Focus Group

A qualitative research method in which a small group of participants (typically 3-10) with shared characteristics discuss a topic guided by a moderator, allowing researchers to explore perspectives, opinions, and experiences through group interaction. Focus groups are considered particularly well-suited for research with deaf and hard-of-hearing sign language users because they provide a language-accessible means of exchange where participants can stimulate and build on each other's ideas in their natural language. However, conducting accessible focus groups with sign language users presents unique challenges including the need for all materials to be available in sign language, limited attention spans in remote video settings due to constant visual focus requirements, and difficulties in documenting and quoting visual language content in text-based academic formats.