| The United States has developed a positive Deaf culture that continues to attract Deaf international students wishing to pursue higher educational studies. However, when students come to the United States to study they face many stressors including learning one and maybe two new languages, facing academic pressure, the development of a new social network, and adjustment to the social, physical, religious, and political systems in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore the assimilation experiences of Saudi Arabian Deaf college students' while pursuing their post-secondary education in the United States. Research questions that guided this study covered perceptions of study experiences and academic services, and the influence of socio-cultural differences, and language barriers. This qualitative study used grounded theory to examine the perceptions of Deaf students assimilating in one United States post-secondary learning university that focuses on the education of Deaf and hard of hearing students, which enrolls many Saudi Arabian Deaf students. The data collected for the study was obtained through one-on-one interviews. The study sample consisted of five Saudi Deaf students; three are studying at the university and two are studying at the English Language Institute. Results showed some similarities to previous research including difficulty learning English, being homesick and a difficulty with finding halal food. Many more findings did not support past research as these Saudi Deaf students found a Deaf identity as they moved from a Deaf "can't" culture to one where Deaf "can" go anything, including choose their major based on interests rather than being forced only into Deaf education majors at home. Even though they identified with the Deaf culture at the university, there were some issues related to the individualistic culture of the United States. These similarities and differences to other hearing international students' adjustments are discussed. |
