Handicapism: The case of the hearing impaired in inclusive education in Cameroon: implications for planning and policy

Abstract

Identifying the concept of handicapism and focusing on hearing impairment relative to academic areas and students in Cameroon was the purpose of this paper. The paper is a careful review of related literature and detail examination of other researchers’ work in the area of handicapism, and the researcher also made some proposals in relation to planning and policy in matters that concern handicapped or disabled students relative to inclusive education now made available to them. Focusing on the hearing impaired students, their handicapping situation does not permit them to acquire, without difficulty and special attention, the educational knowledge and skills that the hearing students acquire. The implementation and follow up of Law No.83/13 of July 1983 which relates to the protection of the handicapped and whose article 3 focuses on the education of children with disabilities is yet to be concretely effected. While the researcher calls for the effective execution of this law, he equally calls for further legislation on strategies to be used to solve or at least alleviate the problem of the disabled students in inclusive school environments and relative to the facilitation of the acquisition of assistive technology, equipment, special materials, etc, through the reduction of customs duty on such items. For inclusive education to be a reality in ordinary schools the researcher calls especially on the planners and policy makers of the Ministries of Social Affairs, Basic and Secondary Education to be proactive in the formulation and implementation of policies regarding inclusive schools in particular and special education in general in terms of their sustainability.