[Educational audiology: joint consultation in special eduation]

The aim of this study was to determine the value of educational audiology in the in-service training of teachers of children with hearing loss, in the South African context. Two questionnaires were developed which teachers and headmasters of schools for the deaf/hard of hearing in the Gauteng and Northwest provinces completed. The aim of the first questionnaire was to obtain background information regarding the 10 schools included in this study. The purpose of the second questionnaire was to determine the knowledge of 211 teachers regarding the child with a hearing loss. The background information obtained from the first questionnaire made it possible for the researchers to compare the knowledge of two different groups of teachers on the basis of in-service training. The results indicated definite limitations in the knowledge of the teachers, which must be viewed in light of the specific audiological needs of the child with a hearing loss, who may thus not fulfill his/her potential in the school setting. In spite of in-service training there was no significant difference between the two groups of teachers, which questions the value of existing training.