PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS IN KARACHI

The longitudinal case study investigates the impact of hearing impairment on the learning experience of students in inclusive education. The participants of the study were students with hearing impairment (N=2) who were studying in an English-medium school located in Karachi. The data was gathered through observations and unstructured interviews. The study employs grounded theory for interpreting and analyzing the data related to the experiences of students with hearing impairment. The results of the study present students' perception of their own learning, attitude of the teachers towards them and the absence of infrastructural provisions to cater for their special needs in the mainstream schools. The study recommends teachers' training programs for creating a more enriching learning experience for the students with hearing impairment and the involvement of the administrative staff in providing optimal learning environment and infrastructural provisions. Moreover, recommendations are made for investigating the adverse effects of other disabilities on student' learning in the mainstream educational institutions.