Interaction of Deaf Students with Hearing Peers in Inclusive Elementary Schools: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The interaction of disabilities with their peers in inclusive elementary schools is a critical dimension of social and emotional development, yet existing research has largely emphasized communication barriers or institutional readiness rather than students’ lived communicative experiences. This study examines how a deaf student constructs and negotiates communication with peers in an inclusive elementary school context. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the study involved one deaf student, hearing peers, parents, and a homeroom teacher. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that communication was predominantly mediated through spontaneous, non-standardized gestures, visual cues, and contextual meaning-making rather than formal sign language systems. Communication barriers emerged from limited early language exposure and peers’ initial unfamiliarity with deaf communication; however, these barriers were progressively addressed through adaptive learning processes, such as co-creation of shared gestures, peer-supported interpretation, and situational adjustments to communication strategies during classroom interactions. By foregrounding the lived experience of a deaf student and highlighting peer-driven communicative adaptation, this study extends existing literature by demonstrating how inclusive communication is actively constructed through everyday social interaction. The findings underscore the importance of fostering communicative flexibility among teachers and peers to support meaningful participation and social inclusion in elementary school settings.