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RESULTS
RESPONSES OF PARENTS TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE
The objective questions had the following result:
Fig 1.
The hearing impaired children included in the study were between the ages of 3yrs to 16yrs. 84% of the children were profoundly deaf, 13% of children suffered from severe to profound deafness and 3% of children suffered from moderate to severe loss. (Refer to Fig.1). Out of 36 subjects, 26 were males and 10 were females. 6 out of 36 children had under gone cochlear implant. The rest of them were wearing hearing aids.
Fig 2
32 out of 36 children were deaf since birth. The
age of detection of hearing loss was within 2 years from birth. (Refer
to Fig.2)
Fig 3
77% children were fitted with the hearing aids immediately or with in 6 months
of detection. The maximum gap between detection and fitting of hearing aids
was 2 years. (Refer to Fig 3).
Fig 4
72% of the children used hearing aids for more
than 12 hours per day and 22% of the children wore them for 10 to 12
hours. Only 6% of children wore them for less than 8 hours. (Refer to
Fig 4)
80% of the children were taught by the parents.
Regular teachers also taught in 35% of cases. Most children
also received additional help from special educator or a speech
therapist.
Fig 5
According to 37% of parents, their child had difficulty in
communicating with others but only 14% of parents felt that their
child had problems adjusting socially and emotionally. Among the
school subjects, 42% of children had difficulty learning 2nd
and 3rd languages (Hindi & Marathi in most cases),
Social Studies and Math. 25% of children also had difficulty in oral
work including dictation. Some children also had problem understanding
abstract concepts. (Ref to Fig 5)
The
subjective questions had the following results:
Question
7: How exactly do you help your child to cope in regular school?
The responses of parents indicate that majority
of parents visited the school on regular basis, met with the teacher
to solve problems faced by either the teacher or the child, took up
their home work and worked with their child every single day. Some
parents helped their child by keeping in touch with other class mates,
revising with previous years’ work sheets, paying more attention to
language and speech development and treating the child as normal. A
few parents took their children on visits to different places to give
exposure to help develop language. They also believed in a lot of
personal interaction with the child by both the parents.
Question
9: In your opinion, what extra facilities should be given to such
children in regular schools?
Some very good suggestions came up from parents
in response to this question. Some of them were as follows:
* Volunteer
system to be formed in the class where other children could guide
and help
the hearing impaired
child as and when needed.
*
Easy access for the
parents to interact with the regular teacher. This was to facilitate
keeping track of what
was being done in the class and help solve day to day problems
faced by the child or
teacher on regular basis.
*
Concessions to be
given for oral examination, dictation and recitation.
*
Special announcements
or information to be written on the Black Board instead of only
giving it orally or
announcing on the mike.
*
Basic knowledge about the disability, the problems faced by
the child and how to deal
with them among all the
teachers in regular schools.
*
Sensitization of
normal children in the class room towards the disability.
Besides these specific suggestions, most parents
felt that the hearing impaired child should be made to sit in front to
be able to listen and lip read the teacher better. Also most parents
felt that it should be mandatory for regular schools to admit such
children and a special teacher should be provided to cater to their
special needs. A couple of parents suggested providing FM (Frequency
Modulation) system for these children. FM system is an assistive
listening device that helps the child to hear the teacher’s voice
very clearly without distortion and excludes other ambient sounds.
Question
10: What is it about the school that your child does not like and wish
that it would change?
In response to this question, most children who
were less than 10 yrs of age were very happy with the school, enjoyed
going to it and did not want anything in particular to change. Some
older children did not like when other children made a lot of noise.
They had difficulty in understanding lessons and communicating with
others in noisy environment. They also wanted less number of children
in the class so that teacher could pay more attention to them.
Question
12: Your views / suggestions on inclusive educational setup that you
may wish to share.
In response to this question, most parents felt
that inclusive education provided an opportunity for a hearing
impaired child to grow up normally, to develop confidence and better
communication skills. In inclusive educational set up, he was more
willing to socialize, became more independent, made good friends and
did not feel inhibited by the handicap. Some parents expressed the
need for early integration where as some parents felt that the child
should be totally ready for inclusive setup before being mainstreamed.
One parent felt that more awareness on inclusion should be spread
through TV so that regular schools accept disabled children more
readily. Some parents felt that such children should be encouraged and
given opportunity to participate in drawing, art, dance, drama
competition by the school teachers. One parent expressed the idea of
inclusion very succinctly. She said: It’s a great idea. There is a
need for positive attitude to percolate down further to give equal
opportunity to all. That there was a need for trained and sensitive
teachers.
Responses
of class teachers in regular schools to the questionnaire
The
objective questions had the following result:
75% of the teachers in regular schools had been
teaching the hearing impaired child for less than 1 year. The teachers
in lower classes were teaching these children for 4 to 6 hours per day
where as the teachers in higher classes were teaching for 1 to 3 hours
per day. According to 80% of teachers, the hearing impaired children
always cooperated with them.
Fig 6
47% of regular teachers rarely had any difficulty
in communicating with them. 22 % of the teachers each never or rarely
had difficulty in communicating with the child. Compared to that 40%
and 45% of the special educators respectively, never or rarely had
difficulty in communicating with the child. (Refer to Fig 6).
Fig. 7
Total 70% of regular teachers felt that the child
too never or rarely had any difficulty in communicating with them. 25%
of regular teachers felt that child occasionally had difficulty in
communicating with them. In comparison more than 80% of special
educators felt that the child never or rarely had difficulty in
communicating with them. (Refer
to Fig 7)
Fig. 8
65% of the children always participated in group
activities. Out of a total of 36 only 2 children rarely participated
in group activities. (Refer to Fig 8)
According to regular teachers, 50% of the children communicated only
verbally where as rest of them used gestures also. None of the
children used sign language.
Fig 9
47% of the regular teachers found it difficult to
teach subjects like Social Studies, Science, 2nd and 3rd
languages (which are other than the medium of instructions). According
to 34% of the regular teachers, they had difficulty communication
while 10% of the teachers each found it difficult to teach the
children recitation, oral including dictation work and other social
skills (Refer to Fig 9)
The
subjective questions had the following results:
Question 8: What is it that you would like to change to make learning
easier for the child?
There were varied
responses to this question. A few regular teachers felt that such
children should study in special schools where special educators could
cater to their special needs. Some teachers felt that the child should
have lip reading skills. Various suggestions like use of play way
method, visuals, field trips, games, demonstrations and gestures to
facilitate learning were given. One teacher felt that the child should
be given opportunity to express him self where as another felt that
teacher should give special attention and interact with the child more
often. One teacher felt that the child should read the lesson with the
teacher and ask questions when did not understand where as one teacher
felt that there should be less noise in the classroom. According to
one teacher, the child should be familiarized on topics to be covered
so that he does not feel lost or insecure in the class. One teacher
felt that a qualified trained special teacher should visit the school
twice a week to guide the regular teacher in handling formal work. One
teacher opined that teacher should give love and warmth to such a
child to make him feel comfortable.
Question 10: What are your expectations from the parents to help the
child cope in regular school to learn better?
Even this question
brought out varied responses. Many teachers wanted the parents to be
co-operative. They wanted the child to be regular in school work and
wanted parents to help the child with it. That the parent should visit
the school regularly, give personal attention to their studies,
explain difficulties and by and large help him to comprehend better.
One teacher felt that the parent should be trained to teach the child
at home. Most teachers wanted parent’s involvement in their
child’s education. They wanted the parents to encourage the child to
participate in various competitions to build confidence. Some
suggested positive reinforcement. Some teachers felt the need for
counseling the parents. That there should be acceptance on part of the
parents regarding the child’s disability and should interact more
frequently with the child. Proper care of hearing aids should be taken
to see that they function well.
Question 11: Your views / suggestions on inclusive educational setup
that you may wish to share with us.
Most teachers did not respond to this question.
Among those who responded, some felt that such children should study
in special schools for individual
attention. One teacher felt that they should learn more than
one language where as another teacher felt that subjects like History
and Economics should be optional. That they should be given vocational
training to be able to make a living. One teacher felt that the class
room should be smaller and less noisy, that there should be a special
teacher to teach language. One teacher felt that there should be a
counselor in the school. One teacher felt that there should be loving
and homely atmosphere in class room to create confidence and self
reliance. One teacher felt that regular teachers should be formally
trained in inclusive education for the handicapped. A few teachers
felt that it was a good idea for child’s overall growth but there
was also a need of a resource teacher in the school. One teacher felt
that parents should interact more with the child and encourage
independence.
Responses
of Special Educator / Speech Therapist / Resource Teacher to the
Questionnaire
The
objective questions had the following result:
Most children in inclusive educational setup were
also availing the services of professionals like special educator /
speech therapist / resource teacher for the duration ranging from
1year to 10 years. On an average they were seeing the children for 2
to 3 hours per week. Most children co-operated with the professionals.
Only 15 % of children and professionals occasionally had difficulty in
communicating with each other. According to the professionals, 80% of
children communicated only verbally. The rest of them used gestures
too. No child used sign language.
Fig 10
Almost all the professionals worked in areas of
developing language, auditory training and speech. Some difficulties
were encountered in all the three areas in which they trained the
child. The difficulties in auditory training largely depended on the
extent of hearing loss and the amplification used by them. (Refer Fig
10) Some special teachers also taught subjects and some also worked to
improve the child’s general knowledge.
The
subjective questions had the following results:
Question
9: What are the factors that you consider before mainstreaming the
child in inclusive setup? Specify.
Most common factors that stood out significantly
in responses of the professionals working with hearing impaired were
as follows. These were important pre requisites before mainstreaming
was considered.
1) Adequate knowledge of – a) Auditory /
Listening skills
b) Communication skills
c) Language
d)
Lip reading and speech skills
e)
Reading
and writing skills at higher level
2) Other important factors – a) Emotional
Maturity
b)
Social skills
c) Readiness in the child
d) Parental support
e) Academic Performance
Question
10: What are your expectations from the parents to help the child cope
in regular school and learn better?
One single most common expectation that emerged
from the responses of the professionals working with the hearing
impaired children was regular visits by parents to the school to solve
day to day problems faced by the child and the school teacher. The
other expectations included, keen interest in day to day educational
matters of the child, regular follow up of what was taught in the
school, reinforcement of concepts learnt in school, building new
concepts around them and integrating them in day to day life
situations. Parents should provide stable and stimulating learning
environment at home. They should prepare the child in advance during
holidays to make learning easier. They should function as a link
between regular and special teacher and be a part of the team in
child’s education.
Question
12: Your views / suggestions on inclusive educational setup that you
may wish to share with us.
Most teachers were of the view that regular schools
should be more open and willing to admit disabled children in their
schools. There was a need to develop a positive attitude towards
inclusion. The regular teachers should be more sympathetic and
cooperative towards these children. Many professionals felt that there
was a dire need to create awareness among the regular teachers as well
as their class mates about the disability and sensitize them towards
the problems faced by them in inclusive educational setup. There was a
need for more trained and sensitive teachers. Some of them felt that
the regular school should also have a support teacher to handle day to
day problems faced by the child. One teacher said that inclusive
education was not a one time act. It is a continuous process and takes
years to prepare the child for true integration.
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