Impact Of Special Schools In Promoting Communication For Persons With Hearing Impairment "A Case Study Of Special Schools For The Deaf In Rwanda"

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of special schools in promoting communication for persons with hearing impainnent a case study of special school for the deaf in RWANDA.

To achieve this objective we investigated a hundred twenty eight (128) teachers for the deaf located in ten special schools and four mainstreaming schools around the country.

The questionnaires and interviews addressed to the teachers, pupils and school authorities helped me to analyze the results.

The information I got from questimmaires was compared to those fiom interviews and has shown the following:

-Special schools should employ for acceptance of communication.

-The society as well should be able to accept deaf individuals.

-And most importantly, the special schools should accept the thinking and feeling of self.

-I think if all of the above things are considered, a hearing-impaired individual would definitely function effectively. I conclude and recommend that the education of children with Special Needs, and especially the deaf community should be encouraged.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARA1'ION .......................................................................................................... i

APPROVAl" ......................................................................................................... ii

ACJ(NOWI"EDGEMENl' ........................................................................................ · .......... iii

DEDICA'fiON ......................................................................................................... iv

'fABl"E OF CONl'EN'fS ...................................................................................................... v

LIS1' OF ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................... viii

ABS'fRAC'f ....................................................................................................... ix

CI-IAPTER ONE .................................................................... : ........................................................................ 1

1.1 INTRODUC'fiON: ............ : ..................................................................................................... 1

1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM .................................................................................................. 1

1.3 THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................. 3

1.4 PURPOSE OF 1'IIE S1'UDY: ................................................................................................................ 4

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................... 4

1.6 RESEARCI-1 QUES'fiONS ....................................................................................................... 4

1.7 SCOPE ........................................................................................................... 4

1.8 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY ...................................................................................................... 4

1.9. DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................................... 5

CIIAPTER 'fW 0 ........................................................................................................ 6

RI~VIEW OF 1J'fERA1'URE .............................................................. , ................................. 6

2.1 IN1'RODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 6

2.2 THE METHODS USED IN TEACHING/LEARNING LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT ................................................................................ 6

2.2.1. Oral /Auditory Method ......................................................................................................................... 7

2.2.2. MICRO- 'fEACI-IING ME'fl-IOD ....................................................................................................... 7

2.2.3. 'fEAM 'fEACI-IING .............................................................................................................................. 7

2.2.4. CO-TEACI-IING ................................................................................................................................... 8

2.2.5. AUDI1'0RY-VERBAL ME1'I-IOD ...................................................................................................... 8

2.2.6. DYADIC METHODS OF TEACHING .............................................................................................. 8

2.3. LEARNING METHODS (STYLES) ADAPTED FOR LEANERS WITH HEARING

IMP AIREMEN1' ........................................................................................................... 8

2.3.1. !."EARNING BY DOING .......................................................................................................... 8

2.3.2. MEDIA1'ED !"EARNING ........................ -.............................. ; ............................................................. 8

2.3.3. CHILD TO CHILD APPROACH ....................................................................................................... 8

2.3.4. PEER TEACHING OR TUTORING ................................................................................................. 9

2.3.5. FINGER SPELLING ........................................................................................................... 9

2.3.6. READING/WRITING ........................................................................................................... 9

2.4 WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION USED TO COMMUNICATE WITH

HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN YOUR SCHOOL? ................................................................... 10

!.4.1 Oral Con1n1unication ......................................................................................................... 10

Z.4.2. Sign Language ................. . ....................................................................................................... 10

~.4.3. Simultaneous Communication/ Bimodal system .............................................................................. 11

~.4.4. Cued Speech .......................................................................................................... 11

~.4.5. 'fotal Con1munication (or 1'C) ........................................................................................................... 11

~.4.6. Face the Child when you speak. ......................................................................................................... 12

~.4.7. Use Non-Verbal Cues to Communicate ............................................................................................ 12

~.4.8. Know what to do in an Emergency ........................................ : .......................................................... 12

2.4.9. Be a Good Role Model ......................................................................................................... 12

2.4.10. Using Photos and Pictures ................................................................................................................ 13

2.4.11. Activities for the Hearing Impaired Child that can help to improve communication ............... 13

t4.12. Role-Playing ......................................................................................................... 13

!.4.13. Sound Awareness ...................................................................................................... 13

t4.14. Involvement ....................................................................................................... 13

~.4.15. Singing ....................................................................................................... 13

~.5. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS DURING TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS OF LANGUAGE

\ND COMMUNICATION TO CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT ................................ 14

~.5.1. INADEQUATE TRAINING OR FRAGMENTED HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT14

~.5.2. Perceptual and Language Differences .............................................................................................. 15

~.5.3. ACADEMIC PROBI_,EMS ............................................. : ................................................................... 16

:.5.4. Inattention .......................................................................................................... 16

.. 5.5. Time Pressures ......................................................................................................... 16

.2.6. Emotions ........................................................................................................ 16

.5. 7. Poor retention ............................................................................................................ 16

.6. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ..................................................................................... 17

.6.1. SOCIAl.~ MODEL ......................................................................................................... 17

.6.2. MEDICAl_, MODEIJ ........................................................................................................ 18

.6.3. LINGUISTIC MODEl., ....................................................................................................... 18

liAP'fER TIIREE ......................................................................................................... 21

ESEARCII ME'fiiODOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 21

1 INTRODUCl'ION ....................................................................................................... · ............................ 21

2 RESEARCII DESIGN ................................................................. : .......................................................... 21

3 ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................................... 21

4 RESPONDENTS OR POPULATION OF THE STUDY .................................................................... 22

4 SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES .................................................................. 22

6. RESEARCH METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS .............................................................................. 22

6.0. INSl'RUMEN'fS 'fOOLS ....................................................................................................... 22

5.1. INTERVIEW AND OBSERVATION ............................................................................................... 22

).2. QUESl'IONNAIRES ......................................................................................................... 23

I DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES ............................................................................................... 23

1AP1'ER FOUR ................................................................................................................ 24

'ATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA ................................................................................................ 24

AGE OF RESPONDENTS ........................................................................................................ 24

:SEX OF RESPONDENl'S .............................................................. : ....................................................... 24

·THE METHODS USED IN TEACHING/LEARNING LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

~R STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT ............................................................................. 25

.1. l'EACIIING MEl'IIODS ....................................................................................................... 25

.2. LEARNING METHODS (STYLES) ................................................................................................. 25

WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION USED TO COMMUNICATE WITH

:ARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN YOUR SCHOOL? ................................................................... 26

EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS DURING TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS OF LANGUAGE

D COMMUNICATION TO CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT ................................ 27

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ...................................................................................... 27

APl'ER FIVE: ............................................................................................................. 29

VIMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ................................................................... 29

SUMMARY 0}1., l'IIE S'fUDY ............................................................................................................... 29

1 Hearing Joss can have serious implications on an individual... ........................................................ 29

2 Teacher's role in promotiilg motivation of deaf children ................................................................. 30

5.2 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 30

5.3 RECOMMENDA'fiON ...................................................................................................... 32

5.3.1 GOVERNMEN1' ........................................................................................................ 32

5.3.2 NGOs .......................................................................................................... 32

5.3.3 PARENTS AND COMMUNITY ........................................................................................................ 33

5.3.4 SPECIAL SCHOOLS, MAINSTREAMING/ORDINARY SCHOOLS ......................................... 33

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 34

APPENDIX! ............................................................................................................ 35

QUESTIONNAIRES IN RESEACI-I ON IMP ACT OF SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN PROMOTING

COMMUNICATION FOR PERSONS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT .......................................... 35