Abstract:
The current study aimed to determine the level of awareness about various audiological conditions in students and their classroom management amongst regular school teachers in Kerala. To fulfill this aim, questionnaires in both English and Malayalam were developed to determine the awareness level. The newly developed questionnaire consisted of 41 questions under five subsections. Responses were obtained from 101 participants teaching in 40 schools across 11 districts of Kerala. Qualitative analysis of the obtained data was carried out to determine the level of awareness amongst the participants. The current study results indicated that a majority of the participants were aware of one or more potential causes of hearing impairment, tests for evaluating hearing levels, and one or more amplification options available for students with hearing impairment. The participants were well aware of the negative impact of hearing impairment on students' speech and language development and its influence on academic performance. A lack of awareness regarding the different types of hearing aids and assistive listening devices, along with the existing ambiguity amongst the participants on the potential benefit and working of amplification devices, was noted. The role of an Audiologist in evaluating the hearing levels and prescribing or dispensing hearing devices was not well known to the majority of the participants. Potential challenges faced by students with hearing impairment and one or more classroom modification strategies and teaching techniques were reported to be familiar to the majority of the participants. The results of the current study established a positive attitude amongst its participants regarding the accommodation and education of students with hearing impairment in regular schools.
