TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

DEDICATION

DECLA~TION.

iv

LIST OF TABLES

ABST~CT ix

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

Background 1

Statement of the problem 2

The purpose of the study~

Objectives~ 3

Research Questioi~s 3

The scope of study 4

Significance of the study: 4

Limitatjons•

Deljmjtatjoi~s• 5

CHAPTER TWO 6

REVIEW OF RELATED LJTE~TU~ 6

Understanding a child with hearing impairn~ent 6

Teachers attitudes towards children with hearing impairment 8

Teaching methods used by teachers in teaching children with hearing impairment 9

Mode of communication teachers use in teaching children with hearing impairment 11

CHAPTER THREE 13

METHODOLOGy 13

Introductioi~ 13

V

Research design .13

Area of study 14

Study Population 14

Sample size 15

Research instruments 15

Research procedure 17

Description of data analysis procedure 18

CHAPTER FOUR 19

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALySIS OF RESULTS 19

Introduction 19

Data analysis and interpretation on objective one’ 19

Responses 19

Data analysis and interpretation of objective two’ 20

Responses 21

Respondents 21

Data analysis and interpretation on objective three 22

Data analysis and interpretation on objective four 23

CHAPTER FIVE 25

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 25

Introduction 25

Discussion ofresults on objective one 25

Discussion ofresults on objective two 27

Discussion of results on objective three 28

Discussion of Results on objective four 29

Conclusion 30

Recommendations 3

ABSTp~CT This study focused on the causes of poor performance in science among children with hearing impairment in mainstream schools. This study was carried out in Gatundu Division, Gatundu District-Kenya Interviews and questionajres were used as research tools to collect data from respondents.Random and purposive sampling teclmiquues were used to select schools and the respondents. The findings revealed that teachers in the mainstream experienced some challenges which among others included; lack of training in special needs education among teachers, inadeqaucy of appropriate science equipment and learning materials, inappropriate teaching materials, negative teachers’ attitudes towards the education of the deaf children, inappropriate modes of communication low pupils’ interest to learn science and high Teacher — Pupil ratio in class among others. From the study, the following recommendations were made; Special needs education should be introduced into primary teachers’ colleges as a course. o Government, NGOs and other stakeholders should intensify the community the community awareness programmes about the rights of persons wit disabilities o Refresher courses should be provided to teachers by NGO5 o Teachers should be trained to make and use the available local materials o Primary school teachers should be encouraged to go for up grading special needs education. o Teachers should be trained to make and use the available local materials. e Parents of children with special needs (Hearing impairment) should be encouraged to learn sign language to enable the easy communication