Research Practices for Managing Group Work Settings with Participant Groups Including Hearing-Impaired Students

Abstract

This study aimed to assess different methods for managing group work scenarios in actual seminar classes at higher education institutions, utilizing action research techniques and accounting for hearing-impaired students, so that all types of students may progress smoothly. In reviewing participants’ reflections, we found that the speed of group work tasks fell as a result of research team intervention, causing hearing-impaired students to feel more at ease psychologically and other participants to feel constrained by the discussion restrictions and rules. However, participants’ burdens gradually became more intertwined, with other participants becoming more accustomed to the burdens of hearing–impaired students, suggesting that we were moving towards a universal environment.