Investigating the Social Capital of Adolescents Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Social capital is defined as the connections between individuals and groups, and the benefits that emerge from these connections. A systematic review of literature identified that there has been minimal research investigating social capital and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing. Most of the studies related to older populations who are deaf or hard of hearing or to adolescents with different disabilities. There is strong evidence that social capital is associated with a range of positive outcomes such as improved language, wellbeing, positive identity and postschool opportunities. This project seeks to give a voice to adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing in Australia about their experiences relating to social capital in multiple contexts such as home, school, and online.