Using the Social Model of Disability Studies as a Framework to Assess Deaf-Centered Technology

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) users of assistive and adaptive technology have been previously grouped together as one homogenous group among the HRI community as well as in the general public opinion, despite the fact that those with deafness and those in the Deaf community are separate groups with different customs and needs. Using mixed methods, this thesis discusses (1) a human-subjects experiment, comparing DHH and hearing interactions with manufacturing collaborative robots, and (2) an interview study with two participants in the Deaf community and two deaf individuals outside of the said community. Finally, analyzing themes from the studies reveals support for the social model of disability