Señemos juntos: diseño de un ambiente virtual de aprendizaje gamificado para mediar la comunicación a través de la Lengua de Señas Colombiana entre los estudiantes sordos y los docentes en el contexto educativo

Abstract

The present research, entitled SEÑEMOS JUNTOS (LET'S SIGN TOGETHER), aims to design a gamified Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) intended to mediate the learning of basic aspects of Colombian Sign Language (CSL) among teachers at the Juan Nepomuceno Cadavid Educational Institution in the municipality of Itagüí (Antioquia), with the purpose of strengthening communicative interaction with deaf students in the educational context.

The research emerges as a response to the communicative barriers identified between hearing teachers and Deaf students, made visible by the lack of teacher training in CSL, the scarcity of relevant educational resources, and the high costs associated with interpretation services. In Colombia, there are 314,320 Deaf individuals and 8,276 students categorized within the enrollment system, according to the 2018 CENSUS, which highlights the urgency of innovative training strategies that promote inclusive education.

The methodological approach is participatory action research of a qualitative nature, with an educational innovation design supported by the Design Thinking methodology for prototype development. The sample consisted of 10 teachers selected through random sampling, and the data collection techniques included semi-structured interviews, instructional design, and surveys. The VLE was built on the Seppo platform, a gamified educational tool organized around the thematic world "A Place in Silence" and structured around progressive missions and challenges covering content such as greetings, the alphabet, numbers, verbs, questions, and basic classroom instructions.

The results show that 7 out of the 10 participating teachers achieved a gradual appropriation of CSL content, strengthening basic communicative skills and transferring what was learned to the real classroom context. Gamification proved to be a key motivational component in maintaining engagement and participation throughout the training process. It is concluded that the gamified VLE constitutes an innovative, relevant, and effective alternative for teaching CSL in inclusive educational contexts, contributing to the transformation of pedagogical practices and to the reduction of communication barriers with the Deaf population.