Educating Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Learners in Inclusive Classrooms in Tanzania

Abstract

Educating deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) learners poses a challenge to teachers working in inclusive education settings such as the ones in Tanzania. Having DHH learners in the classroom is viewed as a burden by all stakeholders, especially teachers. In 2009, Tanzania signed and ratified United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This implies that Tanzania recognizes the DHH learners’ right to a good education. However, it remains unclear how the country is dealing with the challenges of providing DHH learners with a quality inclusive education. This chapter discusses the status of DHH learners in Tanzania in the face of the global trend toward inclusive education. It explains the current situation of inclusion of DHH learners in mainstream classes, including their achievements, challenges, and limitations. Recommendations are provided for future objectives based on best practices discussed in the literature.