A field study in collaboration with the Disability Resource Centre of the University of Sharjah to identify the social and psychological effects of inclusive education on students with hearing disabilities
Researcher: Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, College of Humanities and Sciences.
Field of Specialization: Social Work
This was a field study in collaboration with the Disability Resource Centre of the University of Sharjah. The main objective of the project wasto identify the social and psychological effects of inclusive education on students with hearing disabilities.
The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach with a purposive sample comprising 24 deaf and hard hearing students (D&HHs). An electronic questionnaire comprising 25 psychological and social statements and an open-ended question was administered to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Two psychological advisors specialising in sign language facilitated the data collection process.
The study adopted several statistical methods using SPSS. The results revealed a positive correlation coefficient between inclusive education and both psychological adjustment and social interaction and a negative relationship between gender and age and both psychological adaptation and social interaction variables.
A positive correlation was observed between disability type and psychological adaptation, while a negative correlation was observed with social interaction. A statistically significant difference of less than 0.05 was found in favour of those who agreed that inclusion affects psychological and sociological interaction.
Research Impact
The results and recommendation of the study will contribute in enriching the body of knowledge about special needs of the Deaf & Hard Hearing students (D&HHs) and improving the educational and learning curricula by adopting a learning-centered approach. It will highlight the importance of creating social inclusion opportunities for such students in the society and its higher education institutions. It will make a case for change in the leading international, Arab and local laws, legislations and policies in favor of people with special needs in general, and those with D&HHs in particular.
Research outcomes
From the main study two sub-studies were developed in English language:
1. “The Social and Psychological Effects of Inclusive Education of Persons with Hearing Disability in Society: A Field Study at the Disability Resource Centre (Sharjah University),” a paper by: Dr. Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif (Principal Author), Dr. Enaam Yousef and Dr. Rasha Abdelrahman, submitted to the highly ranked indexed Scopus Journal (Q1), Global Journal Al Thaqafah (GJAT), Universiti Azlan Shah, Malaysia. The paper was submitted in August 2020.
2. “Parents’ Perception on the Role of Inclusive Education for People of Determination in Achieving Social Adjustment", a paper by: Dr. Enaam Yousef. (Principal Author) and Dr. Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif as a Co/ Author. The paper was submitted in February 2021 to a highly ranked indexed Scopus Journal.