REFLECTIONS ON BARRIERS FACED BY HEARING IMPAIRED LEARNERS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

Abstract Students with hearing impairment face diverse challenges in regular schools as well as inclusive schools which greatly affects their access and full participation in academic programs thereby having an effect on the teaching and learning process. A descriptive survey study on the barriers faced by hearing impaired learners and its effects on the teaching and learning process in the following schools were examined; G. B. H. S Mendong, Academic School of Excellence Bastos, and WECARE school all of Yaoundé. The study examined the institutional and infrastructural, social barriers, teaching methods, and academic performance faced by the hearing-impaired students and its effects on the teaching and learning process. The study was guided by a conceptual framework which explained the relationship between infrastructural and institutional, social barriers, teaching method and academic performance and how it affect the hearing-impaired learners in the teaching and learning process. Learning outcomes achieved when the barriers were present and when the barriers had been eliminated. Two theories were used to show the relevance of eliminating barriers to hearing impairment. That is the attachment theory of John Bowlby and the social cognition theory of mind by Brenda Schick (2002). The sample population of the study included 40 learners with hearing impairments from all the schools and 10 teachers. Research instruments used to select the respondents were mainly questionnaires one administered to learners and the other given to teachers. Purposive sampling was also used because the researcher wanted to select only all the learners with hearing impairments from the three schools as well as teachers concerned with the teaching of these children. For the purpose of this study two sets of questionnaires were prepared for the learners and for the teachers. The questionnaires were piloted in a school not in the selected sample. Collected data was analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 2.0 and reported in form of frequency tables and percentages. Correlation analysis was carried out to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that significant barriers for hearing impaired students exist and they included the mode of instruction used by teachers; level of education of the sign language interpreter, inadequate classroom space and furniture, absence of overhead projectors during lessons, inadequate signage especially in workshops and laboratories, noisy classroom environment and challenges during integrating with peers leading to loneliness and isolation. The study recommends that the various legislations enacted be enforced in all learning institutions. The support staff be given mandatory basic training on accommodation strategies for impairments learners as a whole. Necessary hearing aids materials should be provided to facilitate the teaching learning process. Thus, making learners with impairment to control and excel in education.