Comparing the Mathematical Performance of Deaf Students on Pictorial Problems: A Study on Measurement and Number Concepts at the Junior High School Level Zahid Abdush Shomad (a*), Zaenuri (b), Adi Nur Cahyono (c), Bambang Eko Susilo (d)
a) Universitas Negeri Semarang
b) Universitas Negeri Semarang
c) Universitas Negeri Semarang
d) Universitas Negeri Semarang
Abstract
Deaf students often face difficulties in understanding mathematical problems due to language barriers and limited access to verbal explanations. Even when visual illustrations are provided, these supports may not fully assist them in performing the necessary calculations, indicating a gap in representational scaffolding during problem-solving. This study examines the mathematical performance of deaf students when solving pictorial problems in the topics of measurement and number concepts. A total of 25 junior high school students with hearing impairments (mild to profound) were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through mathematics tests and structured observations during the problem-solving process. While visual illustrations helped students better interpret the meaning of the problems, the findings reveal that visual support alone was insufficient to assist students in performing accurate calculations. Many students still required additional representations (such as manipulatives, gestures, or structured scaffolding) to successfully complete mathematical procedures. These results underscore the necessity of multi-modal representations in mathematics instruction for deaf students. The study highlights the importance of going beyond static images and adopting comprehensive, accessible learning supports to meet the diverse cognitive needs of deaf learners. The findings suggest that while illustrations aid in problem comprehension, deaf students still require additional representational support to effectively perform mathematical calculations.
