dc.description.abstract | This was a cross- sectional descriptive study on the barriers faced by hearing impaired
students at the University of Nairobi. The study examined the institutional and social
barriers faced by the hearing impaired students in an inclusive learning environment. The
study participants comprised of 10 hearing impaired students at the university and data
was obtained through semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews. The study
was guided by a conceptual framework which explained the relationship between
institutional and social barriers affecting the hearing impaired students and the learning
outcomes achieved when the barriers were present and when the barriers had been
eliminated. Data analysis was done through grounded approach in line with specific
objectives.
The findings reveal that significant barriers for hearing impaired students exist and they
included lecturing as a mode of instruction used by lecturers and the framing of
examination questions; level of education of the sign language interpreter, knowledge of
content taught and a good grasp of signs by the interpreter ; inadequate classroom space
and furniture, absence of overhead projectors during lectures, inadequate signage
especially in workshops, poor lighting and noisy classroom environment and challenges
in socially integrating with the hearing leading to loneliness and isolation.
The study concludes that hearing impaired students are a special population within the
university fraternity who require accommodations especially in the class that would ease
their learning experience, such accommodations would include the use of overhead
projectors and diagrams, avoiding movements and rushed speech while lecturing,
ensuring the student seats at the front row in class and providing opportunities for class
participation, encouraging turn taking during class discussions and allowing extra time
during examinations. In addition, there is need for the whole fraternity to shift the
negative attitudes and perceptions from that of perceiving hearing impaired students as
having a defect, individuals who cannot independently make decisions or have ideas or as
a group that needs pity, into seeing them as a minority group of persons who are capable
of performing as their hearing peers.
The study recommends that the university provide basic sign language training for
teaching and non- teaching staff to help ease communication, and because Kenya Sign
Language is recognized as an official language in Kenya, it should be introduced as a
common course for all students, these steps will help ease communication as well as
diffuse the negative attitudes and perceptions that surround deafness. All student clubs,
professional associations and groups should endeavor to accommodate students with
disabilities and ensure that 5% of these students hold leadership positions. The University
of Nairobi disability policy should be implemented fully especially by ensuring that the
disability support desks are decentralized to all the colleges, that examination questions
for hearing impaired students are modified into simple English and avoiding superfluous
words. Financial resources should also be provided for those requiring hearing aids and
sign language training for those students who acquire deafness while at the university. | en_US |