Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Education
Advisor
Barry Birnbaum
Abstract
Once deaf and hearing-impaired students with cochlear implants were exposed to sound, their parents began exploring oral education in the regular classroom setting. Limited research has explored the preparedness of teachers to teach DHH students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore eight kindergartens through grade 6 (K–6) general education teachers’ self-assessed preparedness in professional knowledge, competencies, and skills to teach DHH students in the classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Cogan’s trait theory of profession. Research questions focused on how regular education K–6 classroom teachers described the efficacy of their college courses and post college professional development in preparing them to facilitate learning for DHH students enrolled in the regular classroom setting. Data from interviews were hand coded. A line-by-line, inductive approach was used to analyze the data. Five themes emerged from the data related to the two research questions: (a) inclusive classroom, (b) educational challenges, (c) communications challenges, (d) differentiating instruction, and (e) collaboration. Results indicated that the participants were not confident that their teacher education programs, or post college courses effectively prepared them to teach DHH students in a regular classroom setting. The implications for social change included an understanding of the need to increase preparedness for general education teachers to teach DHH students in the classroom.
Recommended Citation
Jackson, Olga Westley, "Elementary Teachers’ Preparedness for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Inclusion" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13014.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13014
