Intelligent Learning Systems for Inclusive Education in Ghana: Towards an Effective Engagement with Hard of Hearing Students

This research attempts to address some challenges faced when facilitating an inclusive classroom experience for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students (D/HH) in Ghanaian schools and universities by proposing an intelligent learning system. Hence, this research contributes an Intelligent and Inclusive Learning System (IILS) with two main components: signWithMe subsystem and audio-visual transcription system (AVTS) subsystem.The signWithMe subsystem presents a Ghanaian sign language learning management system (LMS) that is motivated by the limited sign language literacy in Ghana. This subsystem consists of a sign language dictionary, an E-resource, an E-forum, and an E-payment system. It supports inclusive learning of the Ghanaian sign language for both Deaf and Non-Deaf students to interact with the system. This ensures improved diversity and inclusion in our Ghanaian society. Also, the AVTS focuses on improving the teaching and learning experience of Deaf students in Ghanaian schools. The AVTS contributes a novel artificial intelligence approach that uses a counter-checking of Google speech-to-text and lip-reading-to-text transcriptions of the Ghanaian sign language in inclusive university lectures. These two subsystems provide services in line with the mandate of the tenth and fourth Sustainable Development Goal (S.D.G.) of “Reduced Inequality” and “Quality Education” respectively.Finally, the IILS was analysed per the two main components (i.e., signWithMe and AVTS) and are considered to have high level of usability by 20 Deaf and 5 Non-Deaf users.