Attitudes of Support Staff Who Support Hearing-Impaired Children Enrolled in Regular Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the actual status of support for hearing-impaired children studying in regular classes and the attitudes of support staff. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 support staff for hearing-impaired children. The cooperators were students who had experience in supporting hearing-impaired university students and who were majoring in education for the hearing impaired at university. As a result of the interview survey, 12 categories were identified. In addition the results of this survey revealed that support was developed with an awareness of the following: (1) support through various means to enable children to effectively utilize information accessibility as well as the written form of spoken and sound information, (2) response according to the child's developmental stage, content of educational activities, and experience with information accessibility, (3) relationships with hearing children based on hearing-impaired children, and (4) consciousness of the need to encourage active communication between hearing-impaired children and hearing children without the need for support staff. The importance of supporting hearing-impaired children with a view to their independence after graduation from elementary school was also discussed.