DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF MODEL OF AURAL REHABILITATION OF PROFOUND HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN PUNJAB - AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

Persons with hearing loss have been seen, but the problems and frustration imposed by this loss in their lives have not been imagined. Only diagnosis of hearing loss and providing amplification is not enough to ensure the development of communication potentials of the hearing impaired children (HIC). Aural habilitation/rehabilitation services for children are the dire need of all those suffering from hearing loss, especially for those having severe and profound hearing loss. In Pakistan the rehabilitative plans merely cover speech therapy and special education services employing sign language and total communication as a medium of instruction. The efforts are not being focused on auditory development of the children, which is the base of all problems of HIC. Therefore, the researcher aimed to target this entirely neglected area of provision of aural rehabilitation services through a model in order to bring change in the lives of HIC in Pakistan. The objectives of the study were to collect data about current provisions of aural rehabilitation for hearing impaired children in Punjab, to develop a model of aural rehabilitation for deaf children in Pakistan, to develop a standardised tool to be used during experimentation and to validate the proposed model of aural rehabilitation via experimentation. The study carries immense significance from different angles in the context of the planning and management of educational cum rehabilitative plans of children with hearing loss. The model may serve as a guide to policy makers, administrators of special schools, speech therapists, teachers and parents. xxix The design of the study was the pretest-posttest control group design. Sample groups were selected through random sampling technique. Data regarding current rehabilitation practices was obtained through questionnaires for teachers, speech therapists, audiologists, principals and parents of HIC. A framework of the proposed model was made with the help of logic model development guide and by incorporating the recommendations of the stakeholders obtained via questionnaires. Pakistani experts’ opinions were obtained through questionnaire for further modification required in the model. The model was validated through experimentation. A speech perception test was developed and its reliability and validity were established after conducting a pilot study. This test was used as the tool of experimentation i.e. to obtain the pretest and posttest scores of the HIC. The difference in mean speech perception scores of the control group and experimental group profound HIC at posttest level was significant at 0.01 level. It was concluded that aural rehabilitation is feasible as well as necessary for educational and vocational rehabilitation of HIC in Pakistan. Multidisciplinary approach in special schools to be served as preparatory schools for mainstreaming, provision of digital hearing aids from government, auditory training, integrated curriculum development, follow-up of IEP’s focusing on aural mode of communication, development of assessment tools in national and regional languages, efforts for screening and prevention of hearing loss and parental training cum involvement in planning and implementation of individual plans were considered as the necessary ingredients, to bring change in current educational cum aural rehabilitation programme of HIC in Punjab.