EFFECT OF LIST LENGTH AND WORD FREQUENCY ON CUED RECALL AMONG BLIND, DEAF AND NORMAL STUDENTS

Abstract

This study compared the effect of list length and word frequency on cued recall among blind, deaf and normal students. Thirteen blind, deaf and normal students each were conveniently drawn from Aboh Boys Secondary School, Aboh Mbaise, School for the Deaf, Ofekata Orodo, and Rochas Foundation College, Owerri, all in Imo State, Nigeria. The participants who were in SS 1 to SS 3 were between the ages of 17 – 25 years with a mean age of 20.90. A 2 X 2 factorial design was employed while one-way ANOVA and One-Way MANOVA were used for data analyses. Findings showed that normal students performed better in cued recall rate, list length cued recall and word frequency cued recall than their deaf and blind counterparts. The study recommends that since the visual and auditory senses affect cognitive abilities, visually impaired and deaf students should be recognized as disadvantaged and should be given more special treatment both in educational and non educational settings. In so doing, the disabled will gain more access to better education and lead better lives.