Learning Needs and Compliance to Academic Tasks of Learners with Hearing Impairment in Selected Inclusive Primary Schools in Nairobi County - Kenya

ABSTRACT Hearing impaired learners have a range of learning needs which have a great and positive significance in their level of compliance to academic tasks. This study determined the correlation between degree of learning needs and level of compliance to academic tasks of the hearing impaired. The study adopted the following research objectives to; Determine the demographic characteristics of the respondents in terms of gender, age, educational qualifications, number of years teaching experience and position held in school. Determine the degree of learning needs and the level of compliance to academic tasks of learners with hearing impairments and to establish if there is a significant relationship between the variables The study was based on the eco-system theory (Bronfenbrenner 1979) on the bio-ecological perspective on human development, which views hearing impairment as a barrier to learning and participation. The beneficiaries of the findings of this study were the teachers, parents, the community, education policy makers, implementers and curriculum developers, the government, ministry of education, administrators and collaborators, learners, other interested parties and the future researchers. The study employed a descriptive survey, which adopts descriptive correlation design in correlating variables. The target population included a total of 100 respondents from the eight selected inclusive primary schools in Nairobi County. Using purposive sampling, all individuals in the eight inclusive primary schools involved in teaching of hearing impaired learners were involved in this study and self-administered questionnaires were used as the main data collection instruments. The frequency tables and percentage distribution was used to determine the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The mean was used to determine the degree of learning needs and level of compliance to academic tasks. Regression analysis was used to determine the correlation coefficient. The research findings indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between the variables. On this basis the researcher therefore was able to conclude that the degree of learning need has a positive impact on thee level of compliance to academic tasks of the learners with impairments. The researcher made recommendations on meeting learners needs to change level of compliance tasks of learners with hearing impairments.