The Impact of the Deaf Community on Student Learning in a Service-learning Study Abroad Experience

With an ever-changing world that is becoming more globalized, it is important that we are preparing our students to meet the needs of this world. To design effectively, engineers need to understand their diverse users. Exposure to different communities and centering design projects in real-world contexts, like in service-learning, can help students gain the experience they need for the real-world. This study focuses on the perceived learning of students who experienced a study abroad within a service-learning design program. Analysis of their written culminating reflections indicates they are learning about the social impact they can have on the world around them, that meeting diverse communities provides deeper understanding, and the importance of fully understanding the user in design firsthand. These results are important because they inform practitioners of service-learning how to provide learning experiences that enrich students and prepare them for the real-world.