The inclusion of deaf children in Malaysian primary schools : experiences of parents, staff members and children

This thesis reports on a study carried out in Malaysia, my home country. The Malaysian government supports the inclusion of children with disabilities in education in line with United Nations initiatives, however the main focus so far has been on children with physical and learning disabilities. This study focuses on the inclusion of deaf children, where improved access to hearing aids, including cochlear implants, has led to more deaf children developing spoken language and being included in mainstream classrooms. Little is known in low and middle-income countries about the status and development of inclusive education in primary schools for deaf children, their parents and the education stakeholders involved. The Malaysian context provides a particularly interesting case study because of the rapid increase in the availability of technology which is enabling the inclusion of larger numbers of deaf children in mainstream schools.