Technology and educational inclusion for undergraduate students with hearing impairments. Impact and optimization strategies

Abstract

The article analyzes the technological and pedagogical conditions that influence the educational inclusion of students with total deafness in undergraduate programs in Ecuador, taking as a case study a private university located in Portoviejo. Despite regulatory advances that support inclusive education, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the LOES, significant gaps persist between the legal framework and its practical application. Through descriptive qualitative research including interviews with deaf students, teachers, and classmates, as well as direct observation in university classrooms it was identified that technological accessibility is limited, especially due to the absence of video captioning, the lack of Ecuadorian Sign Language interpreters, and the scarce use of inclusive digital tools. The results show that teachers demonstrate willingness toward inclusion but lack training in assistive technologies and inclusive methodologies, which leads to unequal practices across courses. Classmates express positive attitudes but lack guidance on how to interact effectively with deaf students. Classroom observations revealed that although technological resources exist, they are not applied in an accessible or systematic manner, which limits meaningful learning and full participation. The study concludes that institutional efforts remain incipient and fragmented, and that inclusion depends more on individual initiatives than on comprehensive policies.