Identifying educational practices that promote inclusion for students with a hearing loss

The project being described in this paper used both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis to assess the perceived effectiveness of the work of itinerant teachers of the deaf in promoting inclusion in mainstream classrooms for students with significant hearing loss. Methods of data collection used include questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results of the study identified factors that enhanced or inhibited the effectiveness of their interventions as well as the perceived effectiveness of the strategies used in intervention. Ages/grades of the students affected the type and perceived importance of direct intervention strategies used with students, but more specifically the students' individual educational circumstances and needs relating to accessing information delivered primarily through spoken language. The assistance offered to the classroom teacher appeared to be less influenced by a student's age or grade, and related to the imperative of curriculum delivery and time available to assist the teacher in developing the skills to adequately accommodate the students' needs.