DIGITAL LIBRARIES AS A VISUAL TOOL FOR ENHANCING THE SCIENCE EDUCATION EXPERIENCES OF DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING LEARNERS

Low academic achievement by deaf and hard-of-hearing K-12 students is well known by educators. Compounding this problem is the fact that fewer than 36 percent of teachers responsible for science education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students are certified to teach science. Increasing the academic achievement of deaf and hard-of-hearing students in science requires that both students and teachers have access to accurate, up-to-date information. Further, research has demonstrated that deaf and hard-of-hearing students fare better in the classroom when active, interactive, and participative teaching techniques are used. A digital library such as DLESE can assist deaf and hard-of-hearing students and their teachers by providing both a participatory environment and accurate scientific information.

A group of deaf and hard-of-hearing middle school students test-piloted the DLESE web site at the DLESE Program Center. The students searched for topics related to what they were studying in their science class. They were highly engaged in the activity, and what they chose to print most often were visuals and images from the web pages of interest that they found. Their teacher reported that the students voluntarily went back to the DLESE web site at school to do further research. An advantage of a web environment such as DLESE for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners is that students do not have to continually refocus their attention from teacher to lesson, since the students get all of their information visually. DLESE is an ideal environment to engage deaf and hard-of-hearing students in guiding their own learning and developing an enthusiasm for science.