Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7667-8635

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Problem/Project Report

Degree Type

OTD

College

School of Medicine

Department

Occupational Therapy

Committee Chair

Brian Scaife

Committee Co-Chair

Richelle Gray

Committee Member

Doug Cumpston

Committee Member

Kayleigh Nolan

Committee Member

Heather Livengood

Abstract

Background: Healthcare training has improved over the years. However, many healthcare providers are having a difficult time understanding the culture and the needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HOH) community. Continuing Education (CE) programs can be designed to improve cultural awareness to help close the gap by educating healthcare providers on the community’s culture, effective communication strategies, use of assistive technology, American Sign Language (ASL), and accommodations such as interpreters.

Purpose: The project aimed to develop a CE program that helped healthcare providers learn effective communication strategies, assistive devices, and accommodations for the Deaf and HOH community. Additionally, the program aimed to improve healthcare providers' awareness of this community. The program aimed to improve healthcare providers’ communication, build trust, improve the overall care for this community, and help provide equitable care for all patients.

Methods: The CE program offers a developed CE program that improves healthcare providers’ cultural understanding of this community, effective communication methods, use of assistive technology, and accommodations to improve their healthcare services. The CE program used educational modules with videos, real-life experiences, and quizzes to educate healthcare providers about the community’s communication needs, culture, assistive devices, and accommodations to improve their services. The CE program has 5 modules, and it is delivered asynchronous and online.

Results: These results suggest that the CE program improved the healthcare providers' knowledge and confidence when working with the Deaf and HOH population.

Conclusion: The development of these modules presents a positive step towards having a CE program that can help improve healthcare services for the Deaf and HOH population. Overall, the data shows improvements in the participants’ cultural knowledge, highlighting that the CE program was valuable and effective.

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