Manako Yabe is a Japanese-born Deaf researcher and scholar, currently serving as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her work focuses on Deaf Studies, Disability Studies, communication access, transformative action research, and accessibility technologies, informed by her lived experience and interdisciplinary academic background.
Early Life and Education
Yabe was born Deaf in Japan and experienced an international upbringing, spending her childhood in the United States and the United Kingdom[3][4]. She earned:
- A Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Studies from California State University, Northridge (CSUN);
- A Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California;
- A Ph.D. in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she was recognized for overcoming substantial communication and systemic barriers to complete her doctorate[1][4].
Academic Career
Yabe is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies at Heriot-Watt University, having joined the SIGNS@HWU research group in 2023. She previously became the first Deaf faculty member in the Department of Disability Sciences at the University of Tsukuba in Japan[1][3].
Research Interests and Projects
Her research interests encompass communication access, Deaf and Disability Studies, public speaking, editing and publishing, mixed-methods study design, transformative action research, universal design, and technology-enhanced accessibility[1][2].
At Heriot-Watt, she is involved in projects such as:
- Deaf people’s interactions through and with technologies (2023–2027),
- Preferences of Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing University Students and Staff for AI-Mediated Communication Technology,
- Enhancing the Role of Deaf Faculty Members: An International Comparison[3].
Advocacy and Achievements
Yabe’s journey at UIC is illustrative of her resilience and innovation. Despite significant barriers—including language, culture, stigma, and communication—she completed her Ph.D. and contributed impactful initiatives like helping launch campus text-based safety apps and advocating for disability-supportive curricula[4].
She also reflected on her early life in resource-scarce settings and her dynamic education across Japan, the U.S., and the U.K., highlighting identity development through Deaf role models and cross-cultural experiences[5].
Impact
Yabe’s academic and advocacy work bridges theory and practice, drawing from her personal experiences to inform research and innovation in accessibility, interdisciplinary pedagogy, and institutional inclusivity. Her international perspective and commitment to transformative methodologies mark her as a significant voice in contemporary Deaf scholarship.
- Heriot-Watt University. (n.d.). Manako Yabe – Research Associate Profile. Heriot-Watt Research Portal.
- Heriot-Watt University. (n.d.). Dr. Manako Yabe – SIGNS@HWU Profile. SIGNS@HWU, Heriot-Watt University.
- University of Illinois at Chicago. (2019, April 29). Inspiring grads: Born deaf, student overcomes barriers to earn Ph.D. UIC Today.
- MIUSA. (n.d.). Embracing Deaf Identity Through Education [Personal story of Manako Yabe].
- Heriot-Watt University. (n.d.). Faculty Profile – Manako Yabe. Heriot-Watt University official site.
