Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the guidance needs of hearing impaired students of the Wa School for the Deaf, and the services that are
available to them. Descriptive survey design was used for the research. A total
of 163 students were included in the study using the census method. Data
were collected using questionnaire and analysed using means and standard
deviations, independent samples t-test and One-Way ANOVA. The findings
revealed that guidance services were a priority in the school. The respondents
also knew of the existence of a counselling unit but their knowledge and
awareness of the availability of the school counsellor was lacking. The study
also found that the respondents perceived guidance services to be necessary
and transformational for students in the school. Regarding the educational
guidance needs of the students, the study showed that the students had
difficulty retrieving from memory during examinations and also had difficulty
preparing for examinations. In terms of vocational guidance needs, it was
found that the respondents needed more information about occupations or
careers or jobs in their areas of specialization. Concerning the personal-social
guidance needs, the study showed that the respondents expressed the need to
understand more about themselves. On the basis of the findings, it was
recommended that school counsellors in Wa School for the Deaf should
increase their visibility to students so that awareness levels of students about
their work can be enhanced.
