About
About CDC – Communication for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
We’re part of the Faculty of Education at Ibaraki University, and each of us conducts research focused on children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). DHH kids face all sorts of different challenges. We’re especially interested in how these children communicate. No matter what method they use to get their message across, we truly care about the joy kids feel when they understand and are understood. Through our research, we continuously think about how we can better support them.
Meet Our Team
Akiko Iguchi
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Ibaraki University
I focus on education for DHH children and developmental psychology. My research explores how DHH infants and young children learn to communicate and ways to support that journey. I’ve enjoyed studying how children learn finger spelling, develop nonverbal communication, and grow their sign language skills through experiments and observations. My goal is to help create a joyful environment where DHH kids love to communicate and connect!
Kei Tabaru
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Ibaraki University
I specialize in auditory psychology, physiology, and educational audiology. Through my research, I enjoy exploring how DHH children recognise sounds. This includes understanding how they notice everyday sounds (like dogs barking or rain, how they manage hearing in busy, noisy environments, and the effort it takes to listen when sounds are difficult to hear. My goal is to support every child in creating a joyful, personalized listening experience that truly meets their unique needs.