Deaf Culture Matters: The Perceived Implementation of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices in Public Deaf Education

Abstract

Over the last five decades, the number of Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students enrolled in public schools has significantly increased, while fewer attend traditional residential schools for the Deaf. Although public schools may provide academic advantages, concerns remain about their capacity to meet the cultural, linguistic, and social-emotional needs of DHH students. Access to Deaf culture is essential for students to develop a healthy Deaf identity, feel a sense of belonging, and participate meaningfully in their education. While the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) framework has been widely researched, there is limited work examining Deaf culture explicitly through the lens of CRT. This mixed-methods study explored how Teachers of the Deaf (TODs) in a large urban public school district conceptualize Deaf culture and implement CRT practices in DHH classrooms. An explanatory sequential design guided the research. In Phase One, a modified version of the Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Survey (CRTSE) was administered to four TODs. Two participants with high CRTSE scores were selected for follow-up interviews. Findings indicate that TODs possess a solid understanding of Deaf culture and report moderate to high confidence in applying CRT practices. They shared examples of integrating culturally responsive strategies. The results also revealed areas for growth, particularly in collecting student-specific data to inform instruction. This study highlights the need for targeted professional development and underscores the importance of utilizing CRT practices in public schools. Additional implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed. Keywords: Deaf culture, culturally responsive teaching, DHH students, public schools, teacher self-efficac