Investigating problems associted with communication modes in the education of children with hearing impairment in Ghana

Abstract

This study used descriptive survey to identify the problems with communication used in the education of children with hearing impairment in Ghana. The sample for the study was made up of 212 respondents from 4 randomly led Special Schools for the Deaf. This consisted of 4 head teachers, 48 teachers of deaf, 120 hearing impaired students and 40 parents of the hearing impaired. The purposive, simple random and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the participants for the study. Eight research questions were formulated to guide the study. Two sets of questionnaires for teachers and hearing impaired students and two interview guides for headteachers and parents were the instruments used. Frequencies and percentages were also employed to analyse the responses given. The major problems identified by the study are lumping together of all categories of hearing impaired students in the schools designated as schools for the deaf, inadequate pre- service and in- service training for teachers of the deaf. It was recommended among other things that the Ministry of Education, National Council on Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the University of Education, Winneba should come together to review and revise the training curriculum to intensify the pre- service training of teachers of the deaf to make them well equiped to communicate effectively with the deaf students they teach. Finally, frequent in-service training should be organized for teachers to upgrade their knowledge and skills in teaching the hearing impaired.