The Impact of Assistive Technology on the Academic Achievement of Hearing-Impairment Students in Special High Schools in Cambodia

Abstract

Background: Although Cambodia has ratified international disability conventions and made policy promises, hearing-impaired students continue to experience hindrances in accessing education, as only 10% of people with disabilities in Cambodia have continuous access to assistive technologies (AT). Purpose: An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted in order to assess the effect of AT on academic performance of hearing-impaired students in special high schools in Cambodia. Research questions: Four questions were asked for this purpose: The available type(s) of AT and their usage; The impact of AT on academic achievement; The impact of AT on class participation; and Difficulties associated with its implementation. Methodology: The first phase involved giving questionnaires to 70 hearing impaired children from three different places (Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Kampong Cham). The second phase involved giving interviews (15) and conducting classroom observation (12). Findings: In quantitative analyses, there was clear technological stratification: hearing aids were highly available (89%), frequently used (76%, average 4.1), whereas digital AT was barely available (47%-61%), rarely used (31%-43%, average 2.3-2.8). The correlation between frequency of AT use and achievement was moderately high (r = 0.52); 68% of participants reported that their grades had improved because of AT. Participation yielded the highest ratings (average composite 3.5, 64% positive). However, in qualitative analysis, significant contingencies came to light: digital AT faced problems of inadequate ratio devices per students, language incompatibility (Khmer language only), and lack of teachers’ training. The study described “accommodation paradox” (unequal AT access but equal grading standards) and “participation-visibility paradox” (AT enables participation but marks its users socially). Implementation-related obstacles were prominent; issues of power/infrastructure (M = 4.3, 86%) and teachers’ skill gap (M = 4.1, 79%) were the most common obstacles, which negatively correlated with participation (r = -0.47). Implications: Results point to the need for an ecological approach. Keywords: Assistive Technology; Hearing Impairment; Special Education; Academic Achievement; Inclusive Education