Deaf and Hard of Hearing Online Learners in Postsecondary Education: Student Perspectives During COVID-19
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Abstract
Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners have benefitted from mainstreamed online courses for decades. In a previous study, (Authors, 2023) shared DHH students’ perspective of asynchronous online courses pre-COVID-19. This study builds upon that research by investigating their online learning experiences during the COVID-19 epidemic. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through a survey and 5 focus group interviews with DHH students who participated in online courses during Academic Years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Two hundred seven (207) DHH students enrolled in OA and OS classes completed the survey and 28 of them participated in focus group interviews to elaborate on their experiences. Findings illuminate the advantages and challenges encountered by DHH students in OA/OS classes during the COVID-19 era. Recommendations are offered for both online instructors and DHH learners to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of online education for this demographic.
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