Development and Standardization of an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 427-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poonam Punia ◽  
Sandeep Berwal
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Item Analysis ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rehabilitation Professionals ◽  
Cultural Estrangement ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
Context Specific

Introduction The present study was undertaken to develop a valid and reliable scale for measuring a feeling of alienation in students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision). Methods In this study, a pool of 60 items was generated to develop an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI) based on a review of the literature and discussions with colleagues and experts in the field. The items were organized into six dimensions of alienation, namely powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, social isolation, self-estrangement, and cultural estrangement, and were rated on the five-point Likert scale. The standardization of the scale was completed with 118 students with visual impairments in the age group of 10 to 25 years, selected randomly from specialized and inclusive schools in the state of Haryana, India. Results The item analysis was done by calculating t- and r-values; seven items were deleted, and a final 45 items were retained. The calculated value of Cronbach's alpha and split-half correlation came out to be 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. The construct validity was determined by computing the coefficient of correlation between scores of this scale and the scores obtained by using the Student Alienation scale (SAS) of R. R. Sharma (Sharma, 2012). The percentile norm for the scale was determined after verifying normality of the scores by using a Q-Q plot. Discussion The findings of the present study suggest that the AL-VI may serve as a useful tool in future research to assess alienation in persons with visual impairments in India. The findings further demonstrate that the AL-VI produced scores that are reliable and valid. The AL-VI can be used outside India after determining its reliability and validity in context-specific conditions. Implications for practitioners The AL-VI scale is applicable to students with visual impairments, teachers of students with visual impairments, principals, social workers, psychologists, and rehabilitation professionals. Practitioners could use this tool for assessing and understanding the level of alienation among students with visual impairments, thereby helping them in planning and executing strategies for remediating alienation.

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments Share Experiences and Advice for Supporting Students in Understanding Graphics

2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Penny Rosenblum ◽  
Li Cheng ◽  
Carole R. Beal
Keyword(s):  
Student Teaching ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Systematic Instruction ◽  
Mathematics Problems ◽  
Field Of Vision ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Visually Impaired Students

Introduction Knowing how to gather information from graphics and to use that information to solve mathematics problems is an important skill. Prior research indicates that many students with visual impairments face considerable challenges when attempting to locate information in math graphics. Little is known about how teachers of students with visual impairments support their students in acquiring graphics skills. Methods Eleven teachers of visually impaired students participated in focus groups. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Themes were identified. Results The teachers described the importance of individualizing instruction for the student, teaching a systematic approach, and ensuring that graphics are clear to them. Discussion From an early age, visually impaired students need explicit instruction in how to access information in graphics. The use of prescribed low vision devices, manipulatives, and systematic instruction are integral to student success, as are the design and production of clear and accurate graphics. Implications for practitioners Teachers of visually impaired students utilize a variety of strategies to support students in accessing information in graphics. A curriculum and guidelines to assist them in supporting a wide range of learners would be valuable to the field of vision loss.

A Survey of Blind Orientation and Mobility Specialists about the Accommodations and Teaching Strategies They Use when Providing Orientation and Mobility Services

2021 ◽  
pp. 0145482X2110180
Author(s):  
Nora Griffin-Shirley ◽  
Laura Bozeman ◽  
The Nguyen ◽  
Vitalis Othuon ◽  
Anita Page ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Self Advocacy ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Orientation And Mobility ◽  
Immersion Training

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to survey orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors who are blind concerning the identification of accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources to teach students with visual impairments (i.e., blindness or low vision). Methods: The study utilized an online survey via Qualtrics (2019) with 27 closed- and open-ended items to identify accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources needed. The survey was e-mailed to membership and certification organizations requesting O&M instructors who are blind to participate for 12 weeks. The participants were 15 O&M specialists, mostly male and Caucasian. Survey data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Forty percentage of the participants reported that there were minimal standards that they had to demonstrate prior to their admittance into an O&M program. About one-fourth of the participants mentioned their program was modified because of their visual impairment. Eleven participants (73%) reported that their nonvisual instructional strategies and techniques were predominantly gained through their university programs or other visually impaired instructors (27%, n = 4). Discussion: Aspects of this study that are similar to the current literature are smaller faculty-to-student ratios for blindfold or simulation cane courses, accommodations used by participants, and suggestions for monitoring the safety of students. The results revealed the participants’ strong belief in the importance of immersion training, the use of the Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT), nonvisual skills during O&M instruction, sleep shades, and students’ problem-solving abilities. Implication for practitioners: Although the participants had received SDCT immersion training, most personnel preparation programs approved by the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired do not use this method. For this reason, it is important for faculty to identify best teaching practices from among all programs and to integrate these practices into their curricula. Sharing best practices could strengthen all programs. Moreover, students with visual impairments should be taught early about self-advocacy and the ability to have helpful knowledge about one’s skills at a university and in the workplace.

Inquiry: A Teaching Approach for Gifted Visually Impaired Learners

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah L. Rooks ◽  
C. June Maker
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Inquiry Learning ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Gifted Student ◽  
Gifted Children ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Visually Impaired Students

Inquiry is a dynamic approach to learning and teaching that involves a process of experiencing the natural world. As they pose questions about the information, learners conduct research for genuine reasons, make new discoveries, and test their discoveries to generate new knowledge and understanding. Inquiry is an approach that fits the learning needs of both visually impaired students and students who are gifted, and is especially important for gifted students with visual impairments. We introduce readers to inquiry approaches, review the theoretical framework, outline the characteristics of inquiry learning, explain how these approaches are important to use with gifted children with visual impairments, provide examples, summarize research on the effectiveness of inquiry learning, give an example of science teaching using an inquiry learning model in a regular classroom setting, and show how this lesson could be an effective way to involve and challenge a gifted student with a visual impairment.

Impact of the ADA on the Employment and Promotion of Persons who are Visually Impaired

1997 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 460-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.D. Rumrill ◽  
C.M. Scheff
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Americans With Disabilities Act ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Competitive Employment ◽  
Poor Access

Unemployment and underemployment have plagued people who are visually impaired (including those who are blind and those who have low vision) since long before the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936. Five years after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was implemented in 1992, persons who are visually impaired still have poor access to and are discriminated against in the labor market. This article examines the barriers to competitive employment for persons with visual impairments and presents an ADA-compatible strategy to help remove these barriers.

Fitting in or Feeling Excluded: The Experiences of High School Students with Visual Impairments

2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenda Jessup ◽  
Anita C. Bundy ◽  
Alex Broom ◽  
Nicola Hancock
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Internal Variables ◽  
School Students ◽  
Fitting In ◽  
Out Of School

Introduction This study compares the experiences of high school students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) in and out of school. Methods Twelve visually impaired high school students completed the same in-the-moment survey seven times daily for seven consecutive days. The frequencies of their activities, interactions, and ratings of internal variables (fitting in, acceptance, loneliness, and enjoyment) were compared across three contexts: home, school, and other (neither home nor school) contexts. Results Participants spent much of their time out of school alone at home. They rated leisure and structured recreation in “other” locations as their most enjoyable activities. Doing nothing at school was the least positively rated activity. Participants fitted in significantly less and felt significantly less accepted at school than elsewhere. A large proportion of school interactions involved receiving help; few involved giving help. Participants with additional disabilities reported more school social challenges than their peers who were only visually impaired. Discussion and implications for practitioners This study highlights the subjective dimensions of choice in everyday life. The social impact of doing nothing at school provides an imperative for staff members to ensure that adolescents with visual impairments can participate in lessons. Staff may also need to facilitate opportunities for these students to reciprocate with peers. Adolescents with visual impairments highly value activities with friends out of home and, as with most adolescents, may need to lean on their families for assistance in this area until they can participate in such activities independently.

Selecting and Purchasing Clothing: The Experience of Visually Impaired People in Hong Kong

2000 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ng Sau Fun Frency ◽  
Hui Chi Leung Patrick ◽  
Choy Lin Foong May
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Visually Impaired People ◽  
Impaired People

This study analyzes the decision-making process for selecting and purchasing clothing of 81 people in Hong Kong who are visually impaired. Data were collected through personal interviews. The results show that problems such as unsatisfactory sales services and insufficient clothing information still exist for people with visual impairments (both the group with blindness and the group with low vision), and also reveals that people who are visually impaired have different views on the relative importance of selection criteria for purchasing clothing than do their sighted peers.

The Effect of the Color of a Long Cane Used by Individuals who Are Visually Impaired on the Yielding Behavior of Drivers

2017 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 401-410
Author(s):  
Eugene A. Bourquin ◽  
Robert Wall Emerson ◽  
Dona Sauerburger ◽  
Janet Barlow
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Traffic Signal ◽  
Driver Response ◽  
Yielding Behavior ◽  
White Cane ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cane Technique

Introduction A new market trend offers long canes for individuals with visual impairments in a variety of colors; however, the impact of these colors is unknown to orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists and individuals who are blind or who have low vision. The authors examined the impact of cane color on drivers’ yielding behaviors; also, cane display effectiveness was assessed. Methods At traffic signal–controlled intersections, drivers’ yielding responses (yield–no yield and seconds to crosswalk) were recorded by two raters when a pedestrian presented one of two conditions (display and flagging) with four differently colored long canes (white, black, yellow, and green). Results In trials where the pedestrian used a flagging cane technique, the white cane achieved 290% more yielding than the green cane, 100% more yielding than the yellow cane, and 40% more yielding than the black. Statistical differences were found between the white-with-red cane and the yellow and green canes. The measure of drivers’ latency for moving forward was not statistically different between trials in which a pedestrian displayed a white cane at the crosswalk and trials in which no pedestrians were present. Discussion Cane color appears to have a substantial effect on drivers’ yielding responses. The results also indicate only a slight driver response to a highly visible cane display, confirming the results of previous studies that recommended more potent pedestrian movements to mitigate the threat from turning vehicles. Implications for practitioners O&M specialists and cane travelers need to consider the options for cane color when using a cane to cross streets. A white cane, flagged at the onset of the walk signal, can achieve more desirable responses from drivers than can the long canes of other colors. More effective cane behaviors exhibited by pedestrians who are visually impaired should always be considered by O&M instructors in order to influence drivers.

scholarly journals Exploring the patient perspective of fatigue in adults with visual impairment: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. e015023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouter Schakel ◽  
Christina Bode ◽  
Hilde P A van der Aa ◽  
Carel T J Hulshof ◽  
Judith E Bosmans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Patient Perspective ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Research Question ◽  
External Support ◽  
Future Research

ObjectivesFatigue is an often mentioned symptom by patients with irreversible visual impairment. This study explored the patient perspective of fatigue in visually impaired adults with a focus on symptoms of fatigue, causes, consequences and coping strategies.SettingTwo large Dutch low vision multidisciplinary rehabilitation organisations.Participants16 visually impaired adults with severe symptoms of fatigue selected by purposive sampling.MethodsA qualitative study involving semistructured interviews. A total of four first-level codes were top–down predetermined in correspondence with the topics of the research question. Verbatim transcribed interviews were analysed with a combination of a deductive and inductive approach using open and axial coding.ResultsParticipants often described the symptoms of fatigue as a mental, daily and physical experience. The most often mentioned causes of fatigue were a high cognitive load, the intensity and amount of activities, the high effort necessary to establish visual perception, difficulty with light intensity and negative cognitions. Fatigue had the greatest impact on the ability to carry out social roles and participation, emotional functioning and cognitive functioning. The most common coping strategies were relaxation, external support, socialising and physical exercise and the acceptance of fatigue.ConclusionsOur results indicate that low vision-related fatigue is mainly caused by population specific determinants that seem different from the fatigue experience described in studies with other patient populations. Fatigue may be central to the way patients react, adapt and compensate to the consequences of vision loss. These findings indicate a need for future research aimed at interventions specifically tailored to the unique aspects of fatigue related to vision loss.

Esl for Students with Visual Impairments

1997 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Guinan
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
First Language ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Esl Teachers ◽  
Second Languages ◽  
Visually Impaired Students

This article reviews the literature on teaching English as a second language (ESL) to, and research on the acquisition of first and second languages by, both sighted and visually impaired students. Although braille should be taught to students in their first language, the author offers suggestions for teaching students in a second language when instruction in a first language is not possible. She concludes that closer cooperation between vision teachers and ESL teachers is essential for children with limited proficiency in English and visual impairments to become fully literate and communicatively competent.

Temperament-based Learning Styles of Visually Impaired Students

2000 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Oakland ◽  
Diane Banner ◽  
Rita Livingston
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Thinking Styles ◽  
Visually Impaired Students

This article reports on a study of the preferences in learning styles for 214 students, aged 10–17, with visual impairments and their sighted peers. Students with or without visual impairments did not differ in their frequency for preferences for either an extroverted or introverted style. However, in contrast to their sighted peers, students with visual impairments more frequently preferred practical, thinking, or organized styles. Also in contrast with their sighted peers, boys with visual impairments tended to prefer extroverted styles and girls with visual impairments tended to prefer introverted styles. Visually impaired students aged 10–15 generally displayed a preference for thinking styles, and those older than 15 preferred feeling styles. Those aged 10–12 generally preferred more organized styles, whereas those older than 15 generally preferred more flexible styles.

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