Hearing aids use in inclusive secondary schools: their effectiveness on learning of student with hearing impairment a case of one selected district in Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined the hearing aids use in secondary schools; their effectiveness on learning to the student with hearing impairment in one of the selected districts in Tanzania. In developing countries like Tanzania, hearing aids are the key to rehabilitation for the majority of persons as well as students with hearing impairment. The study was guided by three objectives as follows; to examine the status of the use of hearing aids among the students with impairment in inclusive secondary schools; to analyse the effectiveness of the use of hearing aids towards the learning of students with hearing impairment in secondary schools; and to explore the hindrances faced by students with hearing impairment while using hearing aids in their learning. The study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s theory to find out how the environment can create the effectiveness use of hearing aids during learning. The study was qualitative in nature with a case study design used. The target population for this study were 247 and a sample size 12 participants were selected purposively from the secondary school to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used during data collection and results were analysed thematically. The finding revealed that the status of the use of hearing aids is good and bad because some students do use hearing aids at school to communicate in their learning whereas others do not use as they claim that hearing aids make noise leading to pain in the ear and headache. The findings further revealed that hearing aids help students to participate in both academic and non-academic school activities. The study findings also indicated that although hearing aids had positive impacts in learning, there were hindrances encountered when students use hearing aids during learning. Some of these are poor infrastructures, inappropriate and unwillingness to wear hearing aids. Following the above findings, the study recommended that Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) as a stakeholder in inclusive secondary schools needs to monitor the use of hearing aids in schools. The monitoring would ensure that hearing aids are effectively used by students with hearing impairment. Inclusive secondary school administrators should initiate partnerships with corporate organizations and non-governmental organizations for lobbing of assistance to modify and establish friendly classroom that favoured students with hearing impairment. The school administrations ensures that there are regular medical check-ups for students with hearing problems in their respective inclusive schools. Teachers in collaboration with the school administration should guide and counselling students who are unwilling to put on their hearing aids. This may encourage students with hearing impairment to wear their hearing aids hence ease their communication in learning.