Deafness Research Research Articles

Ethics of research engagement with Deaf people. A qualitative evidence synthesis.

In this article, we explore ethical issues of Deaf people's engagement in research. To focus on the perspectives of Deaf people, we investigated existing qualitative and mixed methods research within a qualitative evidence synthesis. Our synthesis is based on a systematic database search (Scopus, PubMed) and reference check of included papers which resulted in 27 eligible papers. We analyzed the data using thematic synthesis and developed 5 analytical themes. The results present research as a struggle for Deaf people and emphasize the need for changes regarding recognition of Deaf research in a cross-cultural context, maintaining equal and partner relations, and provision of accessible communication. Our research contributes to understanding what the ethical inclusion of Deaf people in research implies. It may also support the development of evidence-based normative recommendations and scientific cooperation between Deaf and hearing people.

A deaf-centred art-science approach to community engagement with sign language technologies

Sign Language Machine Translation (SLMT) is an emerging technology that will primarily impact deaf and hard of hearing communities. Historically, these technologies have been developed by hearing scientists, without input from deaf researchers or community representatives. SignON was a three-year project exploring the application of SLMT, and using a co-creation approach which was led by the European Union of the Deaf. Here we describe an art-science method to engage deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing audiences with SLMT through theatre and performance. We also reflect on the insights, perspectives, and feedback shared by audience members.

A deaf researcher in an Indian and Norwegian context – an autoethnographic journey

By taking an autoethnographic approach I intend to explore my epistemological and ontological experiences as a deaf Norwegian PhD candidate on a data collection journey in an Indian context. The aim of this article is to delve into challenges in a research process with a complex and multilinguistic environment, with barriers occurring, and how they could be understood and met. I identify and discuss barriers and possibilities in my research journey, describe how I faced challenges with gaining access to the field, and with recruitment issues, and share my process of finding solutions regarding communication. The autoethnographic analysis reveals a complex research situation with dynamic relationships and displays intersectionality in action. This analysis illuminates how knowledge production is linked to epistemological and ontological concerns. The reflexivity of the researcher is crucial, but the power of definition is also of interest and points to my shifting positionality as a deaf researcher.

Attitudes and experiences regarding preventive strategies for the deaf population in Western New York.

People for whom English is a second language, such as the deaf population, often have unequal access to health information and low health literacy. In the context of a wider study on risk of tick-borne illness in deaf communities, we explored barriers, opportunities, and nuances to accessible health information and communication among deaf people. Semi-structured qualitative individual and group interviews were conducted with 40 deaf people in upstate New York, to explore factors associated with health literacy and health information accessibility. Interviews were conducted in American Sign Language (ASL) by a deaf researcher fluent in ASL. Data analysis included the translation of ASL signs into English words, systematic coding, and generation of themes. A total of 21 interview events (mean time per interview = 41 minutes) were conducted. Two main themes and multiple sub-themes emerged from the data: 1) Layers of obstacles faced by deaf people confirms (or reinforces) exclusion; and 2) preventive information is unavailable or inaccessible to deaf people. Sub- themes identified in the results were perceptions of the deaf community and deaf culture, complex layers of obstacles faced by deaf individuals, the digital divide, the culture of communication, awareness of tick and tick-borne disease (TBD) diseases, importance of using certified deaf interpreters (CDI), health information dissemination strategies and collaborations with the education system, and physical/virtual community engagement. The data suggested several challenges to health literacy in the deaf population, including healthcare and education inequalities and negative perceptions of deaf people by both deaf and hearing people. Improving health literacy in the deaf population requires more interpreters who themselves are deaf ("certified deaf interpreters"), provision of health information in ASL, and a greater engagement with the deaf population by education and healthcare systems.

“Nothing About Us Without Us.” The Storied Narratives of a Researcher with Hearing Impairment

The motivation for this study was the realization that the mantra: “nothing about us without us” is indeed a strong foundation for a better understanding of the learning experiences of learners with a hearing impairment. Therefore, analysing the lived experiences of a learner as an insider is a point of departure for the current research paper. The emphasis was to conduct a qualitative research study anchored on an interpretivist paradigm. The study adopted Sen’s Capabilities Approach in framing the lenses through which to view the phenomena under evaluation. The study analysed a journal paper about the reflections of a Deaf researcher who attended a mainstream school. The findings of the study suggested that the narratives of learners with hearing impairment seem to give a better perspective of their learning experiences. As such, hearing their stories can be used as the basis for the evaluation of teaching strategies on the one hand; and education policies that address their unique and diverse learning needs on the other. Keywords: Storied Narratives, Hearing Impairment, Special Educational Needs, Teaching Strategies, Content Analysis, South African Sign Language (SASL)

Vygotskian Perspectives in Deaf Education: An Introduction in Two Movements.

Vygotsky's (1993) Fundamentals of Defectology is a radical's handbook of deaf and disability studies. Vygotsky's overall research program views disabilities, including deafness, from an integrated biosocial and critical theory standpoint. In two movements, I introduce an American Annals of the Deaf Special Issue on Vygotskian perspectives in deaf education focused mainly on his Defectology volume. Movement One describes Vygotsky's life, research, death, and posthumous impact by situating his deaf pedagogy research as one node in a network of defectological pedology, translated as applied special educational psychology. Movement Two describes how Vygotsky's project has been extended, synthesized, and developed in modern and postmodern contexts of deaf education and disability studies. Throughout, I synthesize Vygotsky's claims and update his terms by juxtaposing them with contemporary terms and theories to provide sociohistorical context for the new scholarship comprising this Special Issue's unique contribution to Vygotskian deaf research.

Remarks on the medical and social models of research in deafness and language development

Research on deaf children’s language development has a long and complex history. Work is motivated by seemingly incompatible models of what deafness means. On the one hand, the dominant medical model documents hearing loss and spoken language deficits. Research contributes to continuing improvements in spoken language outcomes following neo-natal screening and early cochlear implants. On the other hand, the smaller number of researchers looking at deafness and language development in the social model have championed the diversity of deaf children, their rights to learn signed languages and be educated in bilingual schools. This paper covers a selection of research studies on deafness and language development coming from both the medical and social models.The main objective of the paper is to offer some remarks concerning a set of standpoints taken by researchers which require more careful discussion in order to further thefield. It concludes with a suggestion for how the two diverging models could convergemore. The proposal is to focus attention on the factors which lead to high quality earlycommunicative interactions rather than access to words or signs.

A study on the state of knowledge produced relative to technology and education of deaf students in Brazil from 1999 to 2018

This study is the result of a Masters Program research with the objective of presenting knowledge produced by Brazilian science on the education of the Deaf and its relations with the use of technology, as well as the paths, challenges and directions for what has still not been approached. In this sense, the main objective of this research is to reflect on the convergence between technology and the education of Deaf students through the analysis of dissertations and theses defended in the period from 1999 to 2018, available in the CAPES. To that effect, this investigation, predominantly qualitative, sought to collect data and information from the CAPES dissertations and theses database relative to research conducted on the convergence between areas of education of Deaf students and technology. The analysis and reflections made on the data collected revealed several trends, such as intensification of research relative to the investigative theme, based on the passing of the Brazilian Sign Language Act in 2002, the concentration of research projects in the Brazilian Southern and Southeastern regions, predominance of development of qualitative approach research, the arising and the importance of research developed by Deaf researchers.

Global Disability Justice In Climate Disasters: Mobilizing People With Disabilities As Change Agents.

Disabled people are highly susceptible to climate change impacts and disasters, yet they often remain sidelined or largely invisible. Policy makers, humanitarian agencies, and governments need to address the climate-related vulnerabilities that disabled people encounter during acute events and in the course of more creeping forms of climate change. As deaf researchers, we call for integrating disability justice into climate and disaster preparedness policies and practices worldwide. A disability justice approach can embrace the strengths that disabled people bring to disaster planning and climate mitigation and advocacy efforts. In this article we present case studies from different global regions to illustrate how disability is overlooked in responding to climate-related health impacts and disaster planning. We also draw particular attention to mutual aid networks led by disabled people in adapting to climate-related health impacts. We then suggest questions to help policy makers and practitioners integrate disability justice into their work. Above all, disabled people, organizations, and service providers should take ownership over the process of developing policies and actions to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to climate disasters.

Confronting Genetic Research and Genetic Counseling in Historical Deaf Research.

Confronting Genetic Research and Genetic Counseling in Historical Deaf Research.

The Issue of (non)integration of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People in Relation to Art and Exhibitions in Poland

From the perspective of a deaf researcher and observer of social and cultural life, the word 'integration' means a more specific utopia on the ground of Polish social and cultural reality in relation to groups of people with disabilities. Stereotypes resulting from the perception of people with disabilities strongly affect the perception of the deaf community and do not facilitate the organization of strictly cultural and artistic exhibitions in prestigious public places such as a museum. The article describes two very important groundbreaking exhibitions of the deaf community, without references to the stereotype of disability that justifies the strategy of heterogeneity in the art world.

Exploring the lived experiences of British Sign Language (BSL) users who access NHS adult hearing aid clinics: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Objective To explore the lived experiences of culturally Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users who access adult hearing aid services. Design Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in BSL by the Deaf researcher and analysed using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. Study sample Eight Deaf BSL expert informants who were experienced users of NHS adult hearing aid clinics. Results Participants expressed dissatisfaction about audiology staff's lack of Deaf awareness and did not feel valued as Deaf signers. Participants' motivations for hearing aid use primarily concerned audibility rather than speech. Mismatch of perspectives on ‘hearing’ between audiologists and Deaf patients are discussed in the context of culturally sensitive services. Inadequate or uncertain linguistic access during appointments is considered in light of patient agency. Conclusion This is the first study to explore culturally Deaf signers' specific experiences of adult hearing aid services in the UK and their experiences of hearing aids. There are numerous reasons why Deaf signers wear hearing aids, but access to spoken language is not a priority. Limited Deaf awareness and cultural competence in adult hearing aid services can result in patient frustration and disempowerment. Suggestions for improvement in the Deaf signing patient experience are offered.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

Evidence-Based Practices in Deaf Education: A Call to Center Research and Evaluation on the Experiences of Deaf People

The evidence base for educational interventions for deaf students has been, and continues to be, called into question due to a lack of “gold standard” research available to support it. Yet the paucity of research in deaf education is not only in the volume of research that meets rigorous standards but also in its lack of attention to and inclusion of a deaf-centered perspective on the inferences made about the strength of study findings in the field. This chapter uses a deaf-centered lens to examine what constitutes evidence, how it is gained, and how this information supports academic outcomes for this population. We include examples from the literature to examine implications for research personnel, study design, and accessible dissemination, with specific attention to both study sampling and measurement considerations. Considerations for deaf-centered research criteria include (a) integrating deaf researchers and epistemologies, (b) attending to the characteristics of deaf students, and (c) acknowledgment of root causes and systems factors. The recommendations in this chapter supplement the larger ongoing dialogue regarding the cultural responsiveness and representation of marginalized populations within the education research endeavor.

Spatial reasoning in mathematics: A cross-field perspective on deaf and general education research

ABSTRACT Spatial reasoning, recognised as playing a critical role across STEM disciplines, is gaining prominence in mathematics education, not only as fundamental to mathematics, but also as embodied mathematical activity. In this paper, we discuss spatial reasoning and its embodiment in mathematics. We then present a systematic review of the topics as researched and related to deaf and general education from 2010 to 2019. Publication trends during the ten years reveal similarities and differences across both fields. Based on the findings, we share insights, prospects, and provocations for promoting spatial reasoning in mathematics with an emphasis on research and pedagogy for deaf education.

North American coloniality and decoloniality: Transnational tensions in a Mexican deaf bilingual school

ABSTRACT Colonial and decolonial tensions manifested in a unique, Mexican school for the deaf that used Mexican Sign Language for instruction. (De)colonial tensions were inherent in the school’s work, from its non-Mexican, Foreign-origin school board to its child-of-deaf-adults principal’s vision. We observed the presence of a colonial legacy, decolonial aspirations, and (de)colonial sites of struggle; all of these worked in tension with histories of power, race, transnational gentrification, and Deafness. We conclude with implications for increased trans-disciplinarity between bilingual and deaf education research.

Epilogue: Chinese Literacy From a Deaf Lens.

To promote dialogue among literacy researchers from East and West along the "'Silk Road' to literacy" for Chinese d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) students (Andrews et al., 2021), this epilogue to an American Annals of the Deaf special issue on language development and literacy learning of d/Dhh students in Chinese communities poses questions and provides reflections from the perspective of the Chinese Deaf lens on the ideas in the six articles that make up the special issue. This perspective reframes literacy instruction toward an asset-based model that emphasizes visual sensory strengths, sign-to-print mapping strategies, and Deaf cultural capital. This special issue includes a tribute (Q. Wang et al., 2021) to the authors' late colleague Dr. Ye (Angel) Wang, who encouraged collaborative work with deaf and hearing literacy researchers employing different paradigms of literacy instruction.

Aesthetics, Culture, Power: Critical Deaf Pedagogy and ASL Video-publications as Resistance-to-Audism in Deaf Education and Research

From a critical pedagogy standpoint, we examined a multimodal and bilingual (American Sign Language and English) vlog titled “Seizing Academic Power.” The vlog (video-text) explores interactions of power and knowledge in deaf research, proposes tools to identify ableism and deficit ideologies, and means to subvert them. By centralizing visuospatial modalities, the vlog’s medium is also its message. Qualitative data were produced via coding cycles then interpreted through two theoretical frameworks focused on culture in critical pedagogy and aesthetics in epistemology. Our analysis highlights conflicts about deaf education in terms of ontology, epistemology, and axiology. Key findings reveal how deaf students gain cultural competence and develop critical consciousness within the classroom, depending on their teachers’ conceptions of marginalized cultures, use of visual language, and aesthetic modes of knowledge. Our study highlights intrinsic and extrinsic deaf gains and concludes with implications for future research in deaf education and digital ASL publications.

On positioning, deafness, and educational research: an autoethnography on deafness and qualitative research

Combining autoethnography and disability studies in education, this article is an autoethnographic study of the different ways the author was positioned as abled and disabled by her institution’s review board when reviewing her qualitative research proposal. The author talks back to the prevailing understandings of disability and conceptions of research that emerged as she interacted with the review board. Through the article, the author problematizes the ableism that surfaced and seeks to redefine what it means to be a qualitative researcher in spite of and because of her deafness. She ends by arguing for a more inclusive understanding of what it means to be a researcher and a call for review boards to broaden their understandings of research methodologies for those who do not identify as able-bodied.

Tecendo saberes sobre as tecnologias assistivas para o sujeito surdo no ensino superior

Refletir sobre a educação dos sujeitos surdos no Ensino Superior, reporta-nos a encontrar possibilidades junto ao uso das tecnologias assistivas. Esta pesquisa, de cunho bibliográfico, busca analisar como vem sendo regulamentada a acessibilidade do sujeito surdo através de tecnologia assistiva no Ensino Superior e quais dessas podem diminuir as barreiras comunicacionais entre ouvintes e surdos. Traz as principais considerações em uma reflexão sobre a comunidade surda, buscando amparos teóricos para caracterizá-la. Também, abordamos a evolução das tecnologias, realizando uma reflexão sobre a inserção das mesmas no cotidiano, bem como, as principais regulamentações que amparam o cuidado com o sujeito surdo. Ainda, pesquisamos sobre como no campo teórico vem sendo discutida a inclusão dos sujeitos surdos no Ensino Superior e como as IES podem diminuir as barreiras comunicacionais entre os sujeitos ouvintes e os sujeitos surdos. Concluímos que as tecnologias assistivas são instrumentos capazes de facilitar a comunicação entre os sujeitos e que, para haver a inclusão dos sujeitos surdos, precisamos romper as barreiras físicas, metodológicas e atitudinais, visando uma constituir que as IES construam um desenho universal na qual todos se sintam cidadãos com os mesmos direitos para expressarem-se e terem acesso à construção do conhecimento profissional e pessoal.