Abstract:
Identity construction and how individuals decide to navigate or portray themselves play
an essential role in their communication with other individuals. The hearing impaired
population is one group that encounters challenges when it comes to their identity
construction in a hearing-dominant environment. This study as a result, seeks to
examine the identity construction of students with hearing impairment in relation to
their everyday interaction on a university campus (University of Education, Winneba).
In this phenomenological study, the researcher purposively selects seven students with
hearing impairment from the Special Education Department. With the aid of the
Communication theory of identity, the Identity Negotiation theory and related reviewed
literature, the researcher examines the identity these students construct in their
communication with hearing peers and tutors. The study specifically explores the kinds
of identity the students construct, how they negotiate their identity and further identifies
the implication their identity has on Deaf or Hard of Hearing discourses. Through the
use of interviews and observations, findings reveal that these students construct the
Deaf, deaf and bicultural identities; however, the most domineering is the Deaf identity.
Although participants express the challenge in fitting in, which is a revelation of
identity gaps, they manage to negotiate their way through. Participants revealed that the
ultimate means to negotiate in the hearing-domineering environment was through
assertion of their identity using mindless behaviour, positive attitude, group association
and humour. In addition, participants’ everyday interaction and swing in identity, affirm
assertions in deaf discourses such as; the fluid nature of deaf identity, preference of
group associations by deaf persons and the stigmatisation and marginalisation of deaf
persons. The study concludes that students with hearing impairment construct diverse
deaf identities but in a hearing dominating environment, group association identity is
most preferred.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Communication Instruction,
School of Communication and Media Studies, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Communication Skills)
in the University of Education, Winneba.
NOVEMBER, 2022