ABSTRACT
This qualitative study was designed to gather information about the teaching practices of general education teachers in a small sample of inclusive elementary classrooms in Lagos state. The purpose of the study was to examine whether general education teachers used strategies that promote the inclusion of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and to identify the ways in which these strategies were applied. The data was gathered through observations and interviews with the participation of three general education teachers. Per the research that has been carried out, it is possible to conclude that the general education teachers attempted to support the inclusion of students who are DHH by employing various strategies. Additionally, this study’s findings contribute important information to the literature regarding teachers’ educational backgrounds and the support of other staff such as interpreters and special education teachers associated with the education of students who are DHH.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Education is the best gift any parent can give to their child, education is the best legacy they say and all children even those with physical impairment has the right to full education just like every other normal child in the world (Adewale 2016, www.myproject.com.ng). Education is an undeniable right of every human that nowadays is explicitly stated in numerous international documents and local legislative papers of many countries; however, this right has not always been declared for all, especially for the individuals with special needs. A visible movement towards constructing more just and inclusive societies started from the middle of the 20th century, uniting different nations around these concepts. The right to education was acknowledged as the universal human right and found its legal place in the “Declaration of Humans Rights” (1948), followed by other international documents and agreements (Kokkala, 2006, p. 5). Ultimately, the ‘right to education’ as a notion has become more extensive. Inclusion of individuals with special needs in education can be considered in a broader context of education for all (EFA) that currently is a global millennium goal. Inclusive education is proposed to be the main principle for the realization of universal human right to education (Eklindh & Brule-Balescut, 2006, p. 32). According to Richler (2004, as cited in Kokkala, 2006), “rights, research and resources all point to inclusive education as the only way to guarantee that children and youth with disabilities receive a quality education, and thus that EFA targets are met” (p.10). Being a quality indicator, inclusive education is based on the recognition of and response to the diverse needs of learners, provision of quality education for all through appropriate curricula, individually adapted education and teaching strategies, necessary organizational arrangements and resources (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, 1994). Nowadays many countries have incorporated international declarations and conventions supporting inclusive education into the national laws; however, the change in legislation is not the only factor enabling inclusion. A dilemma is how to make education accessible and individually suitable for the whole diversity of learners in a practical – classroom level as “moving towards inclusion is not simply about conceptual changes, but rather about process that couple theoretical changes with legislative and practical changes at the classroom level” (Eklindh & Brule-Balescut, 2006, p. 24).
The education of students who are deaf with multiple disabilities is an ever increasing topic in the field of deaf education. (For the purpose of this paper, “deaf” refers to all levels of hearing loss.) Based on research from Gallaudet Research Institute 2007-2008 Regional and National Summary, 40% of children with hearing loss have an additional disability (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2008). Additionally, and more specifically, 1 out of every 62 students receiving services for deafness is also receiving services for autism spectrum disorder (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2008). The state of Missouri only keeps record of the prevalence of the primary disability so the data of an additional disability is unavailable (personal communication, DESE Department of Data Collection for Special Education, March 13, 2012). These statistics show the importance of paying attention to these students and looking at the placement and instruction of these students in the classroom. Due to the presence of more than one disability, the placement of the student in a specific classroom is not simple. The education team needs to keep in mind the disabilities of the student and his/her academic ability. This helps determine the placement of the student and where the student will be successful. The placement options for these students are in deaf education programs, special education programs or, possibly, general education classrooms with support. Student success is also dependent on the instructional strategies implemented by the teacher. It is the job of the teacher to present the information to the students in the best way for him/her to learn. The instructional strategies that will be discussed in this paper for students who are deaf with multiple disabilities are the transdisciplinary model and the person-first teaching model. These models claim to provide students who are deaf with multiple disabilities with the instruction they need to be successful. The placement and the instructional strategies implemented by the teacher play a role in the academic success of the student. However, for the purpose of this paper, I am asking: is the placement of students who are deaf with multiple disabilities the most important consideration in the child’s educational success or is the teaching method used by the teacher/educator the most important consideration? With this question in mind, it is also important to look at the placements and instructional strategies of students with multiple disabilities (not including deafness) and compare this information to what is known about students who are deaf with multiple disabilities.
Special education teachers are not the only teachers servicing these students, as is evidenced by the research on students with multiple disabilities in inclusive environments. Special education professionals are trained to provide the necessary services and instructional methods to teach students with multiple disabilities. However, with the movement towards an inclusive setting for these students, general education teachers are also expected to be able to provide the instruction and services necessary for these students to be successful (Hunt & Goetz, 2007). Most general education training programs do not provide teachers with the information they need to teach these individuals. Therefore, much support from the special education staff and willingness by the general education teacher to meet the needs of these students is necessary. Peer-motivation and modeling will only be successful with the support of the classroom teacher. The classroom teacher needs to mold his/her instruction to meet the needs of these students with special needs while still meeting the needs of the rest of the class. In turn, the special education teacher serves as a resource and a support in the classroom (Hunt & Goetz, 2007). In some cases, the special education teacher and the general education teacher co-teach in the classroom. This is called class within a class. Communication between all providers is necessary for this type of setting to be successful. In a study by Hunt and Goetz (2007), general education teachers reported that,
An effective relationship (helpful) with [special education] support staff included (a) a shared framework and goals for including the students with disabilities in the general class routine; (b) the presence of another person on whom they could rely; and (c) teamwork, which provided them with technical, resource, evaluation, and moral support (Hunt & Goetz, 2007, p. 14).
Yet, deaf education is an unclosed field in the country. However, this very fact raise a scientific curiosity in me and motivate to go deeper in the field. Thus, the researcher saw the need to connect this research with deaf inclusive education, which is an innovative practice for the country today.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Even though, the access to special education schools for deaf individuals is ensured this does not automatically guarantee the full access to learning process itself. The combination of unique learning needs of deaf students and the factors external to them can create certain challenges to the teaching-learning process in an ordinary educational environment. As revealed by the survey on inclusive education indicators (Tchintcharauli, Javakhishvili, 2013), the teaching process in colleges is less adapted to the requirements of the students with special needs (p. 72). The same was stated in the annual report (2013) of the project “Introduction of Inclusive Education in Vocational Education and Training System” (Zakareishvili, Bagrationi-Gruzinski, & Barkaia, p. 38). This issue supposed to be more tangible in regard to deaf students, whose education is still a challenge internationally and especially in Nigeria, which does not have any experience in it. There is no readily available model of deaf individuals’ inclusive vocational education, which would be applicable in the Nigerian context. According to the managerial staff of the pilot project, the provision of successful education for deaf learners represents one of the priorities and simultaneously the concerns of this study.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
- The main objective of this study is to investigate the best teaching strategy to teach students with hearing impairment, specifically the study intends to:
- Identify classroom communication strategy used in classrooms for learners with hearing impairments.
- Establish whether there were adequate learning materials for learners with hearing impairments.
- Establish whether the classroom environment was supportive of effective classroom communication for learners with hearing impairments.
- Determine how classroom communication affected the academic performance of learners with hearing impairments.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated to achieve the research objectives:
- What strategies do teachers employ to help students who have hair impairment in classrooms?
- Are there adequate learning materials for learners with hearing impairments
- Is the classroom environment supportive of effective classroom communication for learners with hearing impairments?
- How has classroom communication affected the academic performance of learners with hearing impairments?
1.5 Significance of Study
A good research work is design to unveiling the successes or failures of a programme. The inclusive education programme is aimed at creating a barrier free society. Therefore, this research work is conceived to serve as a recipe to ascertain if the inclusive education programme in Nigeria behaves in theory has transformed into practice.
The study will serve as a centre piece which x-rays the level of commitment on the part of the government and other stakes holders in the course of inclusion which may calls for a rethink and positive re-engineering of the programme rather than resting on the oars.
The significance of this study can not be over emphasized as it tends to explore and project the students with hearing impairment capabilities in meeting the demands of the regular school setting as this will foster the sense of competition between the students with intact hearing (normal) and their counterparts who are hearing impaired in the inclusive school setting.
The study is conceived to helph debunk the earlier held wrong beliefs about the students with hearing impairment who are generally perceived as being aggressive and antagonistic. With their being able to make and maintain friendship with their hearing peers, this will lead to a refinement of attitudes thereby paving the way for a new educational climate to be created for all children in the inclusive school environments to attain their best potentials for utmost development of self and the society. The study is poised to serve as a knowledge bank to all stake holders in education and as well foster further research into the subject matter of this work.
This study might be useful to develop a better understanding regarding the effective inclusive environment for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH).
1.6 Scope and Limitation of Study
The study focused on students with hearing impairment or DHH in Lagos state.
Even though this study achieved its objectives, there were some inevitable limitations. The first limitation of this study is the sample size. This study was conducted with a small sampling that consisted of three general education classroom teachers. Since deafness/hard of hearing has a low incidence rate among disabilities, finding general education classrooms that include students who are DHH in the town limited this study’s sample size.
The second limitation of the study is that it was conducted with only teachers. Therefore, reflecting the classrooms’ activities and instructions without involving the students limited the descriptions of the classroom interactions and activities. Additionally, I was unable to see the documents related to the students who are DHH such as IEPs (Individualized Educational Plans). It would be useful in terms of seeing suggested accommodations regarding student inclusion on the IEPs and assessing how many of these accommodations are being fulfilled by the teachers.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Inclusive classroom
This refers to general education classrooms in which students with and without disabilities are educated together.
Deaf
“This term refers to students when their unaided hearing loss is in excess of 70 decibels and precludes understanding of speech through the auditory mechanism, even with amplification, and the student demonstrates an inability to process linguistic information through hearing, even with amplification” (South Dakota Department of Education, 2013, p. 138).
Hard-of-hearing.
“This refers to a hearing loss where there may be enough residual hearing that an auditory device, such as a hearing aid or FM system, provides adequate assistance to process speech” (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology [Do-It], 2017).
Hearing aid
“A hearing aid is a small electronic device that is worn in or behind ears. It makes some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities” (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders [NIDCD], 2017)
Cochlear implant
Cochlear implants are surgically implemented devices that contribute access to sounds and speech. These devices may be used for children or adults who cannot benefit from hearing aids due to their severe to profound hearing loss (ASHA, 2017).
Frequency modulation (FM) systems
“FM systems are like miniature radio stations operating on special frequencies. The personal FM system consists of a transmitter microphone used by the speaker (such as the teacher in the classroom, or the speaker at a lecture) and a receiver used by you, the listener. The receiver transmits the sound to your ears or, if you wear a hearing aid, directly to the hearing aid” (ASHA, 2017).
Desktop speaker
“In this system, the teacher’s voice is transmitted from the teacher microphone to the speaker on the desk not to a hearing aid” (M. Wicker, personal communication, May 5, 2017)
Impairment
Deterioration in the functioning of a body part, organ, or system that can be temporary or permanent and can result from injury or disease
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and learning are considered as a two-sided interactional process, which mainly takes place at the classroom level. The aim of this interactional process is to achieve a common understanding and to transform the objective knowledge (defined by the curriculum) into the subjective knowledge of the learner (Vygotsky, 1978, Rogoff, 1990).
Teaching/strategies
Oxford online dictionary (2015), defines strategy as a plan of action designed to achieve overall goal, as the art of planning, directing operations and movements to achieve a particular purpose. Within the study teaching strategies are considered as the teaching-learning mediating means. Every means applied by a teacher (assessment, feedback, methods, human and material aid, classroom arrangement and so forth) that enables learning and achievement of desired educational outcomes refer to teaching strategies.