Case study: The use of video game construction to bridge hearing and deaf students in Trinidad and Tobago [Poster]

Abstract

This poster presents a case study of a problem-based project conducted at a single school in Trinidad. The project is discussed in terms of its academic and social impact on the 175 students who participated, as well as the possibility of using this method to foster better inclusion of hard-of-hearing and/or deaf students into mainstream schools. Students, in collaboration with members of the deaf community, created games; web-based assessments to test others' knowledge of the game content; and a tour of a planetarium for deaf, hearing, and hearing-impaired students. Students also created video journals of their journey. The project resulted in better academic scores in science, mathematics, visual arts and English Language, better understanding of deaf culture and higher levels of engagement in science for students of Bishop Anstey High School East (BAHSE). However, future investigations should be explored into the impacts of deaf and hearing-impaired students being more directly involved in these types of problem-based projects, especially in terms of second-language (English) development, crafting knowledge across curriculum areas, and social interactions with the hearing world