The Impact of Inclusion of Children with Hearing Impairment into Regular Schools: A Case Study of Dakamela Primary School in Zimbabwe

Children with hearing impairment have experienced discrimination from regular education. In the past, such children were institutionalised in separate classes or schools. According to Vayrynen (2000), most schools have been failing students with disabilities by denying them access to appropriate facilities. Children with hearing impairment have the right to be included in a least restrictive environment. Foster (1990) argues that to deny any child the opportunity to learn with their age mates age-mates and peers on grounds of an impairment is tantamount to jeopardising their later opportunity of living fully in a multi-cultural society. The Education Act (1987) in Zimbabwe stipulates that children with disabilities should be accommodated in ordinary schools for the purposes of learning. However, most teachers in Zimbabwean schools did not receive training on the teaching of children with impairments. It is on account of this that this present study attempts to gain insights into how children with hearing impairment benefit from learning in an inclusive environment with children whose hearing has no challenges. This article draws on a qualitative inquiry of teachers’ experience in handling children with hearing impairment in their classrooms. A small sample of twenty (20) teachers comprising of ten (10) males and ten (10) females at Gomadoda cluster was chosen using purposive sampling. An interview schedule was used to collect data. Responses from respondents were captured and summarised to discern common patterns and then analysed and discussed. The study revealed that there are various problems met by children with hearing impairment in ordinary schools. The findings affirmed the assumption that most regular teachers lacked the necessary expertise and did not have adequate resources to handle children with hearing impairment. The study recommends that regular teachers undergo in-service programmes on how to effectively handle children with hearing impairment in regular classrooms. Teachers in regular classrooms should also be provided with proper equipment to empower them to teach these children effectively.