Efficacy of Auditory Verbal Therapy in Hard of Hearing Learners’ Speech Enhancement in Machakos School for the Deaf Machakos County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Okwach, Linnah Akinyi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-20T06:29:21Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-08-20T06:29:21Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-06 | |
| dc.description | A Research Project Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Masters in Speech and Language Pathology in the School Of Education and Lifelong Learning, Kenyatta University, June 2024. Supervisor Beatrice Isanda | |
| dc.description.abstract | Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) gives caregivers the knowledge needed to develop the listening and spoken language abilities of their child after being appropriately fitted with hearing technology. The hard of hearing learners in Kenya have lacked therapists who are qualified in supporting and encouraging AVT, and they are mainly inclined to use Kenya Sign Language (KSL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of AVT in enhancing the speech of hard of hearing learners in Machakos School for the Deaf, Machakos County, Kenya. The objectives were to find out the learners' level of perception of speech before using hearing aids and Auditory Verbal Therapy strategies, examine the effects of using hearing aids and Auditory Verbal Therapy strategies on perception of speech, determine the role selected learner's demographical characteristics play on the efficacy of Auditory Verbal Therapy and establish the teachers’ and caregivers’ views on using hearing aids and Auditory Verbal Therapy strategies for hard of hearing learners’ speech enhancement in Machakos School for the Deaf Machakos County Kenya. The study was guided the Bienenstock, Cooper, and Munro Theory (BCM, 2012). It adopted a mixed research design combining quasi-experimental and descriptive qualitative research designs. The target population was 242 learners with hearing impairments, 5 caregivers and 12 teachers. The study sample included 17 hard of hearing learners, 5 caregivers and 10 teachers who were purposively sampled to form the study population. The pilot study was conducted at St Michael’s School for the Deaf Kitui County which had similar characteristics as the study locale. Data was collected using adapted McCormick Toy Test and Manchester Picture Test for the learners and interview schedules for the caregivers and the teachers. The researcher used descriptive statistics for analyzing quantitative data, but qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The findings from this particular study established that AVT when used to compliment consistent use of hearing aids resulted in the improvement of speech perception skills in younger children with a less degree of hearing loss. Furthermore, lack of awareness, financial constraints and cultural issues were found to be barriers to effective application of AVT. It is recommended that learners who are hard of hearing be amplified early and be trained to listen so as to improve their speech outcomes and caregivers, policy makers, curriculum developers as well as all relevant stakeholders be encouraged use of AVT as well as and hearing aids for children with hearing loss. More so, parents and caregivers need to be trained to enroll young children in intervention programs like AVT as soon as they have been amplified and awareness of AVT and hearing aids should be created among teachers and caregivers of children with hearing loss. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/28663 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Efficacy of Auditory Verbal Therapy in Hard of Hearing Learners’ Speech Enhancement in Machakos School for the Deaf Machakos County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |