The Impact of Hearing Impairment on the Academic Performance of Learners in Westlands Division, Nairobi, Kenya.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................... H

DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. III

APPROVAL ...................................................................................................................... IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................. V

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... VI

LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................... IX

LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................... X

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... XI

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. I

I. OINTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION .............................................................................. ! 1.2STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .............................................................................. 1 1.3THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................. 2 1.40BJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .................................................................................... 2 1.5THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS .................................................................................... 2 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................... 2 1.7SCOPEOFTHE STUDY. .............................................................................................. 3 1.8 LIMITATIONS OFTHESTUDY ................................................................................. 3 1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS ................................. ..4

CHAPTER TW0 ................................................................................................................ 5

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 5 2.1 ANOVERVIEWOFHEARINGIMPAIRMENT ......................................................... 5 2.2 CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS ..................................................................................... S 2.2.1 Illness or Disease .................................................................................................. 5 2.2.1.1 Maternal rubella .............................................................................................. 5 2.2.1.2 Childhood diseases .......................................................................................... 6 2.2.1.3Meningitis ........................................................................................................ 6 2.2.1.4 Autoimmune disease ....................................................................................... 6 2.2.1.5 Mumps ............................................................................................................ 6 2.2.1.6 Presbyacusis .................................................................................................... 6 2.2.1.7 Adenoids ......................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1.8 AIDS ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1.9 HlV ................................................................................................................. 7 2.2.1.10 Chlamydia ..................................................................................................... ? 2.2.1.11 Fetal alcohol syndrome .................................................................................. 7 2.2.1.12 premature birth .............................................................................................. 7 2.2.1.13 Syphilis ......................................................................................................... ? 2.2.1.14 Otosclerosis ................................................................................................... ? 2.2.2 Medications ........................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Physical trauma ..................................................................................................... 8 2.3TYPESOFHEARINGIMPAIRMENT ......................................................................... 8

VI

2.3.1 Sensorineural hearing impairment .......................................................................... 8 2.3.2 Conductive hearing impairmen ............................................................................. 9 2.3.3 Mixed hearing impairment ..................................................................................... 9 2.3.3.1 Pre-lingual hearing impairment ....................................................................... 9 2.3.3.2 Post-lingual hearing impairment. ..................................................................... 9 2.4 DEGREES OF HEARING LOSS AND EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE ............... 10 2.51NDICATORS OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT ........................................................... 10 2.6 EFFECTS OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE ............. 11 2. 6.1 Effects of hearing loss on development.. .............................................................. II 2.6.2 Specific Effects .................................................................................................... 12 2.6.2.1 Vocabulary .................................................................................................... 12 2.6.2.2Sentence Structure .......................................................................................... 12 2.6.2.3 Speaking ....................................................................................................... 12 2.6.2.4Academic Achievement ................................................................................. 13 2.6.2.5Social Functioning ......................................................................................... !3 2.6.2.6 Social effects ................................................................................................. l3 2.6.2.7 Common psychological consequences ........................................................... l3 2.8.1 General Classroom Strategies ............................................................................... 15 2.8.2 Medical Strategies ................................................................................................ !? 2.9.!. PUBLIC EDUCATION AWARENESS .............................................................. IS 2. 9.2 TEACHER EDUCATION ................................................................................... 18 2.9.3 MEDIATING THE ENVIRONMENT TO ACCOMMODATE LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT .......................................................................................... !8 2.9.4CURRICULUM MODIFICATION ...................................................................... 19

CHAPTER THREE ••.•.....•••••••••••••••.••••.•........•.....................•...•......•.•...•......••••.•••....•••••••.. 20

3.0RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 20 3.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 20 3.2 RESEARCH APPROACH .......................................................................................... 20 3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................ 20 3.4POPULATION ........................................................................................................... 20 3.5 SAMPLE .................................................................................................................... 20 3.6 SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................................................ 21 3.7RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS ................................................................................ 21

CHAPTER FOUR ..•••••••.••••••••••••.•.•••••••••••.•••.••••.••••••••••••...•..•.......•............•...•.......•....•••.•. 22

4.0PRESENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS .............................................................. 22 4.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 22 4.2DATAPRESENTATION ........................................................................................... 22

CHAPTER FIVE ...........••.•••..••...•...............•••.•••••••••••••••••...•.....•.•.••••••••••••••••••...••.•••...•..••• 33

5.0 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................. 33 5.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 33 5.2KNOWLEDGEANDUNDERSTANDINGOFHEARINGIMPAIRMENTS ............. 33 5.3 INDICATORS AND PREVENTION OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT ......................... 34 5.4. EDUCATION PROVISION FOR LERANERS WITH HEARING IMP AIRMENT.. .. 35 5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................ 37 5.5. I Mediating the environment .................................................................................. 37 5.5.2 Educational resources .......................................................................................... 37 5.5.3 Auditory training ................................................................................................. 38

VII

5.5 .4 Early rehabilitation .............................................................................................. 38 5.5 .5 Other areas to be enhanced ................................................................................... 38 5. 6 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 39

BIBLIOGRAPHY ••••.....•••••••.••.......•••.••••••••.....•.......••.••.••••••.•••.•••..............••••••.....•........•... 40

APPENDICES ••.•...••••.•••.•••••••••••••.•..••.•••.••••••••••••••••.•..•••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••..•••••••••••••••••••••• 42

A PERSONAL INFORMATION ................................................................................. 42 B. CAUSES OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT ............................................................ 42 E. INTERVENTION STRATEGIES ................................................................................ 44

Vlll

LIST OF TABLES

Table I : Do you think the learner with hearing impairment have the ability to perform well?

............................................................................................................................... 30

Table 2: What motivators can parents and teaches use to improve performance oflearners

with hearing impairment? ..................................................................................................... 31

Table 3 :What areas need enhancement? ............................................................................... 32

IX

ABSTRACT

The researcher was investigating the impact of hearing imparirement on academic performance where qualitative approach, which explores traits and situations was used. The study was carried out in Westlands Division of Nairobi District, Kenya where five schools were sampled. There were: Agakhan, Highridge, Oshwal Jain, North Higbridge and Westlands primary schools. The data collection took about a month where fifteen questionnaires were returned in a sample population of about 20 teachers. The researcher used questionnaires as instruments of collecting data From the study, findings the researcher recommended that teachers have to be equipped with necessary skills. Knowledge and attitudes in order to effectively handle learnenrs with hearing

impairment with a sole aim of improving their performance. From these findings, it is clear  that learners with hearing impairment can do well if given the proper support