The transition from high school to college is a significant turning point in a student's life, and this easy-to-read guide gives students the tools they need to select and apply to college and move forward with skill and confidence. Everything a student needs to know is included, from developing organizational, note-taking, test-taking, and study skills to managing living space, student-teacher relationships, social and academic life, and extracurricular and leisure time activities is included.
Online courses have become a necessity in education. Still, the online learning format, course design, and course management systems are not always conducive for learners with visual impairments. “A key concern is that faculty and individuals accountable for supporting and implementing e-learning within postsecondary institutions, in a rush to integrate technology into teaching, fail to think about the accessibility needs of students with various disabilities” (Fichten, 2009, p. 242). This qualitative study aimed to describe and interpret the lived experiences of college students who are blind or visually impaired in an online environment. This study involved ten blind or low-vision students enrolled in online courses. Ten semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted, which provided a vivid description of the students’ lived experiences as they encountered barriers, faced complex course content, and benefited from best practices used by instructors in the online learning environment. The following were the key findings related to the research questions. First, the study found the learning barriers experienced by the participants include course material in inaccessible formats, videos missing audio descriptions, and unavailable maps and diagrams. Second, the research participants stated math and foreign language courses present the most difficulty for students who are blind or visually impaired. Third, creating material in accessible formats, providing accommodations, good communication, and providing content in advance are best practices professors use in an online environment. This research study aimed to apply the knowledge gained in perfecting and developing proactive interventions to reduce educational barriers for the visually impaired. My research supports a mutual understanding of accessibility needs between the campus community and students who are blind or have low vision. These findings would be applied to the following: (a) advising the university’s Disability Services for Students (DSS) office regarding the acquisition of support services, (b) developing strategies to better prepare faculty for teaching students who are blind or low vision, (c) assisting faculty in gaining a greater understanding of the most effective classroom pedagogy and dynamics in achieving academic success for students who are blind or visually impaired, and (d) hiring staff proficient in assistive technologies. In addition, faculty who teach in an online learning environment could use the findings to make the environment more inclusive for those students who are blind or visually impaired by (a) establishing a level of comfort in communicating with the student concerning accessibility issues, (b) demonstrating a willingness to create accessible materials and use accessible textbooks and third-party vendors who champion accessibility, (c) encouraging unwilling students lacking confidence, who may be uncomfortable with self-advocating, to dare to try, and (d) being influential in helping foster interexchange of accessible materials and communication among all students (sighted, blind, or visually impaired).
Bursting with practical advice, suggestions and handy tips, providing readers with a positive starting point for sharing ideas and good practice, this is a key practical guide to making learning accessible for primary and secondary school pupils with visual impairment. This user-friendly book shows how, with appropriate support, pupils with visual impairment in mainstream schools can have as rewarding an experience of education as their sighted peers. The majority of contributors are qualified teachers for visual impairment, with many years' experience working with pupils in a variety of settings. Covering the curriculum and each subject area in detail, Teaching Pupils with Visual Impairment includes guidance on: activities within and outside the classroom making the school's physical environment accessible inclusion within the school's social environment. Teachers and support staff will have immediate access to a wealth of ideas, supported by invaluable resources on the accompanying CD/website, including a complete electronic version of the book in large print, allowing older pupils to take a more active role in the learning process.
International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities is an ongoing scholarly look at research into the causes, effects, classification systems, and syndromes of developmental disabilities. Contributors come from wide-ranging perspectives, including genetics, psychology, education, and other health and behavioral sciences. The current volume, number 46, addresses current issues in the education of students with visual impairments. Topics covered include the expanded core curriculum for students with visual impairment; assistive technology; Braille reading comprehension; communication development; orientation and mobility issues, and more. Provides the most recent scholarly research in the study of developmental disabilities A vast range of perspectives is offered, and many topics are covered An excellent resource for academic researchers
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how fifteen students with blindness and visual impairments experienced their engagement in undergraduate studies at four 4-year universities and perceived their success. They also provided their understandings of the impact of institutions, faculty, staff, and others on their academic success. Previous literature suggests that students with blindness and visual impairments as well as students with other disabilities were academically successful in college because of institutional support and the positive attitude of faculty and peers (Baggett, 1994; Branker, 1997; Enberg, 1999; Fichten, 2005; and Roy, 2000). Findings from this study demonstrate that participantsÃØâ'Ơâ"Ø understandings and experiences with blindness varied and their subsequent adjustment and transition also differed. Participants described several factors that facilitated the creation of positive educational experiences during their undergraduate programs: positive exposure to a new region of the country, positive peers, supportive departments and professors, financial opportunities, and welcoming and diverse campus environments. As these students transitioned to the university, they utilized accommodations and services provided by Disability Students Services (DSS) to facilitate their access to the academic environment. The undergraduate students also described challenging experiences, including feeling academic discrimination, a sense of isolation, limited campus accessibility, and peer interaction issues. There were other support systems that facilitated participant academic success, such as mentors, family, administrators, and staff. This study concluded that blind and visually impaired undergraduate students were more likely to succeed academically when they felt a sense of connectedness with the university academic system. DSS is most responsible for facilitating that connectedness. Quality contact and collaboration with faculty were also imp.
The ability to see deeply affects how human beings perceive and interpret the world around them. For most people, eyesight is part of everyday communication, social activities, educational and professional pursuits, the care of others, and the maintenance of personal health, independence, and mobility. Functioning eyes and vision system can reduce an adult's risk of chronic health conditions, death, falls and injuries, social isolation, depression, and other psychological problems. In children, properly maintained eye and vision health contributes to a child's social development, academic achievement, and better health across the lifespan. The public generally recognizes its reliance on sight and fears its loss, but emphasis on eye and vision health, in general, has not been integrated into daily life to the same extent as other health promotion activities, such as teeth brushing; hand washing; physical and mental exercise; and various injury prevention behaviors. A larger population health approach is needed to engage a wide range of stakeholders in coordinated efforts that can sustain the scope of behavior change. The shaping of socioeconomic environments can eventually lead to new social norms that promote eye and vision health. Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow proposes a new population-centered framework to guide action and coordination among various, and sometimes competing, stakeholders in pursuit of improved eye and vision health and health equity in the United States. Building on the momentum of previous public health efforts, this report also introduces a model for action that highlights different levels of prevention activities across a range of stakeholders and provides specific examples of how population health strategies can be translated into cohesive areas for action at federal, state, and local levels.
As wider access to higher education becomes a top priority for governments in the UK and around the world, this ground-breaking piece of work raises the challenging questions that policy-makers, vice-chancellors and government officials are reluctant to ask. A highly qualified team of authors have closely analyzed rates of participation and the experiences of disabled students in higher education over a two year period. They compare the responses of eight different universities to the new anti-discriminatory practice, contrasting their social profiles, academic missions, support systems for disabled students and approaches for the implementation of change. Change comes under particular scrutiny, with a close examination of each university’s interpretation of ‘reasonable adjustments’, and the extent to which they have modified their campuses and teaching accordingly. Student case studies are used throughout to illustrate the real impact of institutional responses to the legislation. Disabled Students in Higher Education will make fascinating reading for students of education, social policy, politics, and disability studies, and for those working towards accredited university teacher status.
