An integrated science resource pack for hearing impaired students and their hearing peers

Abstract

The two main aims of this study were to explore how hearing impaired students are being included in mainstream Integrated science classrooms and also the development of two appropriate science resource packs for these students and their hearing peers. Qualitative data was obtained by observing six hearing impaired students during their Integrated science lessons. We also carried out in-depth interviews both with these six hearing impaired students and also with their respective science teachers. After analysing all the data obtained from literature, classroom observations and in-depth interviews we were able to develop two science resource packs which cater for the special needs of these hearing impaired students based on two topics in Integrated science ('Look Alive' and 'Good Health'). The developed science resource packs were also beneficial to these students' hearing peers. Findings showed that these students needed a science resource pack which included a lot of pictures, visual resources and hands-on activities. Furthermore, simple Maltese text was used since English language was found to be one of the major difficulties for these hearing impaired students to understand science. This study illustrates that the future of science education for hearing impaired students can look very similar to the future of science education for every other student. This study gives recommendations to teachers to provide the environment for such learning, adopt appropriate teaching strategies and plan for adequate resources. This requires the right kind of pre-service/in-service training in order to meet the hearing impaired students' special needs.