Educators’ perspectives in supporting students with hearing impairment in Maltese schools

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the perspectives of Maltese educators toward supporting students with hearing impairment in Maltese schools. A total of 329 educators were recruited, which included 135 teachers, 161 learning support educators (LSEs), and 33 categorised as ‘other’ educators. The majority were aged between 30 and 44 years (N=167), followed by educators aged 45 to 49 years (N=87). A large proportion of participants were female (N=312) and worked in state schools (N=223). These were followed by participants working in church schools (N=75) and independent schools (N=31). As part of the study objectives, relationships between educators’ perspectives and a range of variables—such as professional role, school type, age group, years of experience, past experience, and training received—were explored. The perceived facilitators and barriers influencing these perspectives were also investigated. The findings from this analysis informed recommendations for improving the support provided to students with hearing impairments. Methods: A mixed methods (MMR) approach was adopted. Initially, a modified version of the Opinion Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities (ORI) was administered. It consisted of a demographic section followed by 25 nominal, close-ended statements, each rated on a Likert scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree.’ The data was analysed using parametric tests through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). This was followed by three one-to-one interviews, each comprising nine open-ended questions, and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings revealed that educators expressed relatively positive perspectives toward supporting students with hearing impairment. No significant differences were identified across school types; however, variations to different extents were observed in relation to the other variables explored. The study also addressed facilitators and barriers influencing the support provided by educators, which helped inform recommendations aimed at benefitting students with hearing impairment and educators. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the need for additional research and improvements in the support provided to students with hearing impairment. Across studies, educators express positive perspectives; however, existing gaps in practices must be addressed to improve outcomes for these students.