# The Effectiveness of an Authentic E-Learning Environment for Deaf Learners
## 1 Introduction  
Authentic e-learning is identified as integrating real-world situations into e-learning settings to enhance motivation among learners in different educational settings. E-learning design based on an authentic learning approach has greatly benefited by increasing the effectiveness of learning settings. In this learning environment, motivation will be increased between learners by involving them in the teaching process. Recent studies have highlighted that learning through authentic themes increases learners' communication around teaching topics and enhances motivation by fostering engagement [1, 2]. Authentic learning has the potential to adopt effective factors for designing a meaningful learning environment where learners can share their real-world experiences with their peers. In addition, e-learning settings with authentic themes have provided a dynamic learning environment that aims to increase learners' engagement [3].  
Distance learning, known as online or e-learning, has created a modern type of educational system by offering flexible and accessible learning materials. This approach influences digital platforms and technological tools to facilitate collaboration and provide sources without needing physical attendance, the same as in a traditional classroom. Distance learning enables learners to study at their own pace and provides opportunities for different learners in different locations [4].  
In the 1960s, with the development of technology and computers, the concept of e-learning was first designed to deliver teaching content by focusing on drill and practice with a lack of interactivity [5]. Later, the development of simple e-learning systems throughout e-learning history revealed information on the need to switch to more inclusive approaches in content delivery and technology, particularly for diverse learners. As evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which emphasized the need for inclusive and equitable digital learning environments, e-learning has evolved significantly for inclusion learners [6; 7]. Today, the design of e-learning continues to progress with the integration of technologies and interactive digital tools to enhance motivation and improve learning outcomes [8]. These improvements can gradually be merged with inclusive design principles for supporting equity in education for all learners.  
Learning through authentic learning helps learners become more dynamic and increases their motivation. [PERSON] et al. [9] proposed nine principles for designing an authentic learning setting and including all areas of twenty-first-century skills development. Authentic tasks at the core of authentic e-learning settings serve as stepping stones to promoting engagement and reinforcing teaching concepts. Adopting multiple roles with different outlooks during tasks supports higher-order thinking skills. Likewise, the tasks lead learners to identify their experiences in the target problems and solve them by collaborating in the learning process, where reflection is processed and drives opportunities for articulation. Instructional techniques such as coaching and scaffolding are increased in collaborative learning when learners share their knowledge in realistic contexts and practice it in a real-world situation [10].  
However, studies on e-learning for deaf learners are limited, and the impact of the factors to increase engagement and motivation among deaf learners through e-learning in sign language has not been explored. Although some studies on deaf education suggest that technology tools draw attention to addressing the factors in designing e-learning for deaf learners, increasing motivation and investigating the effective factors are still gaps in deaf distance learning [11; 12]. Therefore, this study aims to explore how authentic e-learning affects deaf learners and increases their motivation through learning a foreign sign language.