Teachers Perceptions of the

Inclusion of Children with

Hearing Loss in General
Education Settings

Joy Gong
EPSE 512
March 12, 2017
 What is Inclusion?

Inclusion is an educational option in which

children with disabilities pursue all or part of
their education within a regular school program
with their typically developing peers.

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 64)

 Why was this study created?

Following the enactment of Education for All Handicapped

Children Act in 1975 with support for inclusion model:
Concerns that DHH students would not have their needs
met
Alternate educational placement options may be
eliminated

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 65)

 Contributing Old & New
factors to research in
Inclusion for Inclusion for
DHH students DHH Students
Increased access to: History of studies in this
Hearing technology field:
(such as digital hearing integration influence on
aids, cochlear implants, academic performance
and personal FM and achievement
systems) New studies:
Early identification & isolation/marginalization
intervention programs social-acceptance and self-
esteem

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 66)

 Research Objectives
1. Document teacher attitudes and perceptions toward DHH students
educated in regular classrooms
2. Examine how classroom teachers felt prepared by their training
and current levels of support to deal effectively with DHH students
3. Examine teachers requisite knowledge on impact of hearing loss
on communication, and language development
4. Examine supports available to classroom teachers from
professionals to support the successful inclusion of students with
hearing loss
5. Examine service delivery models used to support teachers and
students
6. Document teachers levels of satisfaction with the supports they
received

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 69-70)

 Research Methods

Questionnaire broken into two sections:

a. demographic information on teachers, teaching experience,
qualifications, and years of experience teaching students
with hearing loss
b. teachers asked to rank their agreement or disagreement
related to 10 domains of inclusion
The study started with 10 domains, but because of
unsatisfactory levels of reliability, the last two domains were
taken out.

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 70-71)

 Description of Teacher
participants
Total of 63 teachers
Gender Age range: 26~60 years
50 Experience:
45 75% taught elementary level
40
25% taught high school level
35
average 18 years of teaching
experience
30

25

20
49 respondents were teaching
15
at least one student with
10
hearing loss, rest of the others
5 had taught in the last 5 years
0
Gender
Female Male Not specified
(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 71)
 Description of DHH Students
Communication Mode
Breakdown of Deaf and Hard of Hearing 90%
students (DHH) by level of hearing loss: 80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Mild Moderate

Moderate to severe Profound

Unspecified

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 72)

 Support Services received and
teacher satisfaction
Based on the questionnaire:
68.3% of teachers reported their students were seen weekly
31.7% of teachers said that DHH students were seen 3 times or
more
22 students received further services from teachers aide,
speech-language pathologist, resource teacher, or sign language
interpreter.

Model of delivery: withdrawal, consultative, in-class and small

group intervention
84% of teachers were satisfied with the support they received
81% thought the service delivery was appropriate.

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 72)

 Results
Domains of Inclusion:
1. Teacher Attitudes toward Inclusion of Children with
Hearing Loss
2. Teacher Confidence in teaching children with hearing loss
3. Knowledge of Hearing Loss and Strategies to Facilitate
Teacher and Learning
4. Effects of Inclusion on Students with Hearing Loss
5.Effects of Inclusion on Hearing Students
6. Effects of Inclusion on Teacher Workload
7. Teacher-ITDHH Relationship

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 72-82)

 Domains of Inclusion# 1:
Teacher Attitudes
little variability in teacher responses, indicating favorable
attitudes and strong support for inclusive model for students
with hearing loss
no effects were found as a function of grade level taught,
teaching experience, or number of students with hearing loss
taught

https://goo.gl/PyEz7b
(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 73)
 Domains of Inclusion# 2:
Teacher Confidence
Most teachers felt confident
Small number showed strong lack of confidence
Teacher confidence unaffected by number of DHH
students, grade level, or teaching experience
Most teachers disagreed with the following statement
the topic of hearing impairment and its effects on
speech, language, and academic development were
sufficiently addressed in the curriculum of my teacher
education program

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 75-76)

https://goo.gl/qqRdtX
 Domains of Inclusion# 3:
Knowledge of HL and strategies to
facilitate learning
Sufficient knowledge about hearing loss to adapt teaching
strategies to fit the needs of DHH students
Familiar with the effects of hearing loss on language
development and learning
Some were and were not familiar with assistive technology
Most were familiar with varying degrees of hearing loss

https://goo.gl/gZHywA
(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 76)
 Domains of Inclusion# 4:
Effects of Inclusion on DHH Students
Inclusion in the classroom had positive effects on the following:
language development
development in self-advocacy
social development
self-esteem

https://goo.gl/ao8E7M
(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 77)
 Domains of Inclusion# 5:
Effects of Inclusion on hearing
students
General response from teachers on inclusion of DHH students
effecting hearing students:
did not disrupt classroom activities/routines
did not have negative impact on student progress
instructional time slightly reduced for other students in the
class, and less individual attention given to other typically
hearing students

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 78)

https://goo.gl/GSbRyZ
 Domains of Inclusion# 6:
Effects of Inclusion on Teacher
workload
Variability in degree of impact on teacher workload:
no increase in additional supervision or behavioural
management
did require additional skill, patience, planning time, and
curriculum modifications on the teachers part
demonstrated need for decreased teacher-student ratio
where DHH students were integrated into the classrooms

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 80-81)

https://goo.gl/oHtPKF
 Domains of Inclusion# 7:
Teacher ITDHH Relationship
Most teachers felt they:
had positive relationship with ITDHHS
Were supported by ITDHHS working in their schools
more intensive services were provided to DHH students in
elementary compared to high school

https://goo.gl/pFk8fV
(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 81-82)
 Domains of Inclusion# 8:
Roles and Responsibilities of
Professionals
Most classroom teachers felt:
supportive of an intervention model in which their input
was provided
should include opportunities for providing input on
communication goals
they should be involved in evaluating student progress in:
speech, language, and communication development

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 82)

https://goo.gl/FfsiQ7
 Discussion & Findings
What has changed from previous research?
High school teachers didnt show more negative
attitudes towards inclusion
Teachers are not resistant towards inclusion or
responsibility
No indication of reduced expectations or
limitations on DHH student potential

Areas of Improvement in the study:

larger sample size
examination of quality and quantity
ITDHHs

(Eriks-Brophy & Whittingham, 2013, p. 84-85)

https://goo.gl/pYXsEi
 Thoughts & Comments

Classroom teachers

DHH students

ITDHH
 References

Eriks-Brophy, A., & Whittingham, J. (2013). Teachers' perceptions of the

inclusion of children with hearing loss in general education settings.
American Annals of the Deaf, 158(1), p.63-97.