Quality of higher education and self-determination for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Saudi Arabia.
Interpreter shortages and lack of Deaf Role Models are staff-perceived barriers to DHH students’ self-determination in Saudi universities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) talked to university staff who serve Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Saudi Arabia.
The team asked what helps or hurts these students’ self-determination. Self-determination means making your own choices and plans.
What they found
Staff said two big gaps block self-determination. First, there are not enough interpreters. Second, there are almost no Deaf Role Models on campus.
Support for self-regulation—like goal setting and time management—was also weak.
How this fits with other research
Madhesh et al. (2025) asked high-school students with deafness about mood and stigma. They saw only small mental-health impacts. Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) asked university staff and heard large system blocks. The two studies seem opposite, but they look at different ages and different voices—students versus staff.
Jackson et al. (2025) found plenty of assistive tech at Saudi universities and linked it to better grades. Yet Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) show tech alone is not enough when interpreters and role models are missing.
Madhesh (2023) interviewed disabled university students and also found very low quality of life due to service gaps. The new study narrows the lens to Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and names the exact missing pieces.
Why it matters
If you write IEPs or college support plans, do not stop at assistive-tech checklists. Add goals for interpreter minutes and Deaf Role Model contacts. Track self-regulation skills like weekly planner use. These low-cost moves can boost student choice and persistence.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Saudi Arabia's Persons with Disabilities Rights Law guarantee the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive high-quality education. Therefore, Saudi Arabian higher education institutions have implemented programs specifically designed for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) students. According to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2023), quality in higher education supports students in achieving positive learning and career outcomes. One form of support is the enhancement of self-determination skills, despite evidence of self-determination's role in facilitating success in higher education, research on deaf education has not explored this construct extensively. AIM: This study explored the role of self-determination in enhancing the quality of higher education for DHH students according to the program's staff' perspectives. Furthermore, this study examines the opportunities provided to practice self-determination skills. METHODS: A qualitative approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with seven staff from six higher education institutes in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Inductive thematic analysis of the interview data revealed three key themes. First, interpreter scarcity hinders Deaf students' major selection, affecting their academic quality. Second, Deaf Role Models influence Deaf students' self-determination, thus affecting their academic quality. Finally, self-regulation was the least supported component of self-determination due to higher education institutes policies and support services.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105008