The Influence of Manual Communication on Academic Performance of Learners with Hearing Impairment in Inclusive Settings in Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to establish the influence of communication in teaching children with hearing impairment in Kisumu County. The objective of the study was to establish the influence of manual communication on academic performance of learners with HI in inclusive settings in Kisumu County. The study was anchored on the Total Communication Theory by Holcomb of (1967). The study employed descriptive survey. The targeted population consisted of 20 head-teachers, 96 teachers and 124 pupils in primary schools under inclusive learning set up in Kisumu County. Ten (10) head-teachers, 66 teachers and 73 pupils were selected using simple random sampling procedure. The instruments of data collection were semi structured questionnaires and interview guide. A reliability coefficient of 0.8 was obtained using the split half method and this indicating that the instruments were reliable to be used in collecting data. The study found that the schools were in serious need of various communication modes. Most teachers were found to be poor in sign language which was leading to poor academic performance. Majority of hearing impaired learners in class five scored lower marks than their class means score. The result showed that 73.3% of the variations in academic performance of hearing impaired learners were attributed to independent variables. The study also revealed that TC was mostly used as the instructional mode. However, the results further showed that the availability of Kenyan Sign Language made most significant contribution in the performance of learners with HI. The study recommends that the government of Kenya should allocate more funds to primary schools with inclusive settings and fully support the institutions in terms of communication aids and facilities. The HI teachers should equally be well vast with new technologies and advancements in communication systems in their area of specialization. This will assist the school managers and teachers in charge of SL in implementing fully the use of Total Communication modes in these settings.