Inclusive classroom and academic performance of deaf-and-dumb students in visual arts in the University of Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract

The deaf-and-dumb in many societies, especially, the developing countries, are overly neglected in spite of the fact that they deserve as much love, care  and education as do the normal citizens. This study investigated the effects of inclusive classroom on the academic performance of deaf-and-dumb  students in Visual Arts in the University of Uyo considering their gender. Quasi-experimental research design was used for the study. The entire  population of all the15 Year 2 students studying Fine and Industrial Arts at University of Uyo, comprising 6 deaf-and-dumb students (4 males; 2 females)  and 9 students without disabilities (6 males; 3 females) was used as the study sample. Researcher-developed instrument: Achievement Test on Visual Arts  (ATVA), a 10-item practical test designed to measure the students’ achievement in the five areas of Visual Arts – Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics,  Textiles and Graphics – offered in the University was used for data collection. ATVA had a reliability coefficient of .82 determined using test retest method  after face and content validation. Data generated were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test statistics. The results showed  that deaf-and-dumb students do not differ significantly in their academic performance from their classmates without disability when integrated into  inclusive education plan. Also, gender was not a significant determinant of students’ academic performance given the inclusive education environment.  Consequently, it has been recommended, among others, that teachers, school administrators and education planners should embrace inclusion education, and desist from discriminating and stigmatizing the deaf-anddumb learners.