Multi-Country Comparison of ICT and Educational Accessibility for Blind Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 288-304
Author(s):  
Sachin Pavithran ◽  
Maria Hernandez Legorreta
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Development ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Adequate Funding ◽  
Large Populations

This chapter discusses the importance of information and communications technology (ICT) and educational accessibility for blind and low-vision students, with a focus on policy and implementation strengths, barriers, and areas of improvement in three diverse countries: India, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. These three countries each have inclusive education policies, but implementation is lacking. Respective policy development must include implementation plans and adequate funding. Common obstacles include large populations, prejudice, inadequate teacher training, lack of infrastructure, and poverty in rural areas. Common recommendations are recognition that ICT is complex and vital for improved educational access, teacher development, inclusion, and employment outcomes. Notably, these countries must each consider innovative ways for students to access ICT and education. This will take much more concentrated efforts, as well as funding allocations, by governments, organizations, and other stakeholders in the education system.

Continuity and Change: Special Education Policy Development in Toronto Public Schools, 1945 to the Present

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-42
Author(s):  
Jason Ellis ◽  
Paul Axelrod
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
School Board ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Special Education Policy

Background/Context It is frequently assumed that changes in special education policies since 1945 have come mostly from “landmark research” or actions of a few “pioneers.” We argue in this article that there have been many different sources of change, including legislation, court rulings, activism, and even shifts in socially and historically constructed categories of ability. In contrast to the contention that there has been “a gradual but steady progression towards the present inclusive education,” we argue that remarkable continuity has characterized certain elements of policy as well. The article identifies general trends in special education policy development historically that can help to inform the most current thinking about policy change in special and inclusive education. Purpose How has special education policy developed historically? What factors have been involved? How can historical research help education researchers, policy makers, school personnel, and others to deepen their understanding of the development of policy? The Toronto public school system is examined. The developmental trajectory of special education policy in Canada's largest urban school board generally resembles the development of policy in other large American and Canadian cities. The period from 1945 to the present was selected because the shifting character of special education policy across this broadsweep of time is not well understood. Research Design This qualitative study employs historical analysis. It draws on archival documents, school board and provincial government records, and pertinent secondary sources. Conclusions/Recommendations There are a few identifiable general trends in special education policy development historically. Prior to 1970, local school officials were empowered to make many changes in special education policy; since 1970, this ability has been eroded in favor of centralized policy making, with parents and others possessing some ability to influence policy change. Today, policy makers must balance different contextual factors and stakeholder interests that have developed over time, not least of all the interests of teachers who have been important partners to policy implementation. The degree of “policy talk” about inclusion, and about a social model of disability, has exceeded the degree to which either has actually been implemented. Rather, a continuum of services model that hybridizes segregated and inclusive settings continues today to characterize special education policies, as it has since the 1970s. Money matters in special education policy, especially when it is tied to specific policy options and can therefore influence local policy decisions, but also depending on whether the power to raise and disburse funds is held locally or centrally.

scholarly journals Learning at home: Parents’ lived experiences on distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 901
Author(s):  
Casper Boongaling Agaton ◽  
Lavinia Javier Cueto
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Learning At Home ◽  
Virtual Setting

<span>COVID-19 pandemic has closed-down educational institutions and dramatically shifts the instruction to distance learning. However, students rooted from the marginalized families and from rural areas have limited access to technology necessary for online learning. Modular learning addresses this learning inequality by providing more inclusive access to education. This study explored the lived experiences of the parents who act as learning supervisor, tutor, and home-schooling teacher for modular learning during the health crisis. This research surveyed parents from the Philippines and applied Inductive Content Analysis. The results showed an agreement on the effectiveness of the implemented educational policies to contain the pandemic including the nationwide closures of schools, delaying the reopening of classes, and implementation of various instructional modalities. On the other hand, parents have encountered various challenges from the new mode of learning in virtual setting; delivery of instruction; unsatisfactory learning outcomes; financial difficulties while working for the family during lockdown; struggle with the use and availability of technology; and personal problems on health, stress, and learning style. This study serves as a basis for providing a comprehensive and inclusive education policies while considering the perspective of the learners’ parents during the pandemic and beyond.</span>

scholarly journals Epidemiological Findings of Refractive Errors and Amblyopia among the Schoolchildren in Hatta Region of the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Salam Chettian Kandi ◽  
Hayat Ahmad Khan
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Visual Field ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Refractive Error ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Refractive Errors ◽  
Vision Screening ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
School Based

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Uncorrected refractive errors and amblyopia pose a major problem affecting schoolchildren. We had previously observed that many schoolchildren in the Hatta region presented to the ophthalmology clinic with uncorrected refractive errors and amblyopia, which led us to undertake this research. As per the WHO, the term “visual impairment” can be “low vision” or “blindness.” Based on the presenting vision, “low vision” is defined for children who have vision of &#x3c;6/18 to 3/60 or having visual field loss to &#x3c;20° in the better-seeing eye. Children defined to have “blindness” have presenting vision of &#x3c;3/60 or corresponding visual field of &#x3c;10°. <b><i>Purpose:</i></b> To estimate the magnitude of uncorrected refractive errors and amblyopia among the schoolchildren aged 6–19 years and to assess the efficacy of school-based refractive error screening programs in the Hatta region of the United Arab Emirates. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An epidemiological, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on the entire student population studying in the government schools of the region. Those who failed the Snellen visual acuity chart test and those who were wearing spectacles were evaluated comprehensively by the researcher in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Hatta Hospital. Data were entered in the Refractive Error Study in School Children (RESC) eye examination form recommended by the WHO, and were later transferred to Excel sheets and analyzed by SPSS. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 1,591 students were screened and evaluated from the end of 2016 to mid-2017. About 21.37% (<i>n</i> = 340) had impaired vision with 20.9% (<i>n</i> = 333) refractive errors, of which 58% were uncorrected. Among the refractive error group, 19% (64 subjects) had amblyopia (4% of total students). The incidence of low vision was 9.5% and blindness was 0.38%. Low vision was found to be 9.5% and blindness 0.38%, taking in to account presenting visual acuity rather than best-corrected visual acuity for defining low vision and blindness. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> A significant number of students were detected to have uncorrected refractive errors among the vision impaired group (59%, <i>n</i> = 197) despite a school-based vision screening program in place. Seventy-eight percent of the amblyopia cases (<i>n</i> = 50) were found to be in the 11–19 years age group. Noncompliance with optical corrections was the reason for the high number of cases. A rigorous vision screening program and refractive services, complimented with awareness among parents and teachers, are recommended.

Integration to Inclusion in Hong Kong: Not an Easy Progression

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Peter Westwood
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Standards ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Large Class Size ◽  
Inclusive Schooling ◽  
Education In Hong Kong

Abstract This article describes the evolution of inclusive education in Hong Kong, moving from segregation via integration to inclusion. The outside influence of education policies and trends from Britain, Australia, and the United States are identified, and the current situation is described. In particular, obstacles that are encountered on the route to inclusion are compared with those found in other countries. These obstacles include large class size, teachers’ often negative attitudes, parents’ expectations, teachers’ lack of expertise for adapting the curriculum and for providing differentiated teaching, and ongoing conflicts between the notion of ‘inclusive schooling for all’ and the ‘academic standards agenda’.

MONITORING HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS IN RURAL AREAS

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2384-2369
Author(s):  
V.G. Zakshevskiy ◽  
◽  
Z.V. Gavrilova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Main Stage ◽  
Human Capital Development ◽  
Integral System ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Capital Development

The article discusses the problems that arise when monitoring the conditions for the development of human capital in rural areas, since, despite the sufficient number of works on monitoring the human capital in rural areas or the agricultural sector, the integral system of quantitative socio-economic indicators for assessing the human capital development conditions in rural areas remains poorly studied. First of all, a basic concept of monitoring is given, as well as an applied concept - monitoring the human capital development conditions in rural areas, which is understood as a system of constant monitoring, collection, registration, storage and analysis of several key parameters that assess the conditions for the formation and development of congenital and accumulated physical, mental and personal abilities and qualities of the population of rural areas, as well as acquiring knowledge and skills that can be used by them in order to deliver economic income or social effect. The monitoring process is presented in detail in the relationship of this category with concepts close to it (diagnostics, as a preliminary stage, monitoring as the main stage, appropriate policy development, as the final stage). The diversity of monitoring indicators used in the social sphere of human life is reflected: for rural areas, for the agrarian sphere, for the regional socio-economic system, for the development of municipalities' social and labor systems, for social factors of the region's development, etc. The authors' idea of an integral system of indicators for monitoring the human capital development conditions in rural areas is given, which is a combination of six blocks: health care, education, culture and sports, demography and migration, infrastructure, as well as socio-economic conditions.

scholarly journals Private companies and policy-making: Ideological repertoires and concealed geographies in the evaluation of European education policies

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Souto-Otero
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Policy Evaluation ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
European Policy ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Private Companies ◽  
European Education ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Evaluation Space ◽  
And Training

This article explores the relationship between education, training and the single market, focusing on the market for the production of policy evaluations in the areas of education and training, culture and youth of the European Commission. Two questions are addressed: the first question relates to the geographical distribution of the organisations that deliver policy evaluation services to the European Commission (‘Commission’) in those areas; and the second relates to the nature of the ideas for policy development put forward in the evaluations examined. Based on information gathered from 23 evaluations carried out between 2012 and 2016 (in particular, the circa 300 recommendations they included), the analysis reveals that although the Commission relied on competitive processes for the award of those evaluations, competition was somewhat restricted: there is a marked dominance of a limited number of countries as the powerhouses for the Commission’s education policy evaluation. In relation to the second question, and by contrast to other policy spaces, the analysis provided little evidence of unfettered penetration of private sector ‘ideological repertoires’, lexicons and sensitivities into the European policy evaluation space.

scholarly journals TEACHER EDUCATION FOR INCLUSION - THE PREMISES FOR IMPLEMENTING A NEW INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMME / PRIELAIDOS ĮGYVENDINTI NAUJĄ MOKYTOJŲ RENGIMO PROGRAMĄ: INKLIUZINIS UGDYMAS MOKYKLOJE

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (35) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Elena Marin
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
School System ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
National Level ◽  
Training System ◽  
Font Size ◽  
Initial Teacher Training ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Training Programmes

<p><span>This paper attempts to highlight and examine the Romanian perspective regarding inclusive education by presenting some statistical data and the steps that have been made in order to make the switch from a school system lead by the segregation principle to a school system based on inclusive principles. Moreover, the attention focuses on schools` key actors, the teacher, more specifically on the initial teachers training programmes available in Romania. The starting point when it come to the initial teacher training programmes is based on the assumption that there is an acute need for training when it comes to the implementation of an inclusive educational system in Romania. Using a qualitative approach, we aimed at presenting specialists’ opinion on priority issues in policy development regarding the teacher training in the field of inclusive education, </span><span>focusing on </span><span>the premises for implementing a training system that is mandatory for every teacher in the inclusive education and on the aspects that relate to the rethinking of the teacher’s training process at a national level.</span></p><p><span lang="RO"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p><span lang="RO"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Straipsnyje bandoma analizuoti inkliuzinio ugdymo diegimą Rumunijoje: pateikiama statistinių duomenų ir aprašoma, kokių veiksmų buvo imtasi pereinant nuo segregacijos principu pagrįstos ugdymo sistemos mokykloje prie inkliuzijos principais grindžiamos sistemos. Dėmesys kreipiamas į mokytojus ir mokytojų pirminio rengimo programas.<br />Mokytojų pirminis rengimas Rumunijoje remiasi prielaida, kad, siekiant įdiegti inkliuzinio ugdymo sistemą, tokių mokytojų rengimo poreikis yra labai didelis. Kokybiniu tyrimu buvo siekiama pateikti specialistų nuomonę dėl inkliuzinio ugdymo mokytojų rengimo politikos prioritetų, atkreipiamas dėmesys į tokių specialistų rengimo, privalomo kiekvienam inkliuzinį ugdymą taikančiam mokytojui, sistemos įdiegimo sąlygas<br />ir aspektus, susijusius su mokytojų rengimo proceso reformavimu nacionaliniu lygmeniu.</span></span></p>

scholarly journals A Content Analysis Of The Ontario Ministry Of Education's Memorandum PPM No.119: Developing And Implementing Equity And Inclusive Education Policies In Ontario Schools

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Royer
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Black Students ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
Education Policies

Ontario schools have been criticized for maintaining inequitable practices and environments. To combat this inequity, the Ontario Ministry of Education created the PPM No.119: Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009). In this study, I undertake a content analysis of the policy focusing on the words ‘race’ and ‘parents’ in order to explore whether or not racialized children and families, specifically the Black community, may benefit from this policy. Critical Race Theory and a parent engagement framework guided my analysis. The results indicated that this policy may actually exclude students and families, particularly Black students and families, as opposed to creating more equitable and inclusive opportunities. Recommendations are made for promoting anti-racist practices by early childhood educators and teachers and working toward ensuring the accountability of administrators.

scholarly journals Major Forces Affecting Rural Regions in 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
David Freshwater
Keyword(s):  
Rural Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
Political Differences ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Urban People

Rural regions in OECD countries have always faced development challenges, resulting from their: reliance on natural resources, small labour forces, and long distances from markets, as well as the effects of globalization. Now, in addition, their development opportunities are further constrained by: climate change requirements, increased economic fragility resulting from COVID and the lingering effects of the 2008 recession, and the uneven impacts of the Internet economy. But, from a rural development policy perspective, perhaps the most important new challenge is the rise of rural populism. While rural areas and people have long been seen as distinct from their urban counterparts, in the last two decades these gaps have grown. Importantly, while the internet and information and communications technology (ICT) were initially seen as providing opportunities to improve social cohesion and link rural and urban people and places, instead they seem to have increased tensions. Because the core values of urban and rural people have grown so far apart, it is more difficult to establish the political compromises that are required to form effective policy. Absent some reconciliation of these social and political differences, it is difficult to see how national government policy can evolve to meet new challenges. Consequently, the likelihood of national governments being able to identify and implement coherent rural development policies is reduced.

scholarly journals ESTUDO SOBRE POSSÍVEIS AVANÇOS NO PROCESSO DE APRENDIZAGEM DE ALUNOS COM BAIXA VISÃO UTILIZANDO MATERIAL DE ENSINO ADAPTADO PARA AULAS DE CIÊNCIAS

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 306-324
Author(s):  
Camila Maria Gonçalves de Castro ◽  
Giovana Evangelista Alves ◽  
Cláudio Alves Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Digestive System ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Life ◽  
Human Digestive System ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
Study Type

Resumo: O artigo apresenta a discussão sobre materiais didáticos que auxiliam na educação inclusiva de alunos que possuem deficiência visual. As pesquisas têm apontado carência de recursos didáticos adaptados ao cotidiano escolar dos alunos com deficiência. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um material didático adaptado que se mostrou eficiente e contribuiu para o avanço do processo de aprendizagem de uma aluna com baixa visão no estudo do conteúdo Sistema Digestório Humano. A pesquisa é do tipo estudo de caso e o seu paradigma é do tipo qualitativo. O desenho metodológico incluiu a organização de duas entrevistas semiestruturadas com uma aluna com baixa visão, sendo uma anterior e outra posterior à prática com o uso do material adaptado. Com o presente estudo, foi possível concluir que a utilização de recursos didáticos demonstra potencial positivo na promoção da aprendizagem significativa de alunos com deficiência visual na disciplina de Ciências.Palavras-chave: Educação Inclusiva; Recursos Didáticos; Ciências. Abstract: This article presents the discussion about the didatic materials that help in inclusive education for students with visual impairment. Research has pointed to a lack of didactic resources adapted to the daily school life of students with disabilities. The objective of this paper is to present an adapted didatic material that proved to be efficient and contributed to the advancement of the learning process of a student with low vision in the study of the Human Digestive System content. The research is of the case study type and its paradigm is of the qualitative type. The methodological design included the organization of two semi-structured interviews with a student with low vision, one before and one after the practice with the use of adapted material. With the present study, it was possible to conclude that the use of didactic resources demonstrates positive potential in promoting the meaningful learning of visually impaired students in the Science discipline.Keywords: Inclusive Education; Didactic Resources; Sciences.

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