Applied deaf aesthetics toward transforming deaf higher education

Abstract

Deaf aesthetics is a theoretical framework we actualized to enhance interactions in deaf education, particularly via multimodal pedagogy and curricular experiences. Prior research illustrates that deaf aesthetics are desired by deaf teachers and students who are deaf; however, most instructional-delivery formats lack these supports. The present mixed-methodology, multi-method case study is an empirical evaluation of how deaf aesthetics contributed to the process of redesigning a course, including major revisions to instructional slide decks (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi). The research question we examined is: How can instructional designers and university educators effectively design and use deaf aesthetics and multimodal curricula and pedagogies to prompt and sustain educational interactions with deaf or deafblind learners and teachers?