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Technical and Visual Aid Services as Determinants to Academic Progress of Learners with
Learning Impairments in Early Childhood Education in Kenya.
Received in 23rd June 2016 Received in Revised Form on 5th August 2016 Accepted on 8th August 2016
Abstract
The requirement by the Kenyan government to have equity in provision of education services has led to a
paradigm shift towards inclusive education. Existing evidence however tends to suggest that children
with HI, on average are not socially or emotionally comfortable in mainstream settings. Besides,
although progress in the teaching and learning of children with HI exist, other evidence still emerges of
the relative lack of academic improvement among this group of children. This study therefore aimed at
establishing the effect of support services offered to children with HI in the inclusive context on their
academic progress. It specifically sought to establish the effect of technical support and use of visual aids
on academic progress of this category of learners. The study was conducted in Turbo Sub-county of Uasin
Gishu County in Kenya and adopted casual comparative research design. Both stratified random and
simple random sampling techniques were used to select a sample of 117 ECDE teachers and 59 head-
teachers from the 76 ECDE centers in the sub-county. Mean response scores together with associated
standard deviations were used to examine prevailing levels of identified support services in the centers.
Multiple regressions were used to determine contributions of the support services on academic progress of
children with HI. The study established that support services offered to children with HI in the regular
classroom, positively and significantly affects their academic progress. The study however revealed that
inclusion of children with HI in regular classroom contexts was a major challenge to teachers who were
not trained to handle this category of learners and lack equipment to support them technically.
Key Words: Technical Support, Visual Aids, Academic Progress, Learning Impairments and Early
Childhood Education.
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importance of the environment by asserting that Needs Students (SNS). These teachers and
understanding the importance of the regular education students had no prior
environment can minimize the effects of a preparation for the inclusion of children with
learning difficulty and enhance performance disabilities. According to Florian et al. (2004),
and self esteem. Several other possible support many schools tend to resist the pressure to
services are cited in literature. Tate (1994) become inclusive, because they are concerned
identifies assistive devices such as hearing aids with the overall academic progress of other
as having the ability to bring hearing almost to a learners, which they fear will be impacted
normal level among children with H1, through negatively resulting in lower academic
the amplification process. Chimedza and Peters standards. In a study conducted in India,
(2003), on their part observe that some children Chadha (1999) showed that regular education
may require lip reading to reach a normal level teachers generally did not support inclusion, nor
of comprehension and these more often than not did they believe they possessed the competency
require preferential seating arrangement. Adoyo necessary to effectively instruct learners with
(2008) identifies the latest instructional special needs. Stigmatization of children with HI
techniques and materials for instruction as could also impact negatively on inclusiveness.
support when working with children with In a study conducted in Netherlands Booth and
hearing impairment. The emphasis then should Ainscow (2003) found out that many learners
be on visual illustrations and free expression with HI who had been included in regular
among the children. Communication comes out classes wanted to go back to their special schools
as a crucial support skill to children with H1. after suffering stigmatization and isolation.
According to Moss (1995) supported by Stinson Several studies however, report contradictory
and Whitmire (2000) early and consistent use of findings with regard to teacher attitude towards
total communication serves as a springboard for inclusiveness. In a study of regular teachers‘
intellectual development and subsequent attitudes towards inclusion of children with HI
academic achievement. This then calls for a conducted in Australia, it was revealed that
teaching force aimed with all the techniques to teachers had generally positive attitude towards
teach children with HI. the integration of hearing impaired learners. In
In spite of the postulated benefits of yet, another study of teachers‘ attitudes towards
mainstreaming and to a major extent, inclusion, inclusive education in Jordanian Schools, Al–
challenges abound in the implementation of the Zyoudi (2006) found greater willingness among
programme. According to Stinson and Whitmire teachers to include children with certain types of
(2000) inclusion has profound effects not only on disabilities.
life in classrooms but also on other aspects of the It is with the backdrop of such conflicting
school organization and teaching. Besides, in findings regarding inclusion of children with HI
addition to completing academic tasks, a child into general education that warrants an
with HI in general education often grapples investigation of establishing the effect of support
with the question of being accepted as a social services offered to children with HI in the
member of the teaching group and of being as inclusive context on their academic progress.
independent in the circumstances as possible.
Another key challenge arising from the concept Statement of the Problem
of inclusion is teacher attitude towards the With the paradigm shift to inclusiveness of
inclusion of HI children in regular classrooms. children with HI in regular education classroom,
In a study, Sacks (2001) found out that regular the assumption is that such placements can turn
teachers were least prepared for inclusive of out to be academically and socially beneficial.
children with disabilities. The study further Studies conducted in the recent past are
established that teachers had little training in however reporting conflicting findings. Existing
dealing with individual differences and specific evidence indicate that children with H1, on
instructional processes developed for Special average are not socially or emotionally
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Both stratified and simple random sampling academic progress of learners with Hearing
techniques were used to select a sample of 59 Impairment and to determine the effect of use of
head teachers and 117 teachers. visual aids on academic progress of learners
with Hearing Impairment. Triangulation was
Measures done by developing interview schedule for
The questionnaire was developed by the Principals. The instruments were validated and
researcher so as to capture the teachers‘ reliability was tested by use of one sample test.
perception on effect of technical support on Cronbach alpha value of 0.850 was obtained
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1. Play materials enables sessions to move smoothly from one 3.86 1.548 -.681 -1.434
session to the next
2. Children with HI are allowed to have personal hearing devices 3.79 1.286 -.716 -.706
in class
3. Children with HI are allowed to access school media and 3.36 1.593 -.668 -1.142
technology
4. Teachers are in-serviced regarding hearing loss, amplification, 2.39 1.220 .021 -1.002
and classroom implications of hearing loss
5. Monitoring staff are available for monitoring hearing aids 2.38 1.164 .653 -.398
6. Classrooms are filled with amplification systems 2.14 1.235 .962 -.168
When asked their views with regards to whether assistance to children with HI. They noted that
the centre offered enough technical assistance to whenever assistance devices were availed, they
children with HI, the dominant response was tended to be very few. In addition, respondents
that technical assistance was minimal. Three observed that children with HI lacked learning
themes emerged from respondents pointing to materials to enable them to be assisted
reasons for lack of enough technical assistance. technically.
The first theme across respondents was The second theme that emerged was personnel.
inadequacy (Table 3). Respondents were of the view that they as the
Respondents indicated that ECDE centers either staff lacked the knowledge of handling children
lacked or had limited resources for technical with HI and had no technical capability. The
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third and final theme was infrastructure. general lack technical equipment that included
Respondents noted that most centres lacked the media and technology.
facilities for technical assistance. Centres in
Table 3: ECDE Teachers Perceptions of Technical Assistance offered to Learners with HI in Turbo
Sub-County
In your view, does the Inadequacy The centre lacks or has limited resources for technical
centre offer enough assistance
technical assistance to Assistive devices are very few or simply not available
children with HI? HI learners don‘t have learning materials to enable them to
be assisted technically
Personnel Staff have no knowledge of handling children with HI
Centre lacks qualified staff to offer technical assistance
Staff have never interacted with assistive devices
Infrastructure Centre does not have facilities for assisting children with
HI
Centre does not have media and technology for technical
assistance
Centre lacks technical equipment
The implication of descriptive and thematic respondents were asked to indicate level of
analyses of ECDE teachers in relation to agreement or disagreement with six items
technical assistance is that ECDE centres in the reflecting use of visual aids. Second, they were
study area were ill equipped in terms of asked to comment on the relevance of using
infrastructure and personnel to offer adequate visuals when handling children with HI.
technical assistance to children with HI. The Analysis of the structured questionnaire items
infrastructure in most of the centers did not revealed that respondents tended to agree with
support technical assistance. Lack of relevant the use of visual aids in support of children with
facilities and equipment for these children was HI (Table 4).
common among the centres. A key element Respondents tended to agree that visuals helped
however remained lack of qualified personnel. children with HI to understand and interpret
Most teachers in the centers lacked the information being presented (M=4.21, SD=
knowledge to use assistive devices and could 1.186); that they used crafts to allow children
therefore not offer adequate assistance. with HI to see and relate concepts (M=3.94,
SD=1.073); that they used visual aids such as
Visual Aids as Support Services for Learners puppets to make lessons interactive (M=3.71,
with HI SD= 1.284); that they used visuals to make
The final objective of the study sought to lessons more memorable both to children with
determine the effect of use of visual aids on normal hearing and those with HI (M=3.65, SD=
academic progress of learners with HI. Teacher 1.253); and that they used visuals to hold the
perceptions on integration of visual aids were attention of children with HI (M=3.56,
assessed from two perspectives. First, SD=1.385). Respondents however moderately
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agreed that they used visual aids to customize with HI (M=3.47, SD= 1.615).
the learning process to the needs of children
Table 4: Use of Visual Aids as a Support Service Offered to Learners with HI in Turbo Sub-County
Questionnaire items M SD Skewness Kurtosis
1. Visuals help children with HI to understand and interpret 4.21 1.186 -1.562 1.311
information being presented
2. Teachers use crafts to allow children with HI to see and relate 3.94 1.073 -.797 .007
concepts
3. Teachers use visual aids such as puppets to make lessons 3.71 1.284 -.370 -1.580
interactive
4. Teachers use visuals to make lessons more memorable both to 3.65 1.253 -.211 -1.608
children with normal hearing and those with HI
5. Teachers use visuals to hold the attention of children with HI 3.56 1.385 -.308 -1.469
6. Teachers use visual aids to customize the learning process to 3.47 1.615 -.257 -1.726
the needs of children with HI
visuals aroused interest and curiosity among
learners particularly those with HI and who
Thematic analysis of the comments made by mainly relied on this mode for learning.
respondents regarding the relevance of visuals Learners were able to see and manipulate
when handling children with HI revealed three visuals in various ways. In this way, their
key elements (Table 5). First, the analysis interest, curiosity and motivation were
revealed that visuals allowed for concept maintained.
formation and retention. It was commented that The third element that emerged with regards to
visuals aided in the retention of concepts relevance of visuals was concretizing concepts.
learned for long periods. In addition, they Respondents observed that visuals allowed
promoted more understanding and retention of learners to see abstract concepts from concrete
information. Consequently, children with HI dimension. Besides, they boosted understanding
were able to receive, interpret and internalize level of children with HI.
the information learned.
Another element that emerged was learner
interest and curiosity. Respondents noted that
Table 5: ECDE Teachers Perceptions of Use of Visual Aids to Learners with HI in Turbo Sub-County
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The findings regarding visuals imply that on the use of crafts to allow children with HI to see and
realization of the relevance of visuals in relate concepts.
supporting the learning of children with HI, In order to ascertain individual effects of the
most ECDE teachers in the study area had made support services offered for children with HI on
efforts to integrate visuals in their teaching. their academic progress, the researcher
Some of the approaches adopted included; use formulated and tested two hypotheses. Multiple
of puppets for interactive lessons; customizing regressions were used to test the hypotheses at a
learning to the needs of children with HI; and 5% level of significance. The results are
presented in table 6.
Table 6: Coefficientsa
Model Standardized
Unstandardized Coefficients Coefficients Collinearity Statistics
B Std. Error Beta T Sig. Tolerance VIF
1 (Constant) 1.468 .299 4.909 .000
Visual aids .404 .114 .500 3.556 .001 .248 4.025
Technical Assistance .287 .090 .330 3.188 .002 .459 2.180
Hypothesis H01 postulated that technical The findings that ECDE centers in the study area
assistance offered to children with HI had no were ill equipped in terms of assistive
significant effect on their academic progress. technology and that ECDE teachers currently
The multiple regressions results (table 6) teaching in the units lacked the knowledge to
revealed that technical assistance was equally a use assistive technology support the findings by
positive and significant determinant of academic Alkahtani (2013). In a study focusing on
progress of children with HI (B = 0.330, p<0.05). teachers‘ knowledge and use of assistive
The implication of the B-coefficient is that when technology for students with special needs,
other support services were not being put to use, Alkahtani (2013) found out that the vast
a change of 1 percent in technical assistance majority of teachers neither used nor requested
would result in a change of 0.330 percent in for assistive technology. Besides, it was also
academic progress of learners with HI. The Null revealed that schools lacked assistive
hypothesis that technical assistance had no technology. In addition, the study by Alkahtani
significant effect on academic progress of established that most of the teachers were
learners with HI was also not supported. poorly prepared or not prepared at all to
The finding that technical assistance has a provide assistive technology services for
positive effect on academic progress of learners students with special needs.
with HI supports studies which show that Hypothesis H02 postulated that use of visual
hearing aids bring hearing of residual users aids to teach at the ECDE had no significant
almost to a normal level through amplification effect on academic progress of learners with HI.
(Tate, 1994, Flexer, 1997). The multiple regressions results presented in
Table 6 revealed that use of visual aids in
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teaching was a positive and significant HI enjoy lessons and contribute actively as their
determinant of academic progress of learners hearing counterparts.
with HI (B=0.404, p<0.05). Use of visual aids arouses learner interest and
The implication is that when other support curiosity and is a handy strategy to support the
services for learners with HI were not being learning of children with HI in the inclusion
utilized, an increase in 1 percentage use of visual framework. They allow for concept formation
aids had the potential to improve academic and retention of learned concepts and are
progress of learners with HI by 0.404 percent. therefore central to the learning of children with
The hypothesis that use of visual aids to teach HI. In this way, these aids directly affect
had no significant effect on academic progress of academic progress of learners with HI.
learners with HI was therefore not supported.
The finding that use of visual aids has a positive Policy Implication
and significant effect on academic progress of 1. With the idea of inclusion of children
learners is consistent with studies which show with special needs in regular classroom
an increased interest in the role of the visual in taking root, there is a need for the
children‘s learning, with growing recognition of Government to consider funding public
its potential for engaging learners with the primary schools which host these units
visual aspects of writing and reading, as well as so that they can acquire the required
students‘ production of multimodal models and equipment for supporting children with
digital multimedia materials (Kress, 2003; HI technically. In addition in-service
Kenner, 2004; Bearne, 2003; Bearne training programmes should be put in
&Wolstencroft, 2007; Burn & Parker, 2003; Pahl, place to sensitize ECDE teachers on how
2006; Stein, 2007). to use assistive technology
appropriately.
Conclusion 2. The visual strategy of teaching should
Despite the poor infrastructure for technical continue being embraced by ECDE
assistance within the ECDE units, technical teachers in the study area since this is a
assistance offered to learners with HI remains most effective strategy for visual
crucial to academic progress of this category of learners such as the learners in this
learners. Technical assistance such as hearing category.
aids amplifies sound and enables learners with
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