The Problems and Solution Efforts of the Resource Room Application Designed for the Mainstreamed Primary School Aged Hearing Impaired Students

Abstract

The main purpose of this action research was to examine the process of the resource room (RR) application designed for the mainstreamed primary school aged student with hearing impaired (SHI). The participants were three mainstreamed fourth grade SHI, the researchers as the teacher of the RR, advisor of this thesis project, the expert of education of HI education teachers. The advisor and the expert secured the trustworthiness of the research. The regular education teachers contributed the research efforts when requested. The data were collected cyclically through videotaping actual classroom interactions, audio taping the trustworthiness meetings, writing the meeting reports, lesson plans and reflective research journals, the students’ artifacts and the documents. The problems and solution attempts faced during the implementation phases of the RR were described by utilizing various data collection and analysis techniques. The compiled data were critically analyzed by the trustworthiness committee and the researcher during and after the research effort. The activities implemented in the RR were designed concerning the principles of effective RR programs suggested by the literature. The implementations included the areas of Turkish Language Art, Science, Social Study and Mathematics. Although various problems occurred before and during the implementation process, this RR education effort conducted based on the action research methodology created positive changes in the students. The students were observed demonstrating improvements in their academic, communicative and social skills. The research findings can be useful for developing overview for the future RR programs for SHI in Turkey and abroad.