Learning Strategies for Islamic Religious Education among Students with Hearing Impairments: Evidence from a Special Junior High School in Jambi City

Abstract

Islamic Religious Education (IRE) for students with hearing impairments requires accessible learning designs because oral instruction limits access to abstract religious concepts and ritual practices. This study explores how adaptive IRE learning is implemented for deaf students at Sri Soedewi Public Junior High School, Jambi City.This qualitative descriptive case study was conducted in September 2025. Data were collected through six 90-minute non-participant classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with two IRE teachers, one head of the inclusion program, and two inclusion assistant teachers, and analysis of lesson plans, visual modules, learning materials, and student work. Data were analyzed thematically through coding, theme grouping, and interpretation, with credibility strengthened through source and method triangulation and member checking.The findings show that IRE learning was organized through five adaptive practices: visual representation of abstract concepts, modeling and repetition for ritual practices, multimodal communication using SIBI, BISINDO, writing, gestures, and facial expressions, teacher-developed visual materials, and practical habituation. These strategies supported classroom participation and helped students access religious meanings through visual, kinesthetic, and communicative pathways. However, learning was constrained by limited facilities, inconsistent sign-language use, insufficient teacher mastery of religious signs, and the absence of standardized IRE modules for deaf students.The study suggests that inclusive IRE requires systematic support beyond individual teacher creativity, including sign-language training, UDL-based visual modules, and accessible facilities. Future research should include direct deaf student perspectives and comparative studies across schools.