Acceptance of Deaf Students within the Mainstream Classroom

There have been many studies in relation to how well a student with hearing loss perceives themselves while in the mainstream classroom.  It is also crucial to examine the hearing students’ perspective in regards to learning alongside a child with a hearing loss.  Although many children with hearing loss report isolation and dissatisfaction from their mainstreaming experience, their hearing peers have a different take on this relationship.

Most hearing students are very accepting to their peers with hearing loss.  They feel that the deaf child adds to their educational experience.  Hearing students are aware of the learning difficulties of their deaf peers within the mainstream environment.  Most hearing student report that they are strong advocates for mainstreaming their deaf peers. 

Academic difficulties increase as the deaf child progresses through the grades.  This is primarily due to the learning environment requires increased reading and writing skills.  Although most students are accepting of their non-hearing peers, they start seeing the need for nonmainstream classes for these academic weaknesses.  Continued focus on the relationship between deaf and hearing students is needed so both groups can continue to benefit from their mainstream classrooms.

Cambra, C. (2002). Acceptance of deaf students by hearing students in regular classrooms. American annals of the deaf, 147(1), 38-45.

Justin Finnegan

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