scholarly journals Assistive Technology in the Construction of Number Concepts: A Study Entailing Actions of Teachers and Visually Impaired Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-179
Author(s):  
Maria Adelina Raupp Sganzerla ◽  
Marlise Geller

Background: With the constant insertion of visually impaired learners in regular basic education in Brazil, it is important to create and/or adapt methodologies and equipment capable of aiding in the intellectual and social development of these students.  Objective: This article intends to reflect on the usage of AT (Assistive Technology) as well as the utilisation of adapted materials for visually challenged students in the early years of primary school. Design: With a qualitative approach, it is inspired by the Discursive Textual Analysis. Setting and Participants: The research included not only teachers who teach mathematics in both the Specialized Educational Service (SES) and regular classrooms, but also low-vision students in an inclusive school. Data collection and analysis: A snippet of the meta-text is presented, which, through the analysis of the services provided in the SES, ponders about the students’ necessities and activities within AT for the teaching of number concepts. Results: The research results attest that the usage of AT is, indeed, imperative in the students’ construction of mathematical concepts with the intention of implementing Inclusive Mathematics Education. Conclusions: Simple adaptations, such as providing materials in Braille for visually impaired students, are actions that classroom teachers could adopt, counting on the assistance of Specialized Educational Service professionals.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-68
Author(s):  
Leonardo Carlos Barbosa ◽  
Lucilene Antunes Correia Marques de Sá

Abstract: In Brazil, the LDB - Law of Guidelines and Bases nº. 9394(Brazil, 1996) and the PCN - National Curricular Parameters, determines that the Geography discipline is recognized as autonomous and should not be understood as a complement to other disciplines. In this way, the improvement in Geography teaching passes through cartographic literacy. The focus is on offering the student the capacity to carry out the appropriation, analysis, reflection and criticism on geographical space. In this way, this paper presents a resource that consisted of the development of the application called MapVoice. The purpose of the software is to enable Blind or visually impaired students, from basic education, in the learning of Cartography in Geography classes. MapVoice provides the understanding and interpretation of physical environments transformed into thematic maps based on data from the 2010 Brazilian Demographic Census executed by IBGE. The software used sound and image resources developed for Windows environment. The research concludes that it is necessary to prepare the infrastructure of the schools for the reception of these students, but mainly the continuing training of teachers and teaching assistants. Mapvoice was tested at the Institute of the Blind for validation, achieving a satisfactory result and making enthusiasm for the development of new researches.


2012 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine K. Pritchard ◽  
John H. Lamb

Teaching a visual subject to a visually challenged student inspires strategies that benefit all students in a class.


2017 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 427-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poonam Punia ◽  
Sandeep Berwal

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gangsar Ali Daroni ◽  
Gunarhadi Gunarhadi ◽  
Edy Legowo

Mathematics is an important subject to be learned by all children. Visually impaired children experience obstacles in following the process of mathematics learning caused by abnormalities. Visually impaired students experience obstacles in the process of thinking at the disequilibrium stage and low understanding of concepts when studying mathematics. It caused them to experience difficulties when doing math problems. Assistive technology is a technology created specifically to improve or maintain the functional ability of children with special needs in order to accomplish tasks that hard for them to do. Assistive technology for visually impaired children is made by maximizing the abilities that the children still possess and helping them to get a clearer mathematical concept. This article is a literary study which aims to provide information about the difficulty for the visually impaired students in mathematics learning and assistive technologies that have been developed to support the learning. This article can be used as the basis for developing new assistive technology in mathematics learning. Assistive technology is needed to help children with visual impairment in following the learning of mathematics and to optimize the ability of the children in learning mathematics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Penny Rosenblum ◽  
Li Cheng ◽  
Carole R. Beal

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.


2021 ◽  
pp. 873-883
Author(s):  
Hussein Mohammed Esmail Abualrejal ◽  
Hassan Olayan Shtawi ◽  
Mohamad Ghozali Hassan ◽  
Amer Zaid Alqudah ◽  
Amal Abdulwahab Alamrani

2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole R. Beal ◽  
L. Penny Rosenblum

Introduction The authors examined a tablet computer application (iPad app) for its effectiveness in helping students studying pre-algebra to solve mathematical word problems. Methods Forty-three visually impaired students (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) completed eight alternating mathematics units presented using their traditional literacy medium or an iPad app. Twenty percent of the mathematics problems included graphics such as maps, line graphs, and bar graphs. During each session, teachers of visually impaired students rated the amount of support they provided for students and the student motivation. Results Students answered more mathematics problems correctly when using the iPad app and, overall, teachers reported that their students were more motivated with the app than with their traditional literacy medium. Students often used the hints provided in the app when they did not solve a problem correctly the first time. Discussion Visually impaired students and their teachers found the app and graphics to be easy to use and motivating. The built-in Scratch pad was used by almost all students who were print users. Implications for practitioners The study results contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the potential value of tablet-type devices for use by visually impaired students.


Author(s):  
. Helal Uddin Ahmed

Though Information and communication technology (ICT) has a great potential in providing a fair and equitable education for students with visual impairments, they face several challenges in accessing and using ICT for education and learning purposes. Empirical studies exclusively focusing on visually impaired students in accessing and using ICTs in higher educational instructions are scarce. The current study aims to fill the research gap by identifying the needs of and challenges faced by visually impaired students in accessing ICT to avail educational and learning contents in higher education institutions in a developing country context like Bangladesh. The findings of the study indicate that the major challenges faced by visually impaired students include inadequate arrangements for visually students in universities, difficulties in hiring underwriters, lack of compatible assistive technology, teaching incompetency to design accessible content, unaffordable ICT and assistive technology devices. The study recommends establishment of disability support centre in every university, reasonable adjustments in learning and assessment tasks, organising institution level learning supports, strengthening knowledge and skills of teaching staff, and designing disability specific apps particularly for visually impaired students in order to promote inclusive learning environment in tertiary education in Bangladesh.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Andrezza Santos Flores ◽  
Angela Coletto Morales Escolano ◽  
Carolina Buso Dornfeld

 Resumo: Com a Constituição Federal de 1988 e as legislações subsequentes, todos os alunos têm o direito de fazer parte de uma escola regular, inclusive aqueles que possuem algum tipo de necessidade especial. Uma dificuldade maior ocorre quando este deficiente é o professor, pois um professor vidente em sala de aula possui vários artifícios para dinamizar sua aula ao contrário de um professor deficiente visual que muitas vezes não possui recursos alternativos como complemento em sua aula. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo confeccionar e analisar a utilização de recursos didáticos, voltados para o Ensino de Ciências e Biologia (Fotossíntese, Célula Animal e Célula Vegetal), por uma professora deficiente visual responsável pela sala de recursos de uma Escola Pública Estadual no Noroeste Paulista, que leciona para alunos com cegueira total e baixa visão, buscando-se a melhoria dos recursos para que a mesma desenvolva seu trabalho. Sendo assim, foi possível observar mediante a transcrição e análise dos vídeos que a utilização dos materiais foi de extrema importância para o ensino de seus alunos e para a professora que não teve dificuldades para ministrar suas aulas com o material adaptado. Na opinião da professora, esta é uma de suas prerrogativas, ou seja, adaptar os materiais para melhor entendimento dos alunos deficientes visuais, mas sua deficiência e a falta de suporte dificultam sua atuação em sala de aula. A utilização dos materiais confeccionados para este trabalho, fez com que a professora participante se sentisse com o dever cumprido perante suas aulas.Palavras chave: Educação Especial. Ensino de Biologia. Materiais Didáticos. Deficiente Visual.DIDACTIC RESOURCES AS A COMPLEMENT TO THE TEACHING OF BIOLOGY FOR TEACHERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: a case study Abstract: With the 1988 Federal Constitution and subsequent legislations, all students have the right to be part of a regular school, including those who have some kind of special need. A major difficulty occurs when the deficient is the teacher, as a psychic teacher in the classroom has several tricks to boost your class, unlike a blind teacher who often does not have alternative resources to complement in your class. Thus, this study aimed to make and analyze the use of educational resources, facing the Science and Biology Teaching (Photosynthesis, Animal Cell and Cell Plant) for a visually impaired teacher responsible for the resource room of a Public State School in the northwest of São Paulo state, who teaches for students with low vision and total blindness, seeking to improve the resources for it to develop its work. Thus, it was observed by the transcription and analysis of videos that use of the material was extremely important for the education of their students and herself, who had no trouble to teach their classes with adapted material. According to the professor, this is one of hers prerogatives; in other words, adapt the materials for better understanding of the visually impaired students, but her disability and lack of support hinders their performance in the classroom. The use of materials made for this work, made the participating teacher feel with fulfilled duty to the teacher’s lessons.Keywords: Special Education. Biology Education. Teaching Materials. Disability visual.RECURSOS EDUCATIVOS PARA COMPLEMENTAR LA ENSEÑANZA DE LA BIOLOGÍA PARA LOS MAESTROS CON DISCAPACIDAD VISUAL: un estudio de casoResumen: Con la Constitución Federal de 1988 y la legislación posterior, todos los estudiantes tienen el derecho de formar parte de una escuela regular, incluso aquellos que poseen algún tipo de necesidad especial. La mayor dificultad ocurre cuando este deficiente es el profesor, puesto que un profesor vidente en salón de clase posee varios artificios para dinamizar su clase, al contrario de un profesor con discapacidad visual que muchas veces no posee recursos alternativos como complemento en su salón de clase. De esta forma, el presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo confeccionar y analizar la utilización de recurso didácticos, enfocados para la enseñanza de Ciencias y Biología (Fotosíntesis, Célula Animal e Célula Vegetal), por una profesora con discapacidad visual responsable por la sala de recursos de una Escuela Publica Estadual en el noreste Paulista, que enseña para estudiantes con ceguera total e baja visión, buscándose la mejoría de los recursos para que la misma desenvuelva su trabajo. Siendo así, fue posible observar mediante la transición y análisis de los videos que la utilización de los materiales fue de extrema importancia para la enseñanza de sus estudiantes y para la profesora que no tuvo dificultad para enseñar su clase con el material adaptado. En la opinión de la profesora, esta es una de sus prerrogativas, o sea, adaptar los materiales para mejor entendimiento de los estudiantes con discapacidad visual, pero su incapacidad y la falta de apoyo dificulta su desempeño en el aula. La utilización de los materiales confeccionados para este trabajo, hizo que la profesora participante se sintiese con el deber cumplido ante sus clases.Palabras claves: Educación Especial. Educación Biología. Materiales de Enseñanza. Deficiente Visual. 


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