Hearing impaired learners in schools in Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated Hearing Impaired Learners (HILs) in regular schools in Kenya: A case study of their integration in selected schools in the city of Nairobi. There was need to establish the factors that influenced the integration as it appeared not successful as expected during the time of its implementation. Out of 72 respondents sampled for the study, 70 completed the questionnaires. This involved 40 pupils with hearing impairment, 12 special teachers, 14 regular teachers and 4 head teachers. The research instruments were the questionnaire and observation schedule. It was important to establish whether personal factors like gender and age of learners influence the integration of the hearing impaired learners. This was necessary as some learners may have been admitted to school late due to lack of early intervention. Administration and managerial factors can influence the process and extent of integration of HILs in schools. According to Ann Hodgson, Louise and Seamus in their book "Learning together" school organization is one of the conditions to be met prior to integration in the regular classroom. There was the need to determine the attitude of the pupils and the teachers towards integration of the HILs in schools. The general society in which the hearing impaired learner is to be integrated both academically and socially has negative attitudes towards the impaired learners. Does this have any impact to the whole process of integration? The adequacy of physical facilities in schools can enhance successful integration. It was equally important to investigate if provision or non provision of these has a positive or negative bearing on integration .It was seen to be important to study the process of supervision and inspection in the schools where the HILs were integrated. This would give an insight if there was direction given in achieving successful integration. In the process of integration, what are the challenges that the administrators face as they implement the policy of integration. Globally provision of services to the learners with special needs education is not easy. The interventions made by the Ministry of Education in enhancing the successful integration of HILs in regular schools were also to be identified. Since the introduction of the integration policy, some steps have been taken to make this a success. However, other interventions if implemented could lead to a more successful programme. The study found out that there were more female teachers than male teachers in the selected schools, that more female learners were enrolled than the male learners. The findings indicated most of the learners were born with deafness. That administration and management gave minimal support to the success of the integration programme. Further findings indicated that both the pupils and the teachers had negative attitudes towards the integration of the hearing impaired learners. From the findings, physical facilities particularly textbooks, exercises books and desks were adequately provided, however hearing aids and sign language books were inadequate. The process of supervision and inspection in the schools where HILs were integrated was done on rare basis. The findings indicated that most teachers preferred using the oral approach in subject delivery of content. The study also found that the administrators faced challenges like role conflict among the teachers, and lack of enough funds to provide sufficiently for the needs of the hearing impaired learners.