A New Setup of the STEM Lab to Enhance Creative Collaboration Among Deaf Students

Abstract

This article aims to examine collaboration processes among deaf students in STEM Labs. Collaboration is the basis of technological innovation. Currently, few deaf people work in technology careers worldwide. It is observed that deaf people use visual language, and it is essential to create open work environments that allow interaction among deaf individuals. Therefore, a simple change to the furniture’s configuration can significantly expand how information is transmitted. A STEM Lab was configured in two ways, and cameras recorded student interactions over a specific period. After mapping these flows, social network analysis software was used to visualize the established networks in each configuration. The highest collaboration rate was obtained using a cross-shaped workbench. This workbench proved to be the ideal format for STEM Labs for deaf students.