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Approaches to studying in people with hearing loss
1Department of Human Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK.
Background:
There has been little research on the experiences of students with hearing loss in higher education. It has, however, been suggested that children with hearing loss adopt different strategies and styles and that this leads to differences in their academic performance.
Aims:
This investigation compared students in higher education with and without hearing loss in terms of their approaches to studying.
Samples:
We compared 382 students with hearing loss taking courses by distance learning with the Open University and a comparison group of 190 students taking the same courses with no declared form of disablement.
Methods:
A questionnaire containing a shortened and adapted version of the Approaches to Studying Inventory was distributed in a postal survey.
Results:
Students with postvocational hearing loss obtained higher scores than the comparison group on deep approach, and those with postvocational deafness also obtained higher scores on the use of evidence and logic. Students with prevocational deafness obtained higher scores on reproducing orientation than the comparison group, and in particular on improvidence. All of the subgroups of students with hearing loss obtained higher scores than the comparison group on fear of failure.
Conclusions:
The impact of hearing loss on cognitive aspects of studying appears to be relatively slight. Future research might focus instead upon its affective consequences and its effects upon a student's self-concept.