星空无限传媒

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students often face major barriers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, including a shortage of both accessible resources and deaf role models in those fields. 

Kayla Cureaux encountered these barriers throughout her school years as she pursued her love of science and math. As an LSU alumnus who graduated in 2021 in biochemistry, she鈥檚 working to pave a better path for those who come behind her. 

鈥淚鈥檓 building a space where deaf learners don鈥檛 have to adapt to STEM, it adapts to them.鈥� 

鈥� Kayla Cureaux, founder of KaydeafSTEM

鈥淲hen I was in school, I noticed a major gap,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here were very few resources that actually taught STEM in sign language. I always had to rely on hearing people to access the full meaning, and that was frustrating. I wanted to change that.鈥� 

Cureaux is the founder of , a channel of videos and other tools where she teaches STEM in American Sign Language, or ASL, drawing from her experience as a tutor, classroom support staff, and substitute teacher.   

鈥淚t鈥檚 designed for deaf learners, so they don鈥檛 have to constantly switch languages just to understand a science or math concept,鈥� she said. 鈥淎SL is a full language with its own structure and culture, and it鈥檚 easier to learn and connect when the material is presented in your primary language.鈥� 

Cureaux plans to expand KaydeafSTEM into a tutoring website, also creating hands-on school programs specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, where they can dive into STEM in a fully accessible environment surrounded by peers who sign and share the same experiences.  

鈥淚鈥檓 building a space where deaf learners don鈥檛 have to adapt to STEM, it adapts to them.鈥�

 

Grateful to LSU 

When Cureaux, of Slidell, La., enrolled 星空无限传媒 in August 2016, she brought with her a love for science and math that ran deep, with an element of spirituality. 

鈥淚 still remember the day I came for orientation. I was nervous because I didn鈥檛 know what to expect in terms of accessibility, interpreters, or disability services,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut to my surprise, LSU had already arranged for two interpreters that day, which was rare for me at the time. That moment made me feel confident and reassured. I knew then that I was in good hands.鈥� 

She said she deeply appreciated how LSU advocated for equal access and is grateful for the opportunities and support LSU provided. 鈥淢y experience 星空无限传媒 was truly amazing. I love LSU,鈥� she said.  

But she also envisions a future where STEM is even more visual, more accessible, and more inclusive for the next generation of deaf scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. 

Opportunities for Improvement 

Cureaux has identified some of the barriers she and others have faced: 

• While some educational materials show how to sign specific STEM vocabulary, they don鈥檛 explain the concepts in ASL. 
• Relying on a translator to explain STEM concepts can fall short if the translator is not proficient in the science or math content being taught.  
• Many STEM terms don鈥檛 have established signs in ASL, so students often must rely on fingerspelling, which can be slow and lack context, or use valuable class time to make up signs on the spot.  

鈥淒eaf people often don鈥檛 learn through written words alone; we see and think in visual concepts,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any times, we understand the idea deeply, but don鈥檛 have a word or sign to match it.  

鈥淢y goal is to help bridge that gap by creating content that makes STEM accessible through visual language, designed for how deaf minds work. I want to make sure we鈥檙e not left behind anymore.鈥� 

Cureaux said she didn鈥檛 have deaf role models in science growing up. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not that they didn鈥檛 exist, I just wasn鈥檛 aware of any at the time,鈥� she said.  

People around her encouraged her to become a role model herself, to represent the deaf community in STEM, because there was such a lack of visibility. 

鈥淚 knew I had to break through barriers and challenge the limitations placed on us. In the end, I became my own role model. And now, I鈥檓 committed to being visible for the next generation so they don鈥檛 have to look as hard as I did to find someone who represents them.鈥� 

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