Silence in educational contexts presents significant challenges, often misinterpreted as disengagement, particularly from Western-centric perspectives that equate verbal communication with active learning and civic participation. This can be a significant confounding issue for students working across cultures, or students with disabilities, and a diversity of identities. This chapter addresses the complex issues surrounding students’ silence, revealing how it is frequently perceived as a deficit rather than a meaningful form of engagement. Through thematic analysis of reflexive narratives and syllabus document analysis on the role silence has in global collaborations, the chapter considers the nuanced meanings of silence and its implications for global learning in a disciplinary learning virtual exchange environment. Existing literature highlights that silence is culturally and contextually situated, yet it is often misconstrued as a lack of participation. By employing critical pedagogy and epistemic reframing, this study reframes student silence as a relational, reflective participation phenomenon.