Social experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing students at a Saudi Arabian university: A qualitative study

This study explored the social experiences of 12 deaf and hard-of-hearing female university students. Semi-structured interviews identified four key themes: university environment, peer interactions, communication and personal barriers. The majority of participants described their social experiences as positive and better than their experiences at school. The participants experienced collaboration, support, peer acceptance, friendship and high awareness of hearing disability among their hearing peers. Communication with peers was facilitated by using applications, sign language and lip reading. However, a lack of understanding from faculty members, isolation, and ignorance exhibited by some peers resulted in negative experiences for a few participants. Some participants reported personal barriers, such as personal characteristics, past negative experiences, and fear of disclosing their disability. Given the importance of social support and inclusion for students' success and well-being, universities must prioritise the social experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing students as much as their academic experiences.