Flash-Based Physical Simulation in Deaf Education Dynamic Media VS. Static Media

Abstract

The main purpose of this project was to develop a Flash based physical simulation to examine if simulations benefit deaf students and to identify the benefits to deaf students after using it. It was also done to determine if deaf students benefited more from the simulation when used in a teacher-centered class or more when used in a student-centered class. The study suggests that deaf students benefit from simulations and that the benefit is they make learning abstract concepts easier for deaf students to understand when they are coherent, engaging, welcoming, serve the students’ purpose for using them, and are responsive to the students’ needs and ways he/she does things. The findings also indicate the benefits deaf students gain from using simulations depends on how the teacher uses it in class. This study found that the most appropriate and beneficial use of simulations for deaf students is using them in a teacher-centered class to supplement instruction taught directly by the teacher and not in a student-centered class by student self-instruction. A Flash-based physical simulation was created using information about photosynthesis but with dynamic images, video, and animations simulating the parts of photosynthesis, the process of photosynthesis, and the importance of photosynthesis. The principles of Human-Centered Design Theory were used as a guide to analyze the simulation. Research was further calculated by comparing scores on written tests given to students in the teacher-centered classroom and student-centered classroom as well as surveys, and interviews to further discuss the simulation and reaction students had to it.