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Academic Challenges Faced by Preschool Learners with Hearing Impairment in Early Childhood Development and Education Centres in Kakamega County, Kenya
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Educational Psychology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1720175
Abstract
Hearing impairment in early childhood disrupts speech, language and learning during the years in which foundational literacy and numeracy are established. Although Kenya has ratified international disability instruments and enacted supportive domestic legislation, empirical evidence on how hearing impairment constrains learning at the preschool level remains scarce, with most local research concentrated on primary and secondary school populations. This paper examines the academic challenges faced by preschool learners with hearing impairment in Early Childhood Development and Education centres in Kakamega County, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey design employing a mixed methods approach was adopted. Quantitative data were obtained from nine Early Childhood Development and Education teachers drawn from six special schools for the hearing impaired using a structured questionnaire, and were analysed descriptively using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews with heads of institutions and focus group discussions with parents and guardians, and were analysed thematically. The study achieved a response rate of one hundred percent. All respondents agreed that communication barriers, limited vocabulary development, inadequate parental support, the shortage of teachers trained in Special Needs Education and social interaction difficulties adversely affect academic performance. Shortage of trained teachers and social interaction difficulties each attracted unanimous strong agreement, and none of the participating teachers held formal training in Special Needs Education. Qualitative evidence identified communication barriers as the dominant constraint, operating simultaneously in the classroom and in the home where parental proficiency in Kenyan Sign Language was limited. The study concludes that the academic challenges confronting these learners are interconnected rather than discrete, and recommends sustained teacher training in Kenyan Sign Language and inclusive pedagogy, structured parental sign language support, and strengthened home-school collaboration.
Keywords
Academic Challenges, Early Childhood Development and Education, Hearing Impairment, Kenyan Sign Language, Preschool Learners.
How to cite this paper
@article{1720175,
author = {Khabendi Philis Musindayi, Christine Nabwire, Janet Nabiswa},
title = {Academic Challenges Faced by Preschool Learners with Hearing Impairment in Early Childhood Development and Education Centres in Kakamega County, Kenya},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {3246-3256},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1720175.pdf},
abstract = {Hearing impairment in early childhood disrupts speech, language and learning during the years in which foundational literacy and numeracy are established. Although Kenya has ratified international disability instruments and enacted supportive domestic legislation, empirical evidence on how hearing impairment constrains learning at the preschool level remains scarce, with most local research concentrated on primary and secondary school populations. This paper examines the academic challenges faced by preschool learners with hearing impairment in Early Childhood Development and Education centres in Kakamega County, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey design employing a mixed methods approach was adopted. Quantitative data were obtained from nine Early Childhood Development and Education teachers drawn from six special schools for the hearing impaired using a structured questionnaire, and were analysed descriptively using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews with heads of institutions and focus group discussions with parents and guardians, and were analysed thematically. The study achieved a response rate of one hundred percent. All respondents agreed that communication barriers, limited vocabulary development, inadequate parental support, the shortage of teachers trained in Special Needs Education and social interaction difficulties adversely affect academic performance. Shortage of trained teachers and social interaction difficulties each attracted unanimous strong agreement, and none of the participating teachers held formal training in Special Needs Education. Qualitative evidence identified communication barriers as the dominant constraint, operating simultaneously in the classroom and in the home where parental proficiency in Kenyan Sign Language was limited. The study concludes that the academic challenges confronting these learners are interconnected rather than discrete, and recommends sustained teacher training in Kenyan Sign Language and inclusive pedagogy, structured parental sign language support, and strengthened home-school collaboration.},
keywords = {Academic Challenges, Early Childhood Development and Education, Hearing Impairment, Kenyan Sign Language, Preschool Learners.},
month = {July},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1720175}
}