Learning activities of students with hearing disabilities in the digital environment: features, problems and styles

Abstract

Due to the development of digitalization in education, it is important to study the potential of the digital environment in the training of students with hearing disabilities. The primary task is to study the features of learning activities of students with this pathology in interaction with the digital environment and the impact of active use of digital technologies on students’ cognitive sphere to optimize the conditions of digital learning and prevent its negative impact.The views on the properties of the human cognitive sphere developing in the conditions of deafness, including the peculiarities of working memory, have been analyzed. A brief review of research on the organization of e-learning for hearing impaired and deaf students of different countries during the pandemic period was carried out. Special attention is paid to the problems of transition to distance learning and the risks of cognitive performance in the digital environment for students with hearing loss.The results of the study of cognitive difficulties of students with hearing disabilities in the digital environment and their cognitive styles are presented. Based on the analysis of in-depth interviews data, motivational, cognitive, activity, organizational, and technical problems are formulated. Using the grounded theory method, three learning styles were identified: proactive, practical, and passive. Knowing the distinctive features of each style will allow creating of more personalized learning systems as part of the digitalization of inclusive education.