Deaf adults: retrospective narratives of school experiences and teacher expectations

Seventeen Deaf adults were interviewed about their perceptions of teacher expectations during childhood. Using a six-phase thematic analysis methodology, five themes emerged: helpful and challenging teachers, preference for Deaf teachers, the experience of lowered expectations, the worst teachers, and self-advocacy. The worst teachers were the ones who did not meet communication needs rather than those with the lowest expectations. Participants often advocated for their needs and demanded more challenging schoolwork. Implications of this study are noted for self-advocacy and resistance theories of disability, and introducing cultural perspectives and understandings of disability and Deaf experiences into teacher preparation.