Reimagining inclusive STEAM education: Science Gallery Melbourne and the Victorian College for the Deaf
This collaboration, the first of its kind between a gallery and a school for the Deaf, brings bilingual STEAM learning in Auslan and English, transforming the gallery into an inclusive, hands-on space for D/deaf and Hard of Hearing youth
Jesse and a student from the Victorian College for the Deaf taking part in a STEAM workshop for Science Gallery Melbourne’s exhibition NOT NATURAL (2024)
“Everywhere we look, we’re always learning.” These words, signed by a student during a visit to SWARM, capture what Science Gallery Melbourne has become: a living classroom where Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/deaf/HoH) young people explore, experiment and shape their engagement with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
Since 2021, Science Gallery Melbourne and the Victorian College for the Deaf (VCD) have worked together to transform STEAM education for D/deaf/HoH students. Their co-designed bilingual programmes in Auslan – Australia’s primary sign language – and English ensure that learning happens in ways that reflect students’ strengths, interests, and lived experiences.
This collaboration, supported by the Victorian Government through the University of Melbourne’s STEM Centre of Excellence, is the first of its kind between a gallery and a Deaf school. Over the past four years, VCD students have visited Science Gallery Melbourne 30 times, with 830 individual engagements. Each visit reinforces Science Gallery as a space where learning extends beyond school walls into a dynamic, participatory environment.
“Deaf students engage in real-world applications of STEAM, allowing them to develop independence in science thinking and gain confidence”
A classroom like no other
Each month, VCD students step into Science Gallery Melbourne, not to sit and listen, but to test, explore and create. Deaf teachers, Science Gallery educators, and Auslan interpreters work together to deliver hands-on workshops that remove language barriers and ensure full accessibility. Aligned with VCD’s curriculum, these sessions make the most of Science Gallery’s interactive, participatory approach to education. Chemistry experiments, 3D printing, and physics models bring STEAM concepts to life through visual-spatial learning, a key strength of Deaf students.
“What started out as a one-off pilot workshop in 2021 has developed into an ongoing commitment,” says Jesse Chambers, Deputy Head of Learning Programmes at Science Gallery Melbourne. “One that centres the needs, interests, and futures of Deaf young people.”
Robert Harrow, Secondary School Leader at VCD, highlights the programme’s impact on students. “What students learn at VCD is reinforced at Science Gallery. These activities provide real-world applications of STEAM, allowing them to develop independence in science thinking and gain confidence.”
“What started as a pilot workshop has developed into an ongoing commitment: one that centres the needs, interests, and futures of Deaf young people”
The programme follows a structured four-week cycle of learning, aligned with VCD’s pedagogical approach. This method reinforces scientific concepts through step-by-step learning and routine-driven engagement.
Beyond learning activities, the partnership has extended into community celebrations. Since 2022, VCD has held its graduation ceremonies at Science Gallery Melbourne, an event that welcomes over 100 members of the Deaf community each year. In 2025, the collaboration will grow further, with eight additional visits planned and a student-led showcase celebrating their projects.
The Science Gallery Melbourne learning staff presenting a workshop to a group of both Deaf and hearing students with an Auslan Interpreter at the opening of NOT NATURAL (2024)
A model for inclusive STEAM education
Recognising its impact, Science Gallery Melbourne has secured a Commonwealth Government Grant to expand its efforts. In partnership with VCD and Sunshine College, Creative STEM for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Young People will embed and amplify D/deaf/HoH young people’s perspectives, creativity, and agency.
Over the next two years, students will work with Deaf artists to create installations for Science Gallery’s upcoming exhibitions DISTRACTION (2025) and EMERGENCE(Y) (2026). Coding and electronics workshops will introduce students to tactile, interactive animations of Auslan signs. In multimedia workshops, they’ll create video responses in Auslan to share their perspectives on exhibited works in the gallery. These initiatives will also engage hearing students to build their Auslan proficiency and foster deeper engagement with their D/deaf/HoH peers.
A Deaf-led community takeover at Science Gallery Melbourne will bring together students, Deaf organisations, and the wider Deaf community for a day of Deaf-led tours and an education forum to amplify inclusive teaching strategies across Victoria.
“For Deaf students, who are underrepresented in STEM disciplines and industries, these programmes provide them with experiences that open up possibilities and pathways by developing 21st Century STEM skills in their preferred language”, says Chambers. Harrow adds, “This partnership continues to transform Deaf students’ STEAM education, equipping them with skills for future opportunities.”
“For Deaf students, who are underrepresented in STEM disciplines and industries, these programmes provide them with experiences that open up pathways by developing 21st-century STEM skills in their preferred language”
Extending impact through University-wide frameworks
Building on Science Gallery Melbourne’s work, the University of Melbourne is developing a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Framework, co-designed with Deaf community stakeholders. The initiative will enhance accessibility and inclusion for D/deaf/HoH students across the University’s Museum and Collections Department.
To lead this work, a Classroom Teacher and Outreach Manager (D/deaf/Hard of Hearing) has been appointed, with the support of the Beth MacLaren Smallwood Foundation. Later this year, Jesse Chambers and Robert Harrow will participate in a conference at the International Congress on the Education for the Deaf in Rome, sharing the achievements, impact, and future journey of their collaboration.
Rob Harrow [Left] and Jesse Chambers [Right] presenting at the Access All Areas Symposium about the partnership at the Art Gallery of South Australia (2023)
Science Gallery Melbourne has become a space where D/deaf/HoH students can experiment and shape their futures in STEAM. As its partnership with the Victorian College for the Deaf continues to grow, it aims to open up more opportunities for D/deaf/HoH students across Victoria, including those in mainstream schools and those with Deaf facilities.
Science Gallery Melbourne is transforming STEAM education; it is challenging traditional models, reimagining inclusive learning, and pioneering teaching strategies that centre D/deaf/HoH students’ strengths, perspectives, and creativity.
Compiled by: Ana Prendes, Science Gallery International, 2025.