Inclusion of a Child With a Hearing Impairment in a Mainstream School, Single Case Study

Abstract

Inclusive education means that all pupils, regardless of their ability, gender and race, can study with their peers in the school closest to their place of residence. When enrolling students with special needs in a school, the quality of the student’s academic and social inclusion is equally important. The study aims to analyze the single case of inclusion of a boy with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school X to answer the research questions: how do teachers deal with a pupil with hearing impairment and his needs in the classroom, what are the peculiarities of a hearing-impaired child’s learning, what support (academic and social) is provided to the boy to promote his inclusion in school and the classroom? In the qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with the boy with a hearing impairment and 5 teachers of school X and the boy’s father, they were analyzed using content analysis. Three main categories emerged from the data: (1) support provided by teachers/school; (2) social participation in the classroom, school, friendships, (3) barriers for inclusion. There were two time periods in the first category suggested: (a) before the boy was identified as a child with special needs and (b) after the statement on special needs were received. There were several sub-categories that emerged from the transcripts: support measures provided to a child with a hearing impairment in the classroom, organizational response of the school to a child with a hearing impairment, the visible and invisible aspects in social participation of a child with hearing impairment in a mainstream school. The study highlighted that the academic and social inclusion experience of a child with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school may differ before and after receiving the statement from the Pedagogical Medical Commission on the child’s special needs. The study discusses whether the statement of a pupil’s special needs may become a new barrier to inclusive education that encourages schools to develop new exclusionary practices.

Teachers’ Opinions on the Attending of the Hearing-Impaired Students in the Inclusion Environment and the Resource Room Services

“…Teachers have not talked about the use of realia. However, similar to the results of many studies conducted from the past to the present, (Miller, 1995;Nīmante & Ekša, 2020;Pérez-Jorge et al, 2021;Slobodzian, 2009), the participants stated that the classrooms were crowded. All participants emphasized that this situation negatively affects the participation and interaction of students with hearing loss in the lessons.…”

“…In the studies on teachers' opinions from the past and the present, it has been found that there are problems related to the physical conditions of the inclusion environment, the characteristics of the hearing impaired student(s), and the quality of the resource room (Aslan, 2019;Atmaca & Uzuner, 2020;Cambra, 2002;Coladarci & Breton, 1997;Gurgur et al, 2016;Slobodzian, 2009;Watson et al, 1999;Yazicioglu, 2020). In many studies, the focus of these problems and possible solutions have been shown to be related to teachers' perspectives on inclusion (Aslan, 2019;Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013;Nīmante & Ekša, 2020). In this study, the participants' opinions and experiences about the inclusion practices and the contributions/problems of the educational support service were examined in depth through focus group interviews.…”

“…A participant states that they arrange the weekly timetable in coordination with the support education teachers to ensure that students with hearing loss are able to attend both the lessons and the educational support activities. This arrangement can be used to eliminate the problems of cooperation between the specified class teachers and support teachers mentioned in the literature (Nīmante & Ekša, 2020;Slobodzian, 2009).…”

“…Another component of educational support service is communication between teachers. Literature emphasizes the need for teachers to communicate in the inclusion environment to conduct the program (Nīmante & Ekša, 2020). Participants stated that they communicate with support education teachers face-to-face, in writing and on the phone to share information about their students, but this communication is not systematic.…”

“…In the incusive process, it is seen that there are still teachers' opinions that crowded classrooms cause problems in practice and that there is no systematic resource room service for students with hearing loss (Aslan, 2019;Bowen, 2008;Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013;Gurgur & Uzuner, 2010;Mpofu & Chimenga, 2013;Nīmante & Ekša, 2020;Slobodzian, 2009). In the national literature; support education teachers of students with hearing loss, different disability groups and gifted students stated that students can show academic and social development with resource room applications.…”