IMPROVING AN INCLUSIVE DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AIMED AT DEVELOPING THE INFORMATION COMPETENCE OF DEAF AND HARD-OFHEARING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The article discusses the theoretical and practical foundations for improving an inclusive digital learning environment aimed at developing the information competence of deaf and hard-ofhearing high school students. Drawing on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and official and scholarly sources from Uzbekistan, it shows that 22,381 deaf and hard-of-hearing people were registered in the country in 2021, 13,501 of them (about 60.3%) living in rural areas, while 4,965 children study in specialized boarding schools.