Accessibility of HIV and AIDS Related Information among People with Hearing Impairments in Marondera District PeriUrban Colleges
Gift Rupande1, Petience Rupande2
Citation : Gift Rupande, Petience Rupande, Accessibility of HIV and AIDS Related Information among People with Hearing Impairments in Marondera District PeriUrban Colleges International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research 2015 , 3(9) : 42-75
This research study sought to analyse accessibility of HIV and AIDS related information among people with hearing impairments in Marondera District peri-urban colleges. In this study, 54 subjects, comprising of 24 lecturers and 30 learners were used. Questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion were used as instruments and the research design used was the descriptive survey. The data collected was presented in table format and simple calculations of percentages were done. The study revealed that HIV and AIDS education was taught to hearing impaired learners in colleges to ensure that they accessed information on HIV and AIDS. Furthermore, the study revealed that all the colleges under study had an Anti-AIDS club in place considering that out of the 24 lecturers, 23 said they had an Anti-HIV and AIDS club. The club was another way through which hearing impaired learners accessed information on HIV and AIDS. Nonetheless, most of the learners said that they were not able to benefit from the club due to communication problems as colleges lack interpreter officers. The study discovered that there were a number of factors hindering the hearing impaired from accessing information on HIV and AIDS in colleges. These included: low reading levels by learners, lack of reading books in sign language, lack of training for teaching HIV and AIDS education and negative reaction of learners to sex and HIV and AIDS topics. Lecturers also faced challenges such as accusation that they promoted promiscuity among learners by teaching sex and HIV and AIDS education. Finally, the researcher recommends that he Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education should embark on printing materials in sign language if the lecturers who are hearing impaired are to realize the full potential and access to information on HIV and AIDS, should also ensure that each college had a sign language interpreter. The colleges should initiate and intensify the formation of HIV and AIDS education peer groups through provision of the necessary materials on HIV and AIDS in colleges as most of the learners are free to have discussions within their age groups.