Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to examine the culture of students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing within the broader context of inclusive schools, specifically as demonstrated though their learning experiences, socialization, and identity issues in such an environment. The chapter will include qualitative data in the form of observations and in-depth student interviews to allow the reader insight into the shared cultural model of students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing. The goal is to provide a holistic picture of cultural phenomena through the points of view of d/Deaf and hard of hearing students themselves. The description of the culture of this group of students may prove useful in shaping effective inclusive environments for students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing.
TopIntroduction
While today’s schools attempt to promote inclusive environments, more and more students who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) attend their home zone public schools. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education estimates approximately 87% of DHH students currently spend at least part of their school day in a general education classroom (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Inclusion, in contrast to mainstreaming, entails an environment that adapts to the needs of the child. While inclusion is becoming more common, as an alternative to self-contained or residential settings, there has been little attention to the unique social and cultural needs of DHH students; these particular needs often serve as barriers to successful inclusion. The benefits of inclusion for DHH students include the ability to attend school close to home, lowering stigma and increasing opportunities for local social relationships to develop, and gaining exposure to spoken language and interactions with hearing peers; these are further enhanced through accessibility, universal design, and individual supports (Jokinen, 2018). Yet inclusion with hearing peers does not necessarily promote relationships.
While the majority of DHH children are born to hearing parents, and thus have limited access to the Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL) unless they attend a residential school or engage with the Deaf community (Murray et al., 2018), deaf students in a public school setting are more likely to identify with hearing cultural norms. Development of a Deaf identity is influenced by both family and school variables. Family variables may include home language and interaction with other DHH individuals. School variables include access to and awareness of cultural diversity. Therefore, the lack of exposure to Deaf culture and other Deaf people have implications for how a DHH child comes to view himself or herself (Leigh et al., 2009).
An ethnographic study exploring the culture of students who are deaf and hard of hearing and who are educated at a cluster site analyzed the language and cultural patterns associated with the social behavior of DHH students, as well as indications of self-identity evidenced through these patterns (Woods, 2020). The goal of this study was to contribute to the literature on the impact of inclusion for students who are deaf and hard of hearing by providing their unique perspectives. This chapter will review the findings of this study and their impact on the directions for inclusive environments for DHH students.
Objectives for this chapter include:
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Identifying the cultural model of DHH students who are immersed in the broader culture of a public school.
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Describing the impact of cultural identity embraced by DHH students.
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Exploring the shared cultural practices of DHH students in a public school.
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Identifying ways to promote Deaf culture within an inclusive school.
Background
In review and critique of the research on the social inclusion of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), earlier reviews on this topic have examined the implementation and results of inclusion with DHH students, focusing on teacher preparation and student achievement, with little attention to how culture impacts the inclusion of DHH students (Woods, 2020). While the academic concerns of inclusion are often a research priority, little has been done to address other subjective quality of life measures such as communication, social interaction, and participation (Schick et al., 2013).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees that each child eligible for special education services is entitled to an education at public expense that is designed to meet the child’s unique needs as dictated by the IEP.
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Multilingual Learner (DML): The label DML recognizes the cultural and linguistic diversity of a student who is d/Deaf or hard of hearing and whose home language is not English or ASL.
Cluster Site: A cluster site, or regional program, is a centrally located school where services for students who are deaf and hard of hearing in that district, including both resources and staff, are consolidated.
Inclusion: Students with disabilities are educated in the general education classroom and the environment is adapted to meet each students’ needs. An inclusive environment encourages participation rather than just placement in the classroom.
Mainstreaming: Students with disabilities are educated in the general education classroom and are expected to adapt to the environment with minimal accommodations.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): This component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that students with disabilities be educated in the general education classroom to the maximum extent possible.
Ethnography: As a form of qualitative research, ethnography allows for examination of the patterns of shared behavior, beliefs, and language of a culture-sharing group.