European Journal of Special Education Research

ISSN: 2501 - 2428

ISSN-L: 2501 - 2428
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu

DOI: 10.46827/ejse.v9i3.5068 Volume 9 │ Issue 3 │ 2023

COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING ON LANGUAGE

WRITING SKILLS AMONG LEARNERS WITH HEARING
IMPAIRMENTS IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA

Veronicah Wambui Wangui1i,

Francis Muriithi2,
Mathew Karia3
Masters’ Student,
1

Department of Early Childhood

and Special Needs Education,
Kenyatta University,
Kenya
2,3Dr., Lecturer,

Department of Early Childhood

and Special Needs Education,
Kenyatta University,
Kenya

Abstract:
The paper presents some of the key findings of a study that explored computer assisted
learning on language writing skills among learners with hearing impairments in Kiambu
County, Kenya. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design consisting of 19
respondents who were learners with hearing impairments. These were from two learners
were purposively sampled. The study adopted the cognitive theory of multimedia
learning by Mayer. Data was collected using pre-test and post-test and a computer
application ‘English Grammar Test’. The research data was analyzed using SPSS version
22 and primary data analyzed per objective. The findings on computer assisted learning
on language writing skills among learners with hearing impairments were reported. The
study findings showed that the learners’ language writing skills improved greatly at the
posttest affirming the effectiveness of computer assisted learning.

Keywords: computer assisted learning, language writing skills, learners with hearing
impairments

1. Introduction

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ascertains that

education is for all is a right and accessibility of it should be matched with its quality

i
Correspondence: email [email protected]

Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. 138

 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

(UNESCO, 2016). Ministry of Education in Kenya states that there are four English
language skills which include listening, speaking, reading, and writing (MoE, 2020).
Writing is the structure of written symbols, expressing the sounds, syllables, or words of
the language, using a number of mechanisms such as the use of capital letters, spelling,
punctuation, word form, and function (Wengelin & Arfé, 2017). Alghammas (2020) states
that learners should develop the art of good writing which is important for them to outdo
in both academic and professional levels. All learners are required to have good writing
skills so as to be employable and as a part of educational requirements.
Computer assisted learning is categorized as learning through computers.
Computer assisted learning is used as a form of presenting information, testing,
evaluating, and providing feedback using computers. It nurtures creativity and problem-
solving skills leading to independence among the learners (Şeker & Kartal, 2017).
Some learners with hearing find it hard to learn the art of writing. According to
Ching, Dillon, Leigh & Cupples (2018), learners with hearing impairments have shown
more difficulties in developing writing skills. Due to their auditory limitation, learners
with hearing impairments find difficulties in accessing and learning English syntax and
morphology, and thus problems are revealed by the many errors in the sentences. In
addition, educators of these learners choose to embrace approaches limited to writing at
the sentence level, learners with hearing impairments write work albeit correctly, may
disinterest the reader, and lack cohesion and informativity (Dostal & Wolbers, 2016).
In Kenya, learners with hearing impairments do not excel academically despite
many curriculum adaptations in place. This is in contrast with hearing learners of the
same age and academic level. This is manifested in nearly all the subjects examined by
Kenya National Examination Council (Adoyo, 2019). From the various studies, computer
assisted learning has been tested and proven effective in improving English language
skills and other subjects among hearing learners. This brings about the question; what
can be done to improve the writing skills of learners with hearing impairments in Kenya?
This created a need for this research to explore the effectiveness of computer assisted
learning on the language writing skills of learners with hearing impairments.

2. Literature Review

The majority of Kenyan students with hearing impairments appear to exit school without
having achieved the necessary literacy levels for a smooth transition to life after school
(Adoyo, 2019). Adoyo goes on to add that Kenya started teaching pupils with hearing
impairments decades ago and has not made the expected progress in this area. According
to Cupples, Ching, Button, Leigh, Marnane, Whitfield, and Martin (2018), there are
various support paradigms that can be used to help students who have hearing
impairments acquire language skills. Language acquisition for learners with hearing
impairments is dependent on a number of variables, including the learner's age, the
teacher's teaching style, the school's physical setting, and the support being provided.

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

Computer assisted learning has been cited as the best technique for enhancing the
learning process through interactions and engagement. Each of the many shapes that
computer assisted learning might take is intended to engage students. More frequently
than not, students are more likely to respond favorably to these innovative and engaging
methods of learning than they are to traditional classroom education (Haseski, 2020).
A study by Adejumo, Abioye, and Tar (2016) among hearing secondary students
in Nigeria showed that for one to successfully acquire a second or foreign language, the
choice of a learning strategy that is effective is important. Hence, computer assisted
learning resources can be adopted to facilitate the learning process of developing writing
skills. The study further asserts that computer assisted learning, similar to other
instructive software has the possibility to aid, hasten, stimulate, and develop language
learning skills. Findings of this study conducted in Nigeria among hearing secondary
learners will be compared to the current study which was conducted in Kenya among
secondary school learners with hearing impairments.
Jarata (2015) research on 30 students in their first year at Don Mariano State
University in Philippines found that the use of computer assisted learning had greatly
impacted the results of the learners. This is because the learners had changed their
attitudes towards language learning. The findings showed students positively learned
language using computers and this helped to improve the language performance of the
learners with a mean difference of 8.0 in the pretest and posttest. The current study was
carried out on 19 learners with hearing impairments in secondary school in Kenya.
Research conducted by Abhijit et al. (2005) on the effectiveness of using computer
assisted learning, where they taught mathematics skills to hear learners in grade four in
urban settings in India using computer assisted learning found it effective in improving
performance. This was after it was identified that most of the primary school learners
indicated low levels of performance even for those who attended school regularly for
many years. The current study tried to fill the gaps in that the study was conducted in
Kenya, on learners with hearing impairments who were in high school and focused on
improving their writing skills. In addition, the study above was conducted in 2005 while
the current study was conducted in 2021 where there have been notable technological
advances.

3. Methods

The study adopted a single-subject quasi-experimental design. The researcher used the
quasi-experimental design to collect quantitative data through the pretest and posttest
(White, & Sabarwal, 2014). Comparison was made on the results of pretest and posttest
after giving the treatment using computer assisted learning to determine the effectiveness
of the treatment. The posttest was administered after 12 weeks since the learners were
familiar with the ‘English Grammar Test’ application.
The locale of the study was Kambui Secondary School for the Hearing Impaired
in Kiambu County, Kenya. The school was ideal for the research study because in 2020,

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

a Community Based Organization called Githunguri Youth United was contracted to

teach the learners on basic computer skills and packages and these skills were useful to
the researcher on the usage of computer assisted learning to improve their writing skills.
The school also had a well-established computer lab as compared to other schools for
learners with hearing impairments in the different counties. The researcher aimed to
utilize those basic computer skills in the study to enhance the learner’s writing skills.
The study targeted learners with hearing impairments in Kambui secondary
school for the hearing impaired. The learners were taught the writing skills from form
one to form four. The total number of learners with hearing impairments in the school
were 83 where male was 42 and female were 31. The reasearcher purposively sampled all
form two learners because this is the level where the learners develop their writing skills
and seek proficiency. In the Kenyan syllabi, learners are introduced to concepts in form
one, and in form two, the learners are led to develop these skills in-depth.
The total number of form two learners was 19, 11 of these were male while 8 were
female.

Table 2.1: Sampling grid

Female Male Total
Target population 41 42 83
Sample size 8 11 19

3.1 Logistical and Ethical Considerations

An authorization letter was sought from Kenyatta University, and Kenyatta University
Ethical Committee since the researcher was dealing with children. Next, the researcher
sought authorization from National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation
(NACOSTI) after approval of the proposal by the Graduate school. Secondly, the
researcher proceeded to notify the County Commissioner of Kiambu County and County
Director of Education Kiambu of the proposed research. Lastly, contact was made with
the principals of the schools to discuss the need for the study. Parental consent was
sought for the learners in the sample population.

3.2 Data Collection Techniques

With the help of the school principal, the researcher was allocated two English lessons
per week, 35 minutes each, for a period of 12 weeks, for the form two class in the school
timetable. The researcher worked closely with the English teacher in form two, to
compliment what was taught in class and the learners did not grasp the content. A pre-
test was given after one week before the initiation of the treatment. The researcher
introduced the use of ‘English Grammar Test’ application to the learners which was the
mode of learning that was used to complement what had been taught in class. Sign
language was used as a medium of teaching because both the researcher and the learners
were conversant. At the end of the 12 weeks, the researcher administered a post-test that
helped to compare the results before and after the treatment.

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

3.3 Data Analysis

The data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 program generally used for social science
studies. The data from the pretest and posttest was used analyze the objectives. Data was
presented in form of tables. The findings led to conclusions and recommendations.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1 Effect of Computer Assisted Learning on Learners’ English Writing Skills

The study sought to analyze the effects of computer assisted learning on learners’
language writing skills. The researcher administered a pretest before introducing the
treatment. The pretest was marked out of 50 marks and the results analyzed as follows:

Table 4.1: Learners pretest scores

Learner Gender Age Pretest % total
A M 14 5 10
B F 17 11 22
C M 20 30 60
D M 17 1 2
E F 22 41 82
F F 16 18 36
G M 15 9 18
H M 16 24 48
I F 17 34 68
J M 19 16 32
K M 24 26 52
L F 18 2 4
M F 15 8 16
N M 16 24 48
O M 17 12 24
P F 18 21 42
Q M 15 15 30
R F 23 26 52
S M 16 20 40

In many countries including Afghanistan, Egypt, Honduras, Japan, and Kenya, 40% is
considered as pass mark at high school and college levels (Kleinman, Leidman, &
Longcore, 2018). In this study, above 40% was also considered as the pass mark. From
this pretest, most of the students scored 40% and below representing 11(57.9%) of the
learners while the rest 8(42.1%) scored above 40% in the test.
After the pretest, learners were taught English writing skills using computer
assisted learning for 12 weeks with the utilization of an application called ‘English
Grammar Test’. The application allowed them to choose areas of difficulty that required
more in-depth teaching. To establish the effect of computer assisted learning on learners’
English writing skills, a post-test was administered after 12 weeks which was similar to
the pre-test and tested on writing skills of learners after they were exposed to computer

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

assisted learning. The scoring procedure of the post-test was like a pre-test and the results
were analyzed as shown below.

Table 4.2: Learners’ performance in post-test

Learner Gender Age Posttest % total
A M 14 17 34
B F 17 25 50
C M 20 34 68
D M 17 6 12
E F 22 44 88
F F 16 35 70
G M 15 24 48
H M 16 35 70
I F 17 42 84
J M 19 33 66
K M 24 36 72
L F 18 9 18
M F 15 14 28
N M 16 34 68
O M 17 17 34
P F 18 35 70
Q M 15 31 62
R F 23 30 60
S M 16 23 46

From the analysis of the post-test, all learners had a positive increment from the scores of
the pretest. The results show that the majority of the students 14(73.69%) scored above
40% which was the pass mark while those who scored below 40% were 5(26.31%)
learners.
The analysis of the pretest and posttest are presented in Table 4.3 as follows:

Table 4.3: Analysis of pretest and posttest results

Statistics
Pretest Posttest
Valid (n) 19 19
Missing (n) 0 0
Mean 18.05 27.58
Standard deviation 10.695 11.95

From the analysis in Table 4.3, after the administration of the pretest, the learner’s scores
improved greatly from a mean of 18.05 with a standard deviation of 10.695 to 27.58 with
a standard deviation of 11.95.
The improvement in English writing skills among learners with hearing
impairments in form two after administration of the posttest revealed the effectiveness
of using computer assisted learning in language writing skills among learners with
hearing impairments. The findings of this study are in line with studies from various

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

research included in the literature review. The findings of this study complement a study
by Adejumo, Abioye & Tar (2016) on the adoption of computer assisted language
learning software which asserts that computer assisted learning, similar to other
instructive software has the possibility to aid, hasten, stimulate, and develop language
skills.

5. Recommendations

Due to the limitation in scope of the current research study, the researchers were unable
to carry out extensive research on learners with hearing impairments. Therefore, as one
of the key recommendations, research is to be conducted on the effectiveness of using
computer assisted learning in teaching other subjects among learners with hearing
impairments. The study also recommends that similar studies be undertaken in other
locations to provide comparative data on the effect of computer assisted learning on
learners with hearing impairments performance. Lastly, there is a need for research on
the effect of computer assisted learning on English writing skills targeting learners with
different impairments such as visual and physical impairments.

6. Conclusion

Logical inference can be made based on the findings that computer assisted learning
improves English language writing skills among learners with hearing impairments.
Computer assisted learning is one of the tools that can be used to complement other
teaching strategies used to teach writing skills to learners with hearing impairments.

Acknowledgements
I am very grateful to my supervisors Dr. Francis Muriithi and Dr. Mathew Karia for their
guidance and informed contribution to this proposal and accomplishment of this work.
My classmates Betty, Sylvia, and Jackie for your support and encouragement in both
course work and finalization of this work. I would also like to thank Dr. Becky Isanda
and Mr. Timothy Shitagwa for their encouragement and support during this period.
Lastly, to all learners with hearing impairments from Kambui Secondary School for the
Hearing Impaired who wholeheartedly committed to participating in this study, I will
forever be in debt for this.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

About the Authors

Wangui, Veronicah Wambui is a master’s student in the Department of Early Childhood
& Special Needs Education at Kenyatta University, Kenya. She is specialized in hearing

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

impairments. Research interests are in hearing impairments, assistive technology, and

inclusive education.
Muriithi, Francis Muriuki (PhD) is a Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood &
Special Needs Education (Audiology), Kenyatta University (Nairobi-Kenya). He teaches
in the area of hearing impairments.
Karia, Mathew Kinyua (PhD) is a Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood &
Special Needs Education (Speech & Language Pathology Program), Kenyatta University
(Nairobi-Kenya). He teaches in the area of Speech and Language Pathology.

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DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

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 Veronicah Wambui Wangui, Francis Muriithi, Mathew Karia
DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE USABILITY, METHODS, AND CHALLENGES IN THE PAST DECADE

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