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Abstract

This study examines how cultural context shapes the development of critical thinking skills in deaf students through a comparative cross-cultural analysis of Indonesia and Finland. Although critical thinking is recognized as a core 21st-century competency, it remains underexplored in deaf education, particularly from a cross-cultural perspective. The research employed a qualitative, descriptive, and comparative design. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, and analysed using comparative thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through source and method triangulation, peer debriefing with inclusive education experts, and member checking with participants. Participants included secondary-level deaf students, special education (SLB) teachers, and inclusive teachers in both countries. Findings reveal that education in Indonesia tends to be teacher-centred and hierarchical, limiting opportunities for dialogue and critical inquiry among deaf students. In contrast, Finland’s egalitarian and student-centred educational culture—supported by bilingual education (Finnish Sign Language and written/spoken Finnish), technology integration, and phenomenon-based learning—offers stronger conditions for fostering critical thinking. Psychological factors such as self-esteem and resilience were found to be shaped by cultural practices and systemic support. This study provides one of the first cross-cultural analyses linking culture, deaf education, and critical thinking development. It underscores the importance of cultural accessibility, particularly in language and pedagogy, in promoting higher-order thinking skills among deaf students. The findings suggest that inclusive education in Indonesia could be strengthened through culturally responsive pedagogy, bilingual approaches, and technology-enhanced learning. The study also proposes a novel cross-cultural model connecting educational culture, language access, and psychological factors to the development of critical thinking in deaf students, and recommends further empirical research across diverse cultural contexts.

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