Perceptions of HI Students about the Effectiveness of Hearing Assistive Devices

Abstract

This study examined "Perceptions of HI Students about the Effectiveness of Hearing Assistive Devices". The ability to speak and converse with others and to understand them is one of humanity's most valuable gifts. However, the silent world of the hearing-impaired deprives them of these abilities unless they are provided with the opportunity to use assistive devices to develop speech using their residual hearing. Providing guidance and assistance regarding assistive devices enables parents and teachers to give hearing-impaired children the opportunity to learn to communicate effectively. People with hearing loss now have access to a variety of assistive technologies. The goal of this descriptive research was to investigate the effectiveness of Assistive Devices (AD) in facilitating the learning of hearing-impaired students. The significant role of assistive devices was prominently highlighted. The motive of this research was to explore students' perceptions of the effectiveness of Assistive Devices for Hearing-Impaired Students. The research adopted a quantitative and descriptive approach. The research population comprised all hearing-impaired students enrolled in various institutions in the Bahawalpur District. A sample of 176 hearing-impaired students was selected from different government and private institutes using a multi-staged sampling technique. The questionnaire was developed based on extensive literature review and validated by experts in the field. Data were collected personally and analyzed using SPSS, applying frequency, percentage, mean value, and standard deviation. The reliability calculated using Cronbach’s alpha was 0.801. The results indicate that Assistive Devices play a crucial role in students' personal, social, and academic development. It was found that hearing aids are essential for all hearing-impaired children with any residual hearing, and their early use significantly contributes to their personal, social, and academic development. The findings of this research provide guidelines for stakeholders to take steps towards providing assistive devices for hearing-impaired students.