ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine influence of socialization on performance of learners with hearing impairment in an inclusive Thawabu Primary School of Embakasi, Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by research objectives which sought to; establish modes of communication that promote socialization between learners with hearing impairment and hearing peers; enhance academic performance in Thawabu inclusive public school; establish strategies for boosting socialization of learners with hearing impairment and hearing peers to enhance their academic performance in Thawabu inclusive public school and establish challenges facing teachers in enhancing socialization to improve academic performance of learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu inclusive public primary school. The study targeted all learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu public primary school in Embakasi sub-county. The research design used in this study was case study design. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select the school and learners with hearing impairment while hearing learners were randomly selected. Key informants were a headteacher, deputy headteacher, 10 teachers, learners with hearing impairment and hearing learners from Thawabu School. Pilot study was conducted in Wangu Primary school of Nairobi County. Piloting consisted of one (1) school head/teacher, two (2) teachers, five (5) hearing learners and (5)five learners with hearing impairment. Content validity was adopted where unclear directions, cluster questions, and wrong phrasing of questions were opened and cross-checked. Reliability was established through test re-test method which involved administering the same questionnaires at an interval of two weeks to the same group of respondents, and then comparing the two scores. A total of 32 respondents participated in the study. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program version 11.5, and frequencies and percentages used to summarize the data. The study found that: modes of communication among learners with hearing impairment, hearing learners and teachers create social and educational change for improvement of academic standards in the school and narrows the gap between those with hearing impairment and their hearing counterparts. Strategies like family support program (assisting children and families in language learning), family-infant-toddler program, and competent and consistent administration system promote learning. Socialization influences incidental learning of learners with hearing impairment to put them at par with their hearing peers on matters related to both academic performance and social advancement. Socialization makes learners with hearing impairment comfortable, self-esteemed, and self-actualized, hence improving educational performance. The study recommends that the government should add specially qualified teachers of learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu inclusive public school to help promote socialization and to increase inclusivity of leaners with hearing impairment.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Introduction
This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose, objectives of the study and research questions, assumptions of the study, limitations and de-limitations of the study, significance of the study, theoretical and conceptual framework and operational definition of key terms.
Background to the Study
Every child has a legal right to basic and equal educational opportunity irrespective of their difficulties and disabilities. This calls for schools to modulate ways of successfully educating all children with diversity in a common setting. There is an emerging consensus that children with special needs be included in the educational arrangement set for the „normal‟ children. This has led to the idea of inclusive schooling, which involves the act of modifying the regular school environment, classrooms, teaching style and methods befitting all learners in an inclusive setting (Brenda & Brian, 2006). To promote inclusion of people with disabilities, an array of social policies and programs working coherently to respond and support the person with disability across their lifespan especially at school level is required (Brenda & Brian, 2006).
A joint publication between the National Disability Authority (NDA) and the Equality Authority (EA) provides an important opportunity to examine in detail the infuence of social inclusion in Ireland and to examine how that impact changes over time (National
Disability Authority, 2005). Specifically the study allows us to better understand the experience of disability over time in the areas of education and social participation in regards to academic performance of learners with HI. By examining this dynamic we can better plan policy and program interventions to promote education and how and when to intervene to prevent exclusion of learners with disability (National Disability Authority, 2005).
