Online Learning for Deaf Students, a Deaf Perspective - Essay Example

Participants of this research were sixteen deaf online college students who used American Sign Language (ASL) as their native tongue and currently attended an online class in one of the three Conviron Colleges in Northeast Florida. Results of this qualitative phenomenological study were obtained directly from the deaf student participants. Their direct statements highlighted several areas in which, they felt their interactions with computer and internet technology could be improved. Namely, there was a consensus among the deaf student participants.

They related that there was a “technology gap” to overcome before they could optimally pursue learning online. Also, participants noted that teachers in service to the deaf students attempting to access online learning software were themselves lacking in the know-how necessary to achieve optimal learning. This study can provide prospective students and educators within the higher education sector a better understanding of the experiences of deaf students in a distance-learning program.

Moreover, the findings of the current study provide an opportunity for potential distant learning students to understand the implications of online learning before their actual participation.The purpose of this interview is to explore your experiences and perceptions on distance education in education. During the time we have together, I would like to get an understanding of your insights and observations pertinent to the subject matter of the study. The open-ended questions are intended to obtain your personal experience and perceptions.

I would encourage you to answer these questions as explicitly as possible. I will look forward to hearing openly from you about the learning experiences you have gained while pursuing your degree in education through distance education. Please try to recall and describe specific instances and examples that illustrate your responses.  For example, you can share detailed stories of your experiences using online distance education tools such as computers, software, and other technological learning equipment.