Research Summary: "I can't follow what’s happening": deaf and hard of hearing students’ experiences of communication access in inclusive classrooms

A qualitative meta-synthesis published in Frontiers in Education examines the classroom experiences of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students in inclusive education settings, focusing specifically on communication access and active participation. Based on an analysis of 14 peer-reviewed studies, the research identifies systemic barriers that leave DHH students struggling to follow classroom activities, impacting their participation, emotional well-being, and coping mechanisms.

Why it matters

This research underscores that physical inclusion does not equate to effective operational or communicative access for deaf and hard of hearing students. For educational leaders and policymakers, addressing these communicative breakdowns is essential to meeting basic equitable service delivery standards and legal accessibility mandates. Without systematic interventions, inclusive environments risk deepening educational and social-emotional disparities rather than alleviating them.

Key insights

• A systematic search across Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus yielded 14 eligible studies (12 qualitative and 2 mixed-methods) addressing DHH students' inclusive classroom experiences.
• Findings converge around four core interconnected themes: factors shaping communication access, classroom participation experiences, social and emotional experiences, and coping and adaptation strategies.
• DHH students encounter pervasive difficulties in tracking real-time classroom events and communication, pointing to significant access gaps in supposedly inclusive learning environments.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1904373