Learning to listen: the voices of post-secondary deaf and hard of hearing learners

Abstract

This study examined the experiences of Canadian postsecondary learners who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing and have received services from the campus accessibility office. Data collected from interviews with nine learners were analyzed using a constructivist grounded-theory approach, thus allowing the basic social process (BSP) to emerge. I called this process negotiating communication access in postsecondary education. It consisted of three key supporting processes: (a) advocating for self, (b) navigating the learning environment, and (c) building relationships. The research outcomes achieved in this study include (a) a documented analysis and synthesis of the perceptions of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students specific to the theoretical and practical issues involved in accessing communication support services in postsecondary institutions and (b) a theoretical model that depicts the above synthesis. Last, the discussion chapter contains recommendations for increasing accessibility to postsecondary institutions for learners who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.