THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIETAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE EDUCATION OF LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN BENIN CITY

This study was designed to examine the influence of societal attitudes toward the education of learners with hearing impairments in Benin City. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The total sample of the study consisted of fifty(50) learners with hearing impairments in Ihogbe College, from both junior and senior schools (Hearing Impaired unit) in Benin City, a public Secondary School in the sampled area. Random sampling technique has used to select the respondents. The research instruments for the study was a questionnaire titled "Societal Attitudes Towards the Education of Learners with Hearing Impairments Questionnaire" which was distributed to the respondents and collected immediately after completion. Simple frequency percentages, mean scores and standard deviations were used to analyze the responses. To ensure the reliability of the study, Cronbach's Alpha was calculated, yielding a value of 0.716. The findings revealed that societal attitudes have a minimal direct impact on these learners' educational experiences, with most respondents reporting no significant stigma or discrimination from peers or teachers. However, the study highlights that misconceptions and lack of awareness about hearing impairments create challenges in their education, particularly regarding inclusion in regular classrooms. While societal attitudes do not significantly motivate academic achievement, they negatively influence learners' self-esteem and confidence. The study indicates that negative perceptions from peers and teachers, while not directly affecting academic performance, can lower motivation and self-confidence, leading to indirect impact on academic success. Overall, the findings suggests that societal attitudes, while having a modest influence, play a more significant role in shaping the emotional well being and inclusion of learners with hearing impairments than in their academic outcomes.