Suggestions for Successful Inclusive Education of Hearing-Impaired Students through Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of present study was to provide suggestions for successful inclusive education of students with hearing impairments. We conducted focus group interviews involving five adults with congenital hearing loss who had received the inclusive education and five mothers of children with hearing impairments who are currently in the mainstream education setting. The data were explored by using the phenomenological analysis method in terms of three categories: the reasons for choosing mainstream schools, experimences with teachters and classmantes, and future directions for achieving successful inclusive education. Based on the analysis of interview, the choice of mainstream inclusive schools was motivated by the desire to use oral communication and interact with non-disabled peers. The experiences with peers and teachers at the mainstream schools were generally positive. In addition, students with hearing impairments expressed a preference for education that focuses more on understanding their shared disabilities with their friends at school, rather than general information about disabilities. The current results suggest that future studies should investigate peer relationships within the schools and explore educational policies related to the hearing impairment.