Twenty-sixth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

It is now possible to find that diversity encompasses as many dimensions as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. Nevertheless, one can find that this diversity is sometimes taken for granted in the classroom, most particularly with students who have certain disabilities. This paper examines the view that university students taking English as a foreign language have on diversity and the way they interact with those peers who are either visually or hearing impaired in a University environment. This is a qualitative study developed through observation and the implementation of a survey to a number of students who are part of a project that intends to provide them with means to access the class contents and a social and class environment that is closer to equality. Proposals are presented as to integrate those students who are visually and hearing impaired in the English as a Second language courses.