Inclusion of a Child With a Hearing Impairment in a Mainstream School, Single Case Study

Abstract

Inclusive education means that all pupils, regardless of their ability, gender and race, can study with their peers in the school closest to their place of residence. When enrolling students with special needs in a school, the quality of the student’s academic and social inclusion is equally important. The study aims to analyze the single case of inclusion of a boy with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school X to answer the research questions: how do teachers deal with a pupil with hearing impairment and his needs in the classroom, what are the peculiarities of a hearing-impaired child’s learning, what support (academic and social) is provided to the boy to promote his inclusion in school and the classroom? In the qualitative study, semi structured interviews were conducted with the boy with a hearing impairment and 5 teachers of school X and the boy’s father, they were analyzed using content analysis. Three main categories emerged from the data: (1) support provided by teachers/school; (2) social participation in the classroom, school, friendships, (3) barriers for inclusion. There were two time periods in the first category suggested: (a) before the boy was identified as a child with special needs and (b) after the statement on special needs were received. There were several sub-categories that emerged from the transcripts: support measures provided to a child with a hearing impairment in the classroom, organizational response of the school to a child with a hearing impairment, the visible and invisible aspects in social participation of a child with hearing impairment in a mainstream school. The study highlighted that the academic and social inclusion experience of a child with a hearing impairment in a mainstream school may differ before and after receiving the statement from the Pedagogical Medical Commission on the child’s special needs. The study discusses whether the statement of a pupil’s special needs may become a new barrier to inclusive education that encourages schools to develop new exclusionary practices.