Local Values and Inclusive Global Learning: A Case Study of Sign Language Learning for Speech-Impaired Children at FIP UNESA

Abstract

The internationalization of higher education increasingly calls for learning models that balance global engagement with local values and inclusive educational practices. This study aims to examine how local values and inclusive learning practices are implemented within an international class context, using the International Class Program at the Faculty of Education (FIP), Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA), particularly the Summer Camp activities, as a case study. The research employed a qualitative case study approach, involving international students, local student facilitators, and academic staff. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, and were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to the integration of local values and inclusion in global learning. The findings reveal that local values were embedded through interactive and collaborative learning activities, local language use, and inclusive communication practices, including sign language learning oriented toward children with speech impairments. These practices functioned as pedagogical mediators that facilitated intercultural interaction, social cohesion, and meaningful learning experiences among participants from diverse cultural backgrounds. The Summer Camp design positioned inclusive local practices not as supplementary cultural exposure, but as integral components of the learning process within an international classroom. The novelty of this study lies in its focus on inclusive sign language learning as a locally grounded pedagogical practice within an international class program, a dimension that remains underexplored in existing internationalization literature. By presenting empirical evidence from a non-Western context, this study contributes an alternative model of internationalization that integrates global learning, local values, and educational inclusion.