Academic practices and challenges of students with hearing impairment in some selected primary schools of Gedeo zone, SNNPR

<strong>Abstract: </strong>The purpose of this study was to investigate Academic practices and challenges of students with hearing impairment in some selected primary schools of Gedeo zone, SNNPR. To this end, this study was carried out by employing descriptive survey type of research method. Regarding approach, mixed research approach was employed to achieve the intended goals of the study. The triangulation research design was used. The participants for this study were students with hearing impairment, hearing students, teachers teaching in integrated classes, school principals from the four schools and parents of the students. On the basis of this, 8 SwHI, 4 hearing students, 4 school principals and 4 parents of SwHI participated in this study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 20 participants. 28 teachers were selected as participants of the study by using simple random sampling technique. For data collection, questionnaire, interview, document analysis and observation were used. The finding revealed that the weak support system of the schools, the family background, the school arrangement, communication barriers, negative teachers‘ attitude towards integration, less motivation among teachers, large class size, inappropriate teaching strategy, lack of sign language interpreter and weak collaboration among stakeholders were factors that affect an education of SwHI. In addition, the finding indicated that an availability of resource centers, the provision of legal documents like national and international policies and declarations, budget provision from the government and an involvement of some NGOs were some opportunities of SwHI. For this reason, the researcher recommended that awareness creation program and on-job short term trainings should be prepared and provided for the concerned bodies such as teachers. Besides, resources which could support SwHI have to be facilitated in the resource centers and also sign language interpreters should be employed.