No description available.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Audiology in the faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, January 2017 / Background: The benefits of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) services on communication, cognition and socio-emotional development, including academic and vocational outcomes are well documented internationally. However, reports on EHDI services in South Africa are limited to the establishment of programmes for early detection of hearing impairments, with little focus on the outcomes of the subsequent early intervention (EI) for children diagnosed with a hearing impairment. Objective: This study explored the outcomes of two EI preschool programmes in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The current study aimed at describing the communication and school readiness abilities of hearing-impaired children who were enrolled in the EI preschool programmes, as well as to determine the factors that influenced the attainment of school readiness abilities. Methods: A descriptive research study was conducted on eight hearing-impaired children who graduated from two EI preschool programmes in the Gauteng Province. Content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data while frequency distribution and measures of central tendency were used to analyse the quantitative data. Results: Participants were late-identified with subsequent late provision of amplification devices and commencement of EI services. Consequently, participants demonstrated sub-optimal communication and school readiness abilities for their age. Early access to EHDI services and age-appropriate communication abilities were identified as factors that influenced the attainment of age-appropriate school readiness abilities for children with a hearing impairment. Conclusion: There is a great need for the establishment of more EI programmes that will meet the unique needs of hearing-impaired children in different contexts and ensure that they also have an opportunity to develop on par with their peers with normal hearing. Further research in this area needs to be undertaken exploring similar objectives to the current study with a larger, diverse sample for improved generalisability of the findings. / XL2018

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

No description available.

Thesis ( MTech( Education))-- Cape Technikon, 2004 / This dissertation is located in the field of early childhood developement. It is situated in the context of education for learners with special educational needs (ELSEN). The specific context was Deaf children who learn through medium of South African Sign Language. The study is an investigation into the cognitive and social 'value-addedness' of computer technology on profoundly deaf young leaners.

Thesis (MTech(Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / When a child enters formal education a certain level of development and experience is expected. If there is a language deficit or shortfall upon entering formal schooling, a negative perception of schooling can develop, resulting in a low level of success in the classroom. Research has clearly shown that learners with a hearing deficit, and who received very little stimulation at an early age, tended to develop a language deficit which hampered their entrance into, as well as their performance in mainstream education. The ideal is thus that a child should experience success in the learning process at the earliest possible stage. Hereupon he can develop and realise his full potential as a human being. Children who experience early success should be more capable of coping with the challenges that schooling and learning present. If these learners receive early intervention to support their language development it could lead to being more successful in mainstream education. Learners with a cochlear implant must receive intensive hearing and communicative training. They are taught how to effectively interpret the sound relayed by the implant, and thereafter, if possible, be able to use this "hearing ability" to enter into interactive spoken language. Motivation and support from parents, family and friends is a determining factor in the successful use of the implant. This should lead to a learner being able to reach his full potential. From the research conducted it has become evident that the language deficit retrogression of the child leads to under-achievement when formal schooling begins.This is because of different hearing difficulties. However, if such a pre-school child is assisted and supported at an early stage through effective intervention strategies, language deficit can be decreased or even completely cured. In this study a learner who had received a cochlear implant, was closely observed. A significant improvement in his language ability was evinced. The action research study was an individualised teaching and learning situation with a learner who had a cochlear implant and with a language deficit. Over a period of 19 months different intervention strategies were used to improve the learner's language ability. The intervention strategies which were successful can be used as a possible point of departure for further research and study to give educators and parents a better insight into this problem. Through intensive research these findings can be developed as a possible support system or methodolgy for educators in the inclusive classroom.

The problem of this study is to determine the relationship of hearing to school achievement. More specifically, the problem is to compare the hard-of-hearing child with the normal hearing child of approximately the same intelligence quotient and similar home background in their academic progress in the elementary school to determine the educational loss due to this specific defect.

The present study addresses two major issues . First, the need for children to develop the skills necessary t o prevent themselves fro m being molested. Second, the need for hearing impaired children to receive the same information, coping s kills, and defense strategies as their hearing counterparts. The "Safety with Strangers slide series was presented in classrooms of hearing impaired students at both the middle school level and elementary school level. Program trainers gave students information regarding stranger approaches, demonstrated the safe, appropriate (role-modeling) and gave the children opportunities to practice these safe, appropriate behaviors (behavioral rehearsal). This program was extremely effective with the middle school students, while there was no treatment effect with the younger children.

Learners who are deaf and who are using the auditory oral approach are currently included in ordinary schools in South Africa. By default, most educators are not adequately trained to include these learners successfully. Transformation and train-ing, specific to the context of inclusive education, is thus undeniable. Therefore, in order to address the development of full-service schools to include learners who are deaf and who are using the auditory oral approach, a literature study on the nature of inclusive education with the focus on full-service schools to include the mentioned learners, took place. A qualitative study was conducted and data was gathered by interviews with six, learners, parents and educators. The findings were corroborated with the literature study with a view to addressing learner and system needs in order to include these learners successfully in a full-service school. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to address the development of full-service schools to include the mentioned learners. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.

The inclusive paradigm requires that deaf learners are educated in regular schools. In the process of implementing inclusive policies educators often feel that they lack the necessary knowledge and experience to provide effective support for deaf learners. As a result these learners are seldom effectively catered for in regular settings and frequently tend to experience frustration and failure. This research attempted to investigate the nature and manifestations of deafness in primary school learners in order to determine effective strategies to identify and address the diverse needs of deaf learners in the regular schools. A qualitative study was conducted and data was gathered by observations and interviews with three experienced educators. The results of the empirical findings were confirmed with the literature study in order to compile practical guidelines to assist educators to support deaf learners in inclusive education settings in South Africa effectively. / Educational Studies / (M. Ed. (Inclusive Education))