be a Centre of Academic and Professional Excellence in Special Needs and Inclusive Education, Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, Community Education and Lifelong Learning Studies.

Vision

To advance the inclusion, participation and empowerment of persons with disabilities, other marginalized persons, and communities through quality and needs based training of personnel, participatory inclusive research, innovation, lifelong learning, networking and advocacy.

Mission

Objectives

The objectives of the Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation are:

1. To be a training center for graduate and undergraduate in special needs and inclusive education, disability studies and rehabilitation, lifelong learning, and community based inclusive education and development.
2. To undertake research in special needs and inclusive education, disability studies and rehabilitation, lifelong learning, and community based inclusive education and development.
3. To be a center of innovations for solutions and best practices in special needs and inclusive education, disability studies and rehabilitation, lifelong learning, and community based inclusive education and development.
4. To be a resource center for the production and dissemination of information on special needs and inclusive education, disability studies and rehabilitation, lifelong learning, and community based inclusive education and development.

5. To conduct outreach programmes that provide services, information and assistance, and promote greater awareness of communities on special and inclusive education, disability and rehabilitation, lifelong learning and community based inclusive education and development programmes.
6. To promote partnership, collaboration and networks with government, non-governmental organizations and community-based institutions involved in special and inclusive education, disability rehabilitation, lifelong learning and community-based education and development service provision.