EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION LITERACY INTERVENTION (CLI) ON SIGN LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE (SLK) AMONG SPECIAL NEEDS DEAF AND DUMB COLLEGE STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

Authors

  • Cajetan Ikechukwu, Egbe (Ph.D) Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Author
  • Uchenna Cosmas, Ugwu (Ph.D) Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Author
  • Oluwatoyin Tolu, Obateru (Ph.D) Department of Educational Foundation, Faculty of Education, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61841/1g3gvt51

Keywords:

sign language, CLI, knowledge, effect, SNDDCS

Abstract

Communication is indispensable in human populations. This study investigated the effect of communication literacy intervention (CLI) on sign language knowledge (SLK) among special needs deaf and dumb college students (SNDDCS) in Nigeria. The study adopted an experimental research design, using purposive sampling of 48 SNDDCS in Nigeria between March and June 2021. The eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment (n=24) or control (n=24) group. Only the participants in the treatment group were exposed to the CLI manual, while both groups participated in pre- and post-test measures using the Sign Language Knowledge Questionnaire (SLKQ), which had a reliability index of r=0.87. IBM SPSS version 22 was used for all statistical computations, with results considered significant at p≥0.05.

The findings showed that participants in the treatment group recorded very high SLK scores in the post-test (80.6%) and follow-up (81.7%) measures, compared to their low pre-test SLK score (46.2%), indicating a significant increase in SLK. Statistically significant differences were observed within demographic variables and intervals. No significant differences were found based on gender (p=0.090>0.05) and location (p=0.680>0.05), but differences were observed based on age by birth (p=0.002<0.05) and school type (p=0.011<0.05). Significant differences were also observed between pre-test (p=0.001<0.05) and follow-up (p=0.010<0.05) intervals, but none was recorded for the post-test measure (p=0.061>0.05).

Therefore, the study concludes that CLI has a significant effect on SLK among SNDDCS in Nigeria. The adoption of language interventions like CLI in special needs colleges is crucial for improving the knowledge and use of sign language by deaf and dumb students.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Boppana, L., Ahamed, R., Rane, H. & Kodali, R.K. (2019). Assistive Sign Language

Converter for Deaf and Dumb. 2019 International conference on Internet of Things

(iThings) and IEEE Green Computing and Communication (GreenCom) and IEEE

cyber, Physical and Social Computing (CPSCom) and IEEE Smart Data (SmartData)

Atlanta, GA, USA.

2. Hosemann, J. & Steinbach, M. (2021). Atlas of Sign Language Structures, SIGN-HUB.

Retrieved 2021-01-13.

3. Eberhard, D.M., Simons, G.F., Fennig, C.D. (2021). Sign language", Ethnologue:

Languages of the World (24th ed.), SIL International, retrieved 10-08-2021.

4. Meir, I., Wendy, S., Carol, P. & Aronoff, M. (2010). Emerging Sign Languages. In:

Marc Marschark and Patricia Elizabeth Spencer (eds.): The Oxford Handbook of Deaf

Studies, Language, and Education, Vol. 2, pp. 267-280.

5. Wendy, S. & Diane, L. (2006). Sign Language and Linguistic Universals. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

6. What is Sign Language? Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 10

August, 2021.

7. Nora, G. (1985). Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language. Hereditary Deafness on

Martha's Vineyard.

8. Anna, M. (2006). Reading between the Signs. Intercultural Communication for Sign

Language Interpreters.

9. Igbokwe, C.C., Obande-Ogbuinya, N.E., Nwala, E.K., Ezugwu, A. U, & Ugwu, C.U.

(2020). Effect of Rational-Emotive Behavior Intervention on Managing Burnout

Symptoms among Postgraduate Students in Public Universities. Global Journal of

Health Science, 12(9), 38-43.

10. Ofuebe, J.I., Ugwu, C.U., Ugwu, F.N. & Dibia, S.I.C. (2021). Effect of

Rational-Emotive Distress Management Progam on Occupational-Induced Emotional Distress among Teachers of Special Need Children in Nigeria. International Journal

of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 25(3), 67-76.

11. Ugwu, U.C., Boniface, M., Ofuebe, J.I., Ogbuabor, S.E., & Ogidi, C.I. (2021). Effect

of Rational-Emotive Burnout Management Programme on Occupational Burnout

among Health and Physical Education College Teachers in Nigeria. International

Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 25(1), 575-582. DOI:

10.37200/IJPR/V25I1/PR310046.

12. Ugwoke, S.C., Eseadi, C., Igbokwe, C.C., et al. (2017). Effects of a rational-emotive

health education intervention on stress management and irrational beliefs among

technical college teachers in Southeast Nigeria. Medicine, 96, e7658.

13. Ogbuanya, T. C., Eseadi, C., Orji, C.T., et al. (2018). Effect of rational-emotive

behavior therapy program on the symptoms of burnout syndrome among

undergraduate electronics work students in Nigeria. Psychol Reports,

33294117748587: 10.1177/0033294117748587.

14. Ezenwaji, I. O., Eseadi, C., Ugwoke, S. C., Vita-Agundu, U. C., Edikpa, E., Okeke, F.

C., Nwafor, B. N. (2019). A group-focused rational emotive behavior coaching for

management of academic burnout among undergraduate students: Implications for

school administrators. Medicine, 98, 30(e16352).

15. I.B.M. Corp. (2013). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 22. Armonk, NY: IBM

Corp.

16. World Medical Association. (2013). Declaration of Helsinki Ethical Principles for

Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. JAMA, 310, 2191-2194.

Downloads

Published

30.06.2021

How to Cite

Ikechukwu, Egbe (Ph.D), C., Cosmas, Ugwu (Ph.D), U., & Tolu, Obateru (Ph.D), O. (2021). EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION LITERACY INTERVENTION (CLI) ON SIGN LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE (SLK) AMONG SPECIAL NEEDS DEAF AND DUMB COLLEGE STUDENTS IN NIGERIA. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 25(3), 415-422. https://doi.org/10.61841/1g3gvt51