ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES OF DEAF CHILDREN

WITH THEIR HEARING FAMILIES IN MENDERA PRIMARY SCHOOL IN

THE YEAR 2016 E.C

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL TO BE SUBMITTED TO JIMMA UNIVERSITY,

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

By: - Abdurehim Mustefa

Advisor: - Mr. Jafer O.

January, 2024
JIMMA, ETHIOPIA
Contents
CHAPTER ONE.....................................................................................................................................3
1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................3
1.1. Background of the Study..........................................................................................................3
1.2. Statement of the problem.....................................................................................................6
1.3. Research Question......................................................................................................................7
1.4. Objectives of the study..............................................................................................................8
1.4.1. General Objective................................................................................................................8
1.4.2. Specific objective.................................................................................................................8
1.5. Significance of the study..........................................................................................................8
CHAPTER TWO.....................................................................................................................................9
2. LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................................................9
2.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................9
2.2..............................................................................................................................................................9
2.3 Explanation of deafness........................................................................................................12
2.4 Classification of hearing impairment................................................................................15
2.5 Causes of hearing impairment.............................................................................................................17
2.6 Prevention of hearing impairment......................................................................................17
2.7 Developmental profile of children with hearing impairment.............................................................18
2.7.1 Language Development.............................................................................................................19
2.7.2 Cognitive Development..............................................................................................................19
2.7.3 Social and Emotional Development...........................................................................................20
2.8 The need for early intervention.............................................................................................21
CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................................................................23
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN......................................................................................23
3.1 The Research Design......................................................................................................................23
3.2 Source of Data and Sampling Techniques...................................................................................23
3.3 Data Collection instrument or tools.............................................................................................24
3.3.1 Questionnaire.........................................................................................................................24
3.3.2 Observation...............................................................................................................................24
3.3.3 Interview..................................................................................................................................24
3.4. Tools of data collection............................................................................................................25
3.5. Method Data Analysis..............................................................................................................25
3.6. Ethical consideration.....................................................................................................................25
CHAPTER FOUR.................................................................................................................................26
4. BUDGET FRAME AND TIME PLAN.......................................................................................26
4.1. Budget Frame.............................................................................................................................26
4.2 Time plan of the Study..............................................................................................................27
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................28
 CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

Communication difficulties are among the major challenges hearing families of deaf children
encounter every day. When we see the percentage that of persons who are deaf and unable to
communicate with their hearing families, we can assume that, much emphasis and measures are
not been taken by the concerned bodies to minimize communication gap between deaf children
and their hearing families. Loss of the sense of hearing negatively affects not only the person
who suffers from it but also families who have a deaf child. It is imperative that professionals
study impact of deafness on the family as well as the child (Felekech, 2000 cited in Moges
2003).

When a child is unable to hear sounds clearly, significant language and communication problems
may develop. For example, if a child has a problem of hearing certain speech sounds, he/she will
not be able to produce those speech sounds later in life. This can have a direct and adverse effect
on communication interaction, which eventually leads to many problems. A child who is deaf
may have difficulty in communicating with peers, developing relationships with friends, and
accessing the social interaction is critical to communication development (Gearhert, 1988).

From the above facts, it can be said that deaf children lose not only their ability to use spoken
language, which is a basic means of communication, but also their ability to hear sounds. This
makes the situation for deaf children very difficult to have effective interaction with the hearing
families, which in turn may bring about a feeling of inadequacy and confusion. This slow
development of spoken language may be attributed to lack of necessary stimulation for the deaf
to develop language skills, which directly affects the interaction to the families as well as with
the society. This implies that deaf individuals are at a great disadvantage in acquiring the basic
elements of spoken language for effective communication. This brings about serious difficulties
in laying the foundations for positive and effective family interaction and developments. The
deaf often feel rejected, less able and different from their hearing peers (Meadow, 1980).
The mismatch of language modalities in families with deaf children who use ASL can cause
immense problems within the family. Many families simply do not learn to use ASL as fluently
as the child does, further distancing themselves communicatively from the child. For these
reasons the issues can appear far greater for the Hispanic family with a deaf child versus a child
with another type of disability.

Erickson (1984) discussed the unique challenges brought on by the impact of a double minority
status for Hispanic deaf children. She suggested that both the sensory handicap and the
difference in cultural and linguistic characteristics must be considered in planning for these
children. She discussed the history of bilingual education, special education, and bilingual
special education in the United States and acknowledged that in the case of the Hispanic deaf
child, all of the professionals from these branches of education need to work together to ensure
the best academic fit for the children. This, however, has not been the common scenario for
Hispanic deaf children. Kuusela, and Takala (2000).

Subsequently, such children perceive their communication styles as inefficient and inadequate.
This affects the development of communication styles as inefficient and inadequate. Regarding
this, Bench (1992) stated that hearing loss seriously affects the communication behavior of the
deaf. This makes them feel isolated from their hearing peers. Much more than just a loss of
hearing is involved, the families' whole world changes and feeling of guilt, confusion, and
helplessness and both common and natural. The reciprocal nature of parent-child and child-child
interactions cannot be overemphasized.

The Deaf of Ethiopia live similarly to any other person within their given cultures, but are cut off
from meaningful interaction with them. The vast majority of deaf Ethiopians, who live in rural
areas, spend their lives in extreme isolation. They are looked down upon as mentally deficient
and evil because of their lack of speech. In many places they are misunderstood as being a result
of sinful behavior, or some form of supernatural curse.

They are not seen as suitable marriage partners and may even result in the entire family’s loss of
status. For this reason they are frequently sheltered even further from the outside world and
communicate only with their families or those close to them through small amounts of writing or
signing, if they are able. In towns more awareness has been generated regarding the deaf.
Many parents are eager to send their children to schools, although the resources available are not
sufficient for the number of potential students. Missionaries, and more so lately, the government,
have established several schools for the deaf. In more recent years clubs for the deaf have formed
in some towns, helping the deaf to be less isolated and allowing sign language to be brought into
use. Sign language was first taught in Ethiopia by American missionaries and is based on
American Sign Language (ASL) and Signed English. It has been modified to suit Ethiopian
culture but may still be intelligible with ASL. Much development is needed for resources in
Ethiopian Sign Language and for the language itself.

At the two schools that are boarding schools and also in the capital city there are groups of
believers. It seems that the deaf are open to the Gospel, if they are fortunate enough to know
someone who can communicate it to them. It is also of significance that, in their desperation,
Muslim families are willing to send their deaf children to Christian run schools. This is a people
group in need of someone willing to reach out to them. As indicated by trusses
(1998),communication challenges of deaf children, in its broadest sense, is an interaction that
transmits information and establishes common understanding .communication is the process of
deaf exchanging knowledge, ideas, opinions, and feeling (owens,1994).

The home environment as a necessary and crucial ingredient for language communication
challenge of deaf children their hearing families in young children. The strength of families and
their involvement in children can deaf work a real difference in the lives of children
(Garcia,2001).

Communication families’ personnel often express disappointment with the participation of

parent’s families of diverse student with deaf children families (Shapiro et al…2004).

1.2. Statement of the problem

Children with a hearing loss have the same fundamental human right to equal access as any other
child, regardless of the degree of their hearing loss, their financial circumstances or their
preferred method of communication (Equal Status Act 2000). At appropriate stage, children need
to be involved in decision making concerning the choices available to meet their communication,
personal development and educational needs (UNCRC, 1989, Article 12).
It is partly through hearing that the human child acquires information and knowledge of the outer
world and about the happenings within the immediate physical environment. Since hearing
impairment tends to isolate the individuals, hearing impaired students are likely to face a number
of communication challenges. In an attempt to assess the communication challenges of deaf
children, many researchers conducted on deaf children of deaf parents and it was found out that
approximately ten percent of babies with hearing loss are born to deaf parents. Deaf children
with deaf parents may have higher achievement levels as a direct result of close exposure to
other deaf people. Because their parents are fluent in sign language, they usually experience
language acquisition and family interaction earlier and at a greater rate than other deaf children.

This prevents frustration for both parents and children and assists the child’s communicational
development. Because deaf parents understand their children’s condition, they seem better able
to cope with any negative feelings that accompany diagnosis. Hearing parents of deaf children
use spoken language as their primary mode of communication. The children’s first exposure to
language is oral, whether comprehensible or not. Hearing parents are much more likely than deaf
parents to view their child’s diagnosis as a tragic crisis. Hearing parents often express feelings of
incompetence, self-doubt, and sorrow. In some cases, the birth of a child with a hearing loss
threatens family integration and destroys the balance of family relationship which in turn brings
about adverse effects on the social development of deaf children (Meadow, 1980).

Taking the above into account there is a need to conduct studies on communication challenge of
deaf children with their hearing families to identify the specific problems of children’s with
hearing impairment. Most students are not enrolled in school. Many are believed to be mentally
handicapped or incapable of learning. There are not enough schools, teachers or supplies. The
quality of education is very poor. Teacher training is very much needed. Teachers with no
knowledge of sign language or how to teach the Deaf are assigned to Deaf schools or to classes
with deaf students in them. The government’s policy has been that deaf students should be
integrated after 4th grade into classes with hearing students. As a result, there have not been
secondary schooling opportunities specifically for the Deaf. Most of the students who were
integrated into a hearing classroom were not able to cope and subsequently dropped out. The
government now recognizes that this policy is not ideal for deaf students and does not include
this in their recommendations any longer. Most teachers are either not sufficiently trained or
aren’t able to focus much attention on signing in class. A Special Education class is given to all
teachers earning their education certificates. Beginning with her father being deaf, the brother
being hard of hearing and the researcher being hard of hearing, this study focuses on how to cope
with emotions in a family that is deaf and hard of hearing.

It focuses on the struggles that a hearing mother goes through to find acceptance for her two
children from the hearing world. As a family, they find new ways to cope with their physical
disability that shaped their actions. How the family does that should be helpful to those that are
in the same position as this family. It is possible to overcome the fears of acceptance in a deaf
and hard of hearing family and also to be engaged in a world of hearing.

1.3. Research Question

1. How do benefit the Deaf child and their family in their progress on communication?

2. How do hearing families of deaf children equally share their knowledge, information and
attitude for their deaf children?

3. How we prevent their communication challenges that deaf children face with their hearing
families?

1.4. Objectives of the study

1.4.1. General Objective
The objective of this research is to find out communication challenges of deaf children through
their daily life; these difficulties may bring back effects on the child on day to day basis and
activities development.

1.4.2. Specific objective

This research will focus on the following ideas

 To identify methods that benefit children with hearing impairment and their families in
progress communication.
 To create the way to families of deaf children to equally share their knowledge,
information and attitude with deaf children.
 To identify communication challenges of deaf children with their hearing families.
  To prevent communication challenges of deaf children face with their hearing families.

1.5. Significance of the study

The study focuses on communication challenges of deaf children with their hearing families, it
inevitably leads the researcher into residents, as to examine relationships, and discuss with
families as well as observing different communication methods.

 Provide the necessary assistance for family members to understand the children’s with
hearing impairment so that they can improve their communication method.
 Contribute to the understanding of environmental factors affecting communication and
bring about relevant information for designing viable and home based intervention for
better communicational and language development of the deaf.
 Provide the necessary assistance for parents to understand their deaf children so that they
can create conducive communication settings for healthy family interaction and intimacy.
 Provide basic information for the concerned bodies like policy makers and interested
groups to realize and overcome barriers, which operate against the communication and
language development of deaf children.
 CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces the explanation of deafness, classification of hearing impairment, causes
of hearing impairment, prevention of hearing impairment, developmental profile of children with
hearing impairment, the need for early intervention, historical development of special needs
education, historical development of special education in Ethiopia, concepts of inclusion and
integration, international and national policies for deaf learners, an overview of deaf education
for the deaf in Ethiopia, inclusion of deaf children in ordinary schools, basic educational
programmes for deaf learners, materials and equipment to deaf learners in inclusive setting,
physical learning environment to deaf learners, educational services and supports to deaf
learners, curriculum modification and its benefits for deaf learners, social interaction of deaf
learners in inclusive schools, major opportunities for deaf learners, major challenges faced by
deaf learners and how the barriers could be addressed are discussed in this literature review
chapter.

2.2 Concepts of inclusion and integration

Inclusive education largely focused on children with special educational needs arising from
learning or behavioural difficulties. Now, however, it is being extended to meet the different
requirements of all learners. Inclusive education is an ongoing process aimed at providing
highquality EFA while recognising learners and communities' diversity and different desires and
capacities, the features and educational goals and the abolition of all forms of stigma and
isolation. Inclusive education ensures that both learners with and without disabilities can learn
together by attending schools with sufficient support services (UNESCO, 2015).

In addition, UNESCO (2015) reported that inclusion is a concept that communicates a dedication
to educating each child in the school and classroom they would otherwise attend to the full extent
possible. This entails delivering social care to the child (instead of transferring the child to the
support) which only helps the child to profit from being in the class instead of struggling to keep
up with the other learners. Integration is the placement of children with disabilities, which
requires a process of incorporating various components into a unit. It applies, as used in special
education, to the education of learners in ordinary schools with special needs. Integration offers a
natural" atmosphere in which these learners are free from the alienation that is typical of a very
unique placement in school together with their peers. Integrated educational environments offer
disadvantaged learners the ability to connect and better prepare them for life in the real world
with learners without disabilities. Learners without disabilities have the ability to learn about the
complexities and uniqueness of human characteristics and that discrepancies are exceeded by
common traits and needs. It is a method of providing education for all children in the same class,
irrespective of their history and ability differences (Alemayehu, 2012).

The concept of integrated education emphasizes methods which concentrate on viewing the
student as a whole person. Integration into the educational system ensures that learners with and
without disabilities learn together, help them to get to know each other and to be in one room
during classes. Integration emphasizes the togetherness of all learners with the same learning
environment (Fan, 2014). Integrated education has both advantages and disadvantages in its
implementation. Its advantages are that, it has the promoting lifelong listening and social
engagement in the hearing and visual community. It also eliminates the segregation of minorities
and the children become more tolerant of each other when they are learning together. This in turn
helps to shape their future life in society. In terms of disadvantages, due to special equipment
needed, service provision is much more costly and specially trained teachers who know sign
language need to be hired for translation purpose (Muchtarom, M., Budimansyah, D. & Suryadi,
A.,2016).

Professionals distinguish three main forms of integration in terms of social, physical and
functional integration. In addition to the classroom events, social interaction is where children
entering a special class or unit eat, play and partner with other children inside and outside the
classroom. Physical integration is seen when classes are formed in ordinary schools or where the
same geographical location is shared by a special school and ordinary school. Functional
integration is the fullest process of integration and is achieved when involvement in educational
activities contributes to physical/location integration and social interaction (Asrat, 2013).
Inclusive education involves keeping equal rights and creating equal opportunities for all
children to learn together. Inclusion starts with the recognition of differences in all children but
not grouping them based on these differences. It also needs a strong attention on those who may
be at risk, disadvantaged, and underachieving. Inclusion is concerned with offering adequate
responses in all aspects of education to the wide range of learning needs (UNICEF, 2014). An
inclusive school is an environment where everybody participates. It is welcomed and is
encouraged in the process of meeting their educational needs by their peers and other members
of the school community. Full-time participants of the general education classroom are learners
with disabilities in comprehensive education (Amsale, 2014). The aim of inclusive education is
to provide the required resources so that all children can meaningfully participate in ongoing
classroom activities. Help can also require the use of additional resources or the provision of 36
advanced training to current employees.

Inclusive education is a way of providing learning open to all children (consisting learners with
disabilities and children without disabilities) in the same class by designing or planning
instruction according to the interests and abilities of individual learners (Kirschner,2015). In
Inclusive education, identifying the characteristics, ability and interest of the children is the first
task of a teacher before they prepare a lesson. The next task is planning and selecting different
activities and instructional materials for those children with different needs, abilities and
interests. Inclusive learning is a way that aims to change both the general and special education
systems and to increase the standard of education for all learners. The quest for inclusive
education necessitates a systemic process of initiating school reforms in order to create quality,
participatory and socially just educational communities for learner diversity (Liasidou &
Antoniou, 2014)

Alasim (2018) reported that settlement of learners with hearing impairments in primary
schooling classesrooms may be linked with either integration or inclusion, depending on factors
such as level of support. With regard to educational integration, Limaye (2016) reported that
educational integration means that the children with and without disabilities study together. This
helps them to get to know each other and to be together in one room in order to get acquainted
with each other during lessons and leisure activities. We may also talk about total, partial,
restricted or decreased school integration, or about individual classroom integration in regular
school and an individual's integration into a special class linked to regular school.
2.3 Explanation of deafness
Hearing impairment is a general concept that encompasses people with hearing impairments
ranging from mild to severe; it covers those that are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Hearing loss
indicates a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is deficient in the processing of
linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, which adversely affects
educational performance (Nelson & Bruce, 2019). Hearing impairment, whether permanent or
oscillating, is a hearing impairment that adversely affects a child's educational success. Deafness
is not a learning disability in itself. Deafness can have an effect on language acquisition,
cognitive development and linguistic ability due to delayed identification and the absence of
early intervention (Nelson & Bruce 2019).

According to Turan, (2012), with appropriate intervention and support – which includes early
exposure to language – deaf children can access education and develop on par with their learners
without hearing impairment. In addition to spoken or written language, learning sign language at
an early age has important benefits for deaf children (Tahir & Sajida, 2016). Adults who develop
sign-language abilities from birth have improved grammatical judgment, while adults who have
documented learning sign language from 2 to 8 years of age have found it more difficult to gain
the same language abilities. For children to make the most of their linguistic skills, learning both
a sign language and a spoken or written language would be the most advantageous (Belay,
Fantahun & Missaye, 2015).

A deaf individual is someone whose loss of hearing is preventing linguistic knowledge from
being processed effectively by audition. Hard of hearing person should use hearing aids and has
adequate residual hearing to enable linguistic knowledge to be processed effectively via audition
(Szymanski, Lutz, Shahan, & Gala, 2013). As the growing number of deaf learners attend the
health professions, to ensure efficient learning and precise communication, they need
accommodation in the clinical environment. While obstacles to classroom learning have long
been recognized and discussed, there has been far less study of barriers to clinical education. For
deaf learners, auditory and visual stimuli present specific barriers (Meeks, Laird-Metke, Rollins,
Gandhi, Stechert & Jain, 2015).

In this study, deafness is a concept that has continued to elude any set meaning by anybody
because there are a range of definitions within the term "deaf" that fit only the views of
individuals, and the World Health Organization has defined deafness as the people mostly have
profound hearing loss, which implies very little or no hearing. They often use sign language for
communication (WHO,2018). A person without hearing impairment can see it as a disability
where a deaf person cannot hear and therefore could never speak, whereas "deafness" is just a
normal part of life without sound. Nonetheless, in the general community, it is the "voice"
carried by the spoken language that is heard over the silent speech of the deaf (Wallang, 2016).

Despite deafness having no universally accepted definition, there are several definitions about
deafness which are given by different professionals in the medical, educational and legal
professions (Tadesse, 2019). It is worth noting that two most prevalent models are used when
discussing ‘deafness’: the Social and Medical models (Ferndale, 2015). In the Social model,
deafness is seen as a linguistic and cultural identity – with disability being caused by society’s
rigidity in making accommodations. Individuals are referred to as ‘deaf’, indicating their
membership of the deaf community (Kristin & Kathryn, 2014). In medical model, deafness is
defined as the inability of a person to hear, and as something to be overcome (Retief, & Letšosa,
2018).

In the context of social model, deafness is the inability to create accessible learning
environments. That is why inaccessible learning environments are the primary reason behind the
marginalisation of the deaf community in classes worldwide (Kristin & Kathryn, 2014).
However, the following description was provided from an educational approach focused on how
much hearing loss is likely to impact the ability of the child to understand, communicate, speak
and develop language: deaf learners have weak reading comprehension abilities, poor word
spelling abilities, abstract concept difficulty (may be able to think in abstract terms, but unable to
convey the concept (WHO, 2016).

Learners with mild or severe types of hearing impairment, however, typically special education
programs of some kind are required to obtain sufficient educational provisions. Services of this
type often include routine voice, expression, and specialist auditory instruction, amplification
systems, interpretation programs for learners that use sign language, favorable classroom
positioning to facilitate lipreading; captioned films/videos, support from a note-taker who takes
notes for a learner with hearing problems so that the learner can completely attend the training,
teacher and peer instruction in alternative communication strategies, effective communication
methods, such as sign language, and counselling (WHO, 2018). The loss of hearing can vary
from mild to profound. As a common term, level of loss of hearing suggests a spectrum of mild,
moderate, extreme to deep damage of hearing (WHO, 2015).

The first stage of hearing impairment is mild hearing loss, typically varying from 26 decibels to
40 decibels; in the sense of noise, the person has difficulty hearing and understanding soft voice,
distance speech or closer speech. The second type of hearing impairment is moderate hearing
loss, typically ranging from 31 decibels to 60 decibels; normal speech, often at near distances, is
difficult for the individual to hear. This can affect the development of languages, peer interaction
and self-esteem. The third degree of hearing impairment is severe hearing loss, typically varying
from 61 decibels to 80 decibels; only extremely loud speech or loud noises, such as a siren or a
slamming door, can be heard by the individual. Most speech in conversation is not understood.
Profound hearing loss at over 81 decibels is the fourth and last stage of hearing impairment; loud
noises can be experienced by the individual as vibrations and speech and language can
deteriorate (Swanepoel, & Laurent, 2019). In this study, hearing impairment is characterised as
a hearing loss that negatively impacts a child's academic performance, whether persistent or
oscillating. According to Meeks, et al. (2015), deafness is defined as a hearing impairment which
is so profound that the child is impaired by hearing, with or without amplification, in the
processing of linguistic information.

Deafness is therefore viewed as a disorder that prevents learners from educational participation
(Ibid). There are various definitions for the terms deaf and Deaf. For those for whom deafness is
predominantly an audiological experience, the word "deaf" is capitalized. It is primarily used to
describe people who have lost all or part of their hearing in their early or late lives and who
typically do not want to interact with signing deaf communities in favor of attempting to
maintain their membership in the majority community where they were raised. The term "Deaf"
refers to people who were either born deaf or became deafened as young children. For these
people, the sign languages, communities, and cultures of the Deaf collective represent their life
experiences, and many of them see themselves as being essentially similar to other language
minorities. The phrase "deaf culture" was coined in the 1970s to express the idea that Deaf
people have unique lifestyles communicated through sign languages (Mahadi & Jafari,2012).
Deaf children who are mainstreamed lack the sense of community that members of the deaf
culture associate with residential school and that their experiences differ gratly from those
learners who attend residential schools for the deaf (Ibid).

2.4 Classification of hearing impairment

According to the WHO (2018), a person who is unable to hear sounds is said to have hearing
impairment, which is divided into four categories: mild, moderate, severe, and profound hearing
loss. It can affect one ear or both ears and this can lead to difficulty in hearing speech or loud
noises in conversation. Furthermore, hearing impairment can be divided into two categories: hard
of hearing and deafness. The first category "hard of hearing" refers to people who have moderate
to severe hearing loss. People who are hard-of-hearing typically communicate by spoken
language and may benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, as well as captioning, and other
assistive devices. The second classification of hearing impairment is deafness. Deafness is a type
of hearing loss in which a person has profound types of hearing loss. This person is unable to
understand speech even while using amplification. For communication, individuals with deafness
use sign language (WHO, 2018)., Hearing impairments leads to loss of normal verbal
communication and can affect one or both ears. It can happen suddenly or get worse gradually.

There are three major forms of hearing impairment that are known as conductive, sensorineural,
and mixed hearing loss depending on which portion of the auditory system is affected.
Conductive hearing impairments arise when sound is not adequately conducted to the eardrum
and the ossicles of the middle ear via the external ear canal. Conductive hearing impairment is a
form of hearing loss differentiated by better hearing thresholds for boneconducted signals
contrasted with air-conducted signals. Conductive hearing disorder, while maintaining a normal
inner ear function, is frequently related with abnormalities in the outer and/or middle ear. The
audiogram usually indicates natural conduction of the bone (0–25 decibels) and excessive levels
of the air conduction threshold, greater than 25 decibels, for conductive hearing impairments
(Alshuaib, Al-Kandari & Hasan, 2015).

The most common form of hearing impairment is sensorineural hearing impairment, which
cannot yet be medically treated and it happens when there is dysfunction of the inner ear
(cochlea) or nerve impulses from the inner ear to the brain. Typically, the sensorineural portion
(inner ear) is permanent, but it may not be the conductive hearing loss (outer ear) (WHO, 2018).
Hearing impairment that develops in the cochlea or beyond, either along the 8th cranial nerve or
as a result of damage in the brain, is sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing
impairment can cause total loss of hearing, although it is common for the outer ear and middle
ear. Sensorineural hearing loss individuals show similar thresholds for air and bone conduction.
Usually, the sensory component is due to lead to injury to the corti system or the failure of hair
follicles to stimulate the auditory nerve. At 120-155 decibels following immediate 41 exposure
to a loud noise, there can be severe sensorineural hearing loss from fires, fireworks, gunshots and
music concerts, for example. Sensorineural hearing loss has other causes, namely, inner ear
malformation, ageing, Meniere's disease, ototoxicity triggered by medications, and tumors such
as acoustic neuroma (Alshuaib et al., 2015).

Many people with mixed hearing loss experience sounds as very soft in volume and difficult to
understand. Conductive hearing impairment and sensorineural hearing impairment also have
combined hearing impairment characteristics. This means that both the outer and the inner ear
are affected. The outer ear is unable to adequately conduct sound to the inner ear, and the inner
ear is unable to interpret the sound that is transmitted to the brain (Swanepoel & Laurent, 2019).
A form of hearing loss in the same ear that has a combination of conductive and sensorineural
damage is mixed hearing loss. In cases in which both an air-bone gap broader than 10 decibels
and an elevated bone conduction threshold are observed, mixed hearing loss is suspected.
Although the conductive portion can be treated, the sensorineural aspect is more of a challenge
(Alshuaib et al., 2015).

2.5 Causes of hearing impairment

Hearing impairment can be caused by a variety of factors. Ear infections, untreated illnesses in
childhood, injury/trauma, aging, exposure to prolonged or excessive loudness, drugs and other
chemicals that are hazardous to the ear and nutritional inadequacy are all possible causes of
hearing loss (WHO, 2018). Congenital causes of hearing impairment and acquired causes of
hearing impairment are the distinct causes of hearing impairment. The term congenital hearing
loss means that hearing loss is present at birth. Congenital hearing loss can be caused by genetic
or non-genetic (acquired) factors. Non-genetic factors that are known to cause congenital hearing
loss are linked to pregnancy and birth delivery. Acquired causes of hearing impairment can
contribute to hearing loss at any age. These include infectious diseases, use of certain medicines,
head or ear injuries, excessive noise, recreational exposure to noisy sounds and ageing (WHO,
2015).

2.6 Prevention of hearing impairment

Several experts have agreed that it is possible to remedy or avoid hearing impairments. It is
proposed that public health interventions can potentially solve half of all forms of hearing
impairment. In some cases, the steps needed for prevention may be easy in the intervention of
hearing impairments, while in other instances, complex medical technology may be required. 42
According to WHO (2015), of children under 15 years old children, 60% of hearing impairment
is attributed to preventable causes. The report indicates that 75% of hearing losses are due to
preventable factors in low- and middle- income countries. It is also noted that 49% of hearing
losses in high-income countries are due to preventable causes. To minimize the impact of
hearing impairment on the growth and educational achievement of a child, early intervention is
critical (WHO, 2017).

Early intervention of deafness provides the best chance of improving the language,
communication and speech skills of deaf children in line with patterns of behavior and timelines
for learners without hearing impairment. The influence of deafness and hearing loss on an
individual's life can be effectively minimised by early detection accompanied by timely and
suitable management. Depending on the infant, the family's wishes and the services available
throughout the country, treatments can vary, but may include speech and language therapy,
access to a deaf community, sign language learning in the family, special deaf teachers, medical
interventions through hearing aids or cochlear implants. Three preventive stages of primary
prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention can be applied in the prevention
strategies for deafness and hearing impairment. The avoidance of significant causes of deafness
and hearing impairments is primary prevention. Congenital or early-onset hearing impairment in
childhood, persistent otitis media, chronic middle ear infection, noise-induced hearing loss,
ageing-related hearing impairments and medications that harm the inner ear are the key factors
that can be avoided by primary intervention. Secondary and tertiary hearing impairment
prevention requires the avoidance or mitigation of the impact of hearing impairment and
deafness (WHO, 2017).

The prevention of hearing impairment contains childhood vaccination towards childish diseases;
immunization against rubella by teenage girls and women of reproductive age before pregnancy;
prevent syphilis and other infections from occurring and being treated in pregnant women;
prevent cytomegalovirus infections in expectant mothers by good hygiene; strengthening
services for maternal and child wellbeing strategies, reducing exposure to loud noises (both
workplace and leisure) by raising risk awareness; encouraging individuals to use individual
protective devices such as foam ear plugs and headsets and noise-cancelling headphones; ;
educating about hearing loss, its causes, treatment and diagnosis to young people and the wider
community (WHO, 2017). When there is no identification and intervention early on hearing
impairments, there is evidence that the hearing impairment has a negative functional, social,
emotional and economic impact on the individual with the hearing impairments (MoE, 2016).

2.7 Developmental profile of children with hearing

impairment
Hearing is important to the growth of speech, language, communication, and learning. Language
acquisition, cognitive development, social and emotional development include the
developmental profile of children with hearing impairments. Based on the American Speech
Language-Hearing Association (2020), there are four key ways that hearing loss influences the
development of infants. It causes a delay in the acquisition of speech and language responsive
and expressive communication skills; the language deficiency causes learning difficulties that
contribute to a decline in educational performance; communication problems often lead to social
alienation and low self-concept; it can influence vocational choices. The sooner hearing loss
happens in the life of a child, the more severe the effects on the health of the child are. Similarly,
the sooner the issue is detected and action started, the less extreme the ultimate effect.

2.7.1 Language Development

Hearing is important to the development of language and voice, according to the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2020). Hearing loss is a common problem in all ages
and affects the quality of life and it is most often manifested in communication difficulties.
Hearing impairment influences communication skills improvement that are sensitive and
articulative, which can lead to diminished context awareness and incidental learning (Alsaeed &
Aldobooni, 2020). Communication problems also lead to feelings of social isolation and poor
self-concept and can affect career choices. Children with hearing problems face problems of
language development delays.

Listening to sounds and phrases help children learn to communicate and comprehend. This can
trigger speaking, reading, school achievement, and social skills issues. The linguistic
development experienced by hearing children substantially differs from that of children with
hearing impairments. Hearing impairment can contribute to decreased development of speech
and language skills of children, and this problem of developing speech and language skills can
lead to school learning problems, feeling bad about themselves, having trouble making friends
(Tadesse, 2019).

2.7.2 Cognitive Development

Hearing impairment has an influence on the cognitive functions and development. Hearing
impairments and psychomotor, communication, and language-acquisition skills developments
have strong relationship. Similarly, hearing impairment can affect developments of psychomotor,
communication, and language-acquisition skills (Nasralla, Goffi-Gomez, Magalhães, Bento,
2014). Hearing is very important for social interactions, communication, speech and language 44
production, and learning, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(2020). Due to hearing impairment, children with hearing impairments have listening problems,
there is a greater effect on the child's subsequent cognitive development, language learning,
some of which include vocabulary, phrase structure, voice, academic achievement, and social
functions. Some of the effects of hearing loss on children's cognitive functions are that they
remember basic terms more quickly than abstract words; they have difficulty interpreting words
with multiple meanings much of the time; they understand and create shorter and simpler
phrases; and they can also not hear sounds of quiet speech (Skogen, 2015).

2.7.3 Social and Emotional Development

The microsystems that specifically affect the growth of the child are the bio-ecological
environments of the family and the school (Rogoff, 2016). With their immediate surroundings,
the infant has distinct interactions and explores various behaviors through contact with more
experienced adults and peers. Learners with hearing impairments may learn socialisation from
their parents, siblings, peers and teachers, but the importance of socialization depends on the
feelings of individuals communicating with the impaired person. It includes the exchange of
people's social environments of emotions, meanings and ideas (Hintermair, 2016).

Inclusion is important to establish significant social contact and engagement between learners
with hearing disabilities and learners with hearing impairments, and to improve the positive
attitude of children with hearing disabilities towards learners with hearing disabilities. When a
satisfactory mode of communication can be used, most individuals with hearing impairments are
entirely capable of forming a constructive relationship with their listening peers. However, in
normal school, learners with hearing impairments also have difficulties forming close
relationships with their listening peers (Hehir & Katzman, 2012).

Communication problems can seriously delay the development of social interactions for learners
with hearing impairment who receive all or part of their education in the ordinary education
classroom. Interaction is the shared understanding of sharing and exchanging interests between
two or more individuals; emotions; opinions; or knowledge by the use of various communication
systems (Kirschner, 2012). Kirschner (2012) proposed that learners with hearing impairments
engage in ways that are different from those around them that can slow down their social
interaction and growth with regard to communication. Learners with hearing impairments who
are not socially integrated in the daily class may experience isolation due to communication
difficulties (Hehir & Katzman, 2012). According to Hintermair (2016), interaction is also critical
for the social development of children with hearing impairments and other children who have a
positive attitude to the communication process.

2.8 The need for early intervention

Early intervention is described as programs of intervention that take place over the period from
birth to school age. It is significant to provide early intervention for learners with mild and
severe hearing impairment. Many deaf and hard-of-hearing infants, the natural language of the
deaf world, are born to hearing families who do not have sign-language abilities. In the early
language learning years, deaf or hard-of-hearing children should be able to develop a language of
native fluency and that their relatives are able to communicate with them effectively. It is also
crucial that these children are able to build a positive self-image from the beginning and to be
confident about themselves and their place in the world (WHO, 2012).

There are many misconceptions about early intervention services and what they entail. There are
many different models of early intervention Programs out there designed for young children
(before school age) with disabilities. The Special Education Policy promotes early intervention
and assessment, effective curriculum adaptation and differentiation, the use of appropriate
pedagogical methods, sufficient and appropriate educational tools, and open communication in
the classroom for learners with diverse needs (MoE, 2018).

Early intervention is the process of providing services, education, and support to young children
who are deemed to have an established condition, those who are evaluated and deemed to have a
diagnosed physical or mental condition (with a high probability of resulting in a developmental
delay), an existing delay or a child who is at-risk of developing a delay or special need that may
affect their development or impede their education. Early intervention refers to taking steps to fix
issues as soon as possible before they become impossible to reverse (WHO, 2012).

Early intervention is carried out to impact the growth and learning of children with
developmental disorders or delays, or who are at risk from biological or environmental causes.
Early intervention involves initiatives, services and supports aimed at enhancing the growth of
young children, reducing the risk for developmental delays and the need for special education
services, and improving the ability of caregivers for families. It also involves systems, resources
and supports aimed at optimizing the growth of young children, reducing the potential for
developmental delays, minimizing the need for special education services, and improving the
ability of caregivers for families (Eaton, 2012). Early intervention is a service delivery system
for newborns and children who have developmental problems or disabilities. Furthermore, early
intervention services are a collection of programs designed specifically to assist and support
children with developmental delays or any other health concern (WHO, 2012).

The self-care capabilities of children who received early intervention treatment improved,
allowing them to become more independent in the future as therapists used natural settings and
daily activities to train the children (Sridevi & Arya, 2014). One of the most noticeable changes
in any child who participates in an early intervention program is their ability to dress
independently with minimal assistance from their parents, as well as their attention span. Early
intervention focuses on helping qualifying babies and infants acquire the basic and brand-new
abilities usually developed during the first three years of life, such as physical, cognitive,
communication, social/emotional and self-help abilities (Schaaf, Hunt, & Benevides, 2012).
However, there are many scientific studies which reported that such programmes showed
positive feedbacks on the children in different perspectives. The benefits of early intervention
programs are to meet the individual needs of the child, including assistive technology (a child
may require devices), audiology or hearing services, speech and language services, family
counseling and training, medical services, nursing services, nutrition services, occupational
therapy, physical therapy and psychological services (Batool & Ijaz, 2015).

Early intervention helps to mitigate problems that happen or to address them head on when they
do, before issues get worse. It also helps to foster a whole range of personal strengths and skills
that prepare a child for adult life (WHO, 2012). Early intervention can take several forms. It
starts home visiting services to support vulnerable parents, to school-based programs to improve
children's social and emotional skills, to mentoring programs for young people vulnerable to
crime. Early intervention may have the greatest effect when delivered during the first few years
of life, the strongest evidence suggests that effective interventions can increase children's life
chances at any point during childhood and adolescence (UNICEF, 2014).

In education, the workplace, and the community, positive early experiences are important
prerequisites for later success. It has been shown that interventions for young learners who seem
to have or are at threat of defects in development have a significant effect on outcomes across
areas of development, including wellbeing, language and communication, cognitive development
and social/emotional development. Family members lead to early intervention by being able to
better resolve their children's special needs at an early age and throughout their lives. The
advantages include lowering the economic burden by reducing the need for special education
(MoE, 2012)
 CHAPTER THREE

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN

This chapter will discusses the method employ, research design, procedures of data collection;
the instruments use to collect data, the sampling procedure applied, and the method of data
analysis.

3.1 The Research Design

This study attempts to explore teachers' perception and practice of active learning in English
language classes at Mendera primary school. Thus, descriptive case study will be employ as it
might enable the researcher describe the current status of the area under study. In order to
achieve the intended objectives, mixed approach will be used though the study is more devoted
to qualitative research method. The reason for doing so basis itself on the suggestion forwarded
by Humberman and Miles, (1994 in Bennet, C . Foreman-peck,L. and Higgins.C. I 1996) which
says, "To investigate issues in education, which is human endeavor using qualitative method is
justifiable."

3.2 Source of Data and Sampling Techniques

Both primary and secondary data source will be use. A primary data source the researcher use
teacher and students’ interview, observation and questionnaires. And secondary data will be
collected from the journals, and website, the study will conduct at the teacher of Mender primary
school to assess the communication challenges of deaf children with their hearing families in
mendera primary school. The participants will be select by using purposive sampling technique
because of the feasibility to the study and the familiarity to the researchers to have access of
information. The main reason for choosing the school is that the researcher believes that he could
secure adequate cooperation and assistance from the principals and family.
3.3 Data Collection instrument or tools
The main instruments of data collections are these three main instruments namely:
Questionnaire, classroom observation, and interview

3.3.1 Questionnaire
The questionnaires will be prepared by the researcher and completed by Mendera primary school
students. The questionnaires will be two parts. The first part of the questionnaire will be intended
to gather background of students’. The second part of the questionnaire will be consist open
ended questionnaire to investigate the factors that affect students.

3.3.2 Observation
To obtain more information, observation in the actual class room teaching and learning process
would be used as data gathering instruments. Lewy (1977:163) noted that observation is useful to
indicate how the lesson was divided in a variety of activities such as: group work, individual
work, role-playing, discussion and others. Because of the richness and credibility of information
it can provide observation being desirable part of data gathering instrument. Therefore to obtain
more information observation in the actual class room teaching and learning process will be used
as data gathering instrument. For the purpose of observation checklist would be employs.

3.3.3 Interview
As indicated in Wilkinson and Bhandarkar (1999:288), interviewing will necessary to get deep
feeling, perceptions, values or how people interpret the world around them and past events that
are impossible to replicate. In light of this the researcher would prepare semi-structured
interview for student to get valuable information for this work.

3.4. Tools of data collection

The researcher will use two tools to collect the data. Those tools will be interview and
observation the method will use to collect information for the study included a combination of
such techniques as interviews, focus group discussion and observation. Research question on the
communication challenge of deaf children with their hearing families will be prepared.

Hearing families and deaf children will be the main sources of information for qualitative
analysis and focus group discussion and observation also will be arranged. Two instruments will
be developed in order to identify the communication challenges of deaf children with their
hearing families. The tool will be prepare in Amharic and English for the purpose of data
collection.

3.5. Method Data Analysis

The data will be collected through observation, questionnaire and interview by the help of filed
note, sign language and video camera will be analyzed qualitatively using the interpretational
method of data analysis. The process of data analysis in this study is undertaken during and after
the data collection. The collection data is converted into written forms to be ready for coding and
analysis. The data which are obtained from interview, questionnaire and observation is
described, interpreted and analyzed by words, phrases and sentences in qualitative research
method.

3.6. Ethical consideration

Ethical consideration can be as one of the most important part of the research. Therefore ethical
consideration needs serious attention in this research .So the research will be conducted in the
way of respecting dignity and safety of the study participants. Full consent will be obtained from
participant before to the study. That means the research participant will be aware of the purpose
of the research. After that researcher will be begin the data collection.
 CHAPTER FOUR

4. BUDGET FRAME AND TIME PLAN

4.1. Budget Frame

This chapter is the financial requirement of this study will be as follow with the list of materials
and services. The budget frames listed below are according to the current market prices and
budget is included in the lists and Ethiopian birr as shown in the tables below.

Estimation cost
No Items Birr Cents Remarks

1 Stationary cost 1500 00

3 For Internet and telephone 1000 00
4 Printing and Binding 800 00
5 Transportation 1500 00
Total 4800 00

4.2 Time plan of the Study

Time schedule is a plan item of weeks/months that explains when each of important phases of
research paper is conducted on expected manner so as to accomplish over the total span time
available.

Activity Nov Dec De Dec Jan Mar Mar Apr May Jun
c
Material preparation X
Identify research X
Literature review X
Proposal preparation X
Data collection X
Data processing X
Review literature X
Reporting X
Comment X
Submission X
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