Opportunities for Using Digital Technologies in the Education of Students with Hearing Impairments

Abstract

This article examines the theoretical and practical opportunities for using digital technologies in the education of students with hearing impairments. Its purpose is to systematize ways in which digital tools can support auditory perception, speech development, vocabulary acquisition, grammatical competence, and communication within deaf education and special education. The article employs a theoretical and methodological analysis of the literature cited in the source manuscript and a pedagogical analysis of illustrative learning tasks; it does not report experimental or survey data. The analysis identifies several complementary areas of application: visual presentation of instructional content; video materials with captions and, where appropriate, sign-language interpretation; interactive vocabulary and grammar exercises; AI-assisted preparation and differentiation of learning materials; individualized learning pathways; and digital monitoring of learning progress. A set of sample exercises and a six-stage procedure for designing an individualized learning pathway are presented. The article argues that digital technologies can make learning materials more accessible and support differentiated instruction, provided that teachers verify content, protect learners’ personal data, and combine digital resources with direct pedagogical interaction and specialized auditory and speech-development activities. Digital tools should therefore be treated as complementary instruments rather than substitutes for the work of the special education teacher.

Keywords

digital technologies; students with hearing impairments; deaf education; special education; inclusive education; artificial intelligence; individualized learning pathway; visual learning; pedagogical monitoring; speech development

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