The Contribution of Deaf Faculty in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Study

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13457
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Yabe Manako 筑波大学, 人間系, 特任助教 (40890439)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 聴覚障害教員 / 大学生 / 混合研究法 / 仮想評価法 / 情報保障 / 国内外の高等教育 / 国内外比較 / 社会的貢献

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To enhance the support system for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) faculty members, it is critical to demonstrate that the system effectively engages DHH faculty members and evaluates the benefits for students who took classes taught by DHH faculty members. The study employed a mixed-methods design, involving university students who attended classes taught by DHH faculty members, as well as DHH faculty members working at mainstream universities both internationally and nationally. The findings indicate that university students showed higher total values for DHH faculty classes, underscoring the importance of disability accommodations for DHH faculty members. Furthermore, the study examined the experiences of DHH faculty members with disability accommodations at their current, former, and alumni universities. Consequently, the differences in the quality of the support system between faculty and students were identified, despite both groups receiving disability accommodations.

Free Research Field

社会福祉学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

13カ国にまたがる国際調査により、聴覚障害教員と学生と両方から、国によって支援制度が異なるが、聴覚障害教員への支援拡充、大学専門の手話通訳者の充実、国際手話通訳の資金的援助について、必要という意見が多く挙げられた。また、聴覚障害教員の授業の価値を経済的に評価したところ、学生の評価額は高く、財政的支援に見合った社会的貢献が期待できることが明らかになった。さらに、本研究手法は、聴覚障害だけでなく、他の障害教員の授業評価の参考にもなりえるなど、学術的意義が高いと言える。加えて、本研究成果の実践は、障害教員支援の一層の拡充と学生への教育効果のさらなる拡大が期待される点で、社会的意義を有する。