Nasim Banu Khan

Background: Ensuring students who are deaf/Deaf (d/Deaf) or hard of hearing (d/DHH) have access to higher education goes beyond legal compliance but reflects an institution’s commitment to creating educational environments where all learners can fully participate and develop. Objectives: This study explored instructional, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing adjustment to the learning environment among d/DHH students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Method: A qualitative design was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 10 purposively sampled d/DHH students across four UKZN campuses (Westville, Pietermaritzburg, Howard College, and Edgewood). UKZN, one of South Africa’s largest and most diverse universities, is recognised internationally for its focus on inclusive education and transformation. Results: Thematic analysis revealed eleven themes, including disclosure of disability, interpreter accessibility, classroom acoustics, and attitudinal barriers. Disclosure was vital for accessing support services, while interpreters were key enablers of participation, though mainly available during lectures. Poor classroom acoustics, lighting, noise, and rapid speech negatively affected interpretation. Attitudinal barriers, limited awareness of Deaf culture among peers, and inflexible teaching practices contributed to alienation and isolation. Nonetheless, supportive lecturers and peers facilitated better adjustment, highlighting the role of inclusive behaviours in enhancing learning experiences. Conclusion: While positive examples of accommodation were noted, significant challenges remain. The findings suggest the need for comprehensive strategies, including awareness, staff training, improved infrastructure, accessible technology, and strengthened disability support units, to foster inclusive environments that promote full participation of d/DHH students in higher education. Contribution: Addressing instructional, psychosocial and environmental barriers is essential for ensuring equitable access to higher education and academic success for d/DHH students. By examining the lived experiences of these students, this study provides valuable insights to inform more effective and inclusive institutional strategies.

Background: Targeted new-born hearing screening, based on high risk factors is recommended in the absence of universal new-born hearing screening in resource-constrained settings. The relevance of risk factors listed in the guidelines of high-income countries and used by low-middle income countries remains relatively unknown. Risk factors consistent with the epidemiological profile, evolution of risks and disease burden in these countries need to be considered. Objectives: This study aimed to profile the frequency of risk factors and their manifestation in hearing outcomes of young children in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Method: A chart review of N = 1433 patients’ archival audiology records was conducted, conveniently sampled from a single tertiary hospital (n = 351), a provincial assessment and therapy centre (n = 649), a university clinic (n = 291), and two schools for the deaf (n = 142). Results: Overall, 56% of the participants presented with either a conductive, sensorineural or a mixed hearing loss; 62% of the children had between 1 and 2 risk factors present (Mean [M] = 1.1; standard deviation [s.d.] = 0.98). Admission to neonatal intensive care unit, maternal infections, bacterial and viral infections and chemotherapy, from the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing list of high risk factors were significantly associated with hearing loss (p < 0.05). Known non-JCIH risks, emerging risks and other statistically significant contextually relevant risk factors were also noted. Conclusion: Understanding the profile of high risk factors in a given context has implications for prevention, early hearing identification and intervention services. Contribution: Targeted new-born hearing screening needs to be based on risk factors that are contextually relevant. This study is one of the first profiling high risk factors for hearing loss in children in KZN, the province with the second highest population in South Africa.

Background: The use of face masks and/or shields can pose a challenge during communication. They block facial expressions thus removing visual cues and affect sound transmission making it difficult to hear speech clearly. Given the widespread use of face coverings, it seems reasonable to clarify if communication in typical speakers and listeners has significantly differed. Health science students as future practitioners need to understand challenges that arise from using face coverings. Objective: This study aimed to determine health sciences students' perception of the communicative impacts of face coverings. Method: The study employed a descriptive, self-administered online survey, obtaining information from 96 health science undergraduate students. Results: All participants changed their manner of speaking in that they spoke louder when wearing masks and focused more on eye contact when someone was wearing masks. These were statistically significant (p = 0.450 and p = 0.035 respectively). Fifty-three percent reported using more listening effort and feeling anxious when communicating. Approximately 33% indicated that it was challenging to read emotions, such as sad or unhappy, when someone wore a mask. Most, 61%, were positive or very positive about wearing masks. The level of difficulty differed depending on the listening environment. It was harder to understand the doctor, nurse, or other healthcare workers when they wore face coverings than when listening to their friends and family, which had little effect, this being statistically significant (p = 0.025). Conclusion: Challenges envisaged in practice included frequent communication breakdowns, inability to connect and build trust between patient and practitioner, and communicating in noisy environments. Coping strategies, future clinical and research implications were proposed, and limitations acknowledged.

The South African Journal of Communication Disorders (SAJCD) publishes reports and papers concerned with research, and critically evaluative theoretical, philosophical and conceptual issues dealing with aspects of human communication and its disorders, dysphagia, service provision, training and policy.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher education institutions to rethink delivery of education. Blended learning (BL), particularly online/eLearning, has become the life support for continued education. BL is a pedagogical approach that combines online asynchronous and/or synchronous and face-to-face (F2F) interaction between lecturers and students, enabling learning to occur independently of time or place. Perceptions and attitudes of students towards BL are important predictors of success. Objective. To determine the attitudes and perceptions of audiology and speech-language pathology students towards BL at the University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa. Methods. A descriptive survey design with quantitative methods of analysis was used. Eighty-six participants completed an online questionnaire through Google forms. The tool demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach α score of 0.82. Results. Most participants agreed that combining traditional and eLearning – BL – improves learning skills and enables more student involvement in learning. Comparisons between attitudes and year of study yielded a statistically significant association, with senior students having a more positive attitude towards BL than second-year students (p=0.003). Attitudes between male and female participants were generally similar; however, females felt that BL helped them to understand lecture material better and to increase interaction (statistically significant; p=0.021). While 93% perceived the online platform, Moodle, which is used by UKZN, as being useful, only 51% indicated that it improved efficiency of learning to a great extent. Conclusion. Despite the challenges around connectivity, computer illiteracy, system and technical problems, students concluded that BL enhanced the learning experience and fostered a student-centred approach to teaching and learning.

The South African Journal of Communication Disorders (SAJCD) publishes reports and papers concerned with research, and critically evaluative theoretical, philosophical and conceptual issues dealing with aspects of human communication and its disorders, dysphagia, service provision, training and policy.

The South African Journal of Communication Disorders (SAJCD) publishes reports and papers concerned with research, and critically evaluative theoretical, philosophical and conceptual issues dealing with aspects of human communication and its disorders, dysphagia, service provision, training and policy.

The African Journal of Primary Health & Family Medicine welcomes submissions that encourage scholarly exchange between family medicine and primary health care researchers and practitioners across Africa and the developing world, whilst providing a contextual and holistic view of family medicine as practiced across the continent.

Self-ear cleaning is the insertion of objects into the ear canal to clean it, a widespread practice that has the potential to compromise its integrity as a natural, selfcleansing mechanism, and a risk factor for possible injuries. The practice is common among young adults and highest in university than any other graduates. This study aimed to determine the self-ear cleaning practices and associated risk of injury and related symptoms in undergraduate students at KwaZulu-Natal University. The descriptive survey utilized a self-administered questionnaire. Of the 206 participants that responded, 98% engaged in self-ear cleaning, with 75% indicating that it was beneficial. The commonest method (79.6%) being the use of cotton buds, with an associated injury rate of 2.4%. There was no statistically significant associations between those who used or did not use cotton buds and the symptoms experienced. The complications indicate that self-ear cleaning does pose a risk for injury, necessitating more community information and education.