What is school actually like for students who are blind / visually impaired?
I recently came across a journal article published in the British Journal of Visual Impairment, entitled “The participatory experiences of pupils with vision impairment in education”. Finally, someone though to ask the school students themselves about their experiences accessing education in a mainstream school environment.
Image of a classroom viewed from the back. Rows of students are seated at desks, facing toward a teacher at the front, who is standing in front of a chalkboard. One child has their hand raised to answer a question.
A generation back, in many countries, children who were blind or vision impaired would have attended special schools to receive their education. In most developed countries these days, a high percentage attend mainstream schools, reflecting a move towards inclusivity; the idea being that we should work towards making regular environments accessible to those with disabilities, as far as is possible, rather than providing separate facilities.
The study used a ‘qualitative’ approach, meaning that the researchers gathered the participants’ experiences, and perceptions. In this particular study, this was performed by means of focus groups. Thirteen students aged 8-18, who attended both primary and post-primary education establishments were interviewed. The article highlights that we still have a very long way to go to reach true inclusivity and provide an equitable educational experience for children who are blind or visually impaired.
The students reported adjustments not being made, or not being made fully, they also reported adjustments being made that were not actually helpful to them, based on assumptions and a one-size-fits-all approach. One student relayed how they were always seated at the front of the classroom, where the light from the projector really bothered them. This is a great example of why we need to consider each individual case: sitting at the front does generally help ensure good access, because when you get closer to things, you increase the angular magnification – they appear bigger, BUT, for some students, and some set-ups, there are other issues which may offset this, such as the light from the projector, or that the front quarter of the classroom is usually significantly dimmer than the rest, because of the projector placement. A student with significantly reduced visual fields may actually find it better to sit near the back of the classroom, since this will allow them to visually access more of the classroom at any one time. Another student reported being given work on a larger piece of paper, but the print on the paper was not enlarged. The result of this was to draw attention to the student, while not actually achieving anything. This is an example of school staff having good intentions, but lacking understanding and access to specialised knowledge.
A general lack of awareness was reported, which left students repeatedly having to explain their vision needs, while lack of forward planning on the part of schools often resulted in students having to miss breaks while staff attempted to resolve issues such as accessibility problems. Several students talked about the extra stress they experienced around exams when accessibility issues were encountered and last-minute solutions had to be devised, sometimes resulting in delayed starts to exams.
Image of children sitting around a table, writing in school books
Social isolation was another common theme. The students highlighted a range of issues, ranging from their lack of vision making it difficult to find their friends, or even to interact with potential friends, to their opportunities to socialise being restricted by the need to sort out access issues with technology and/or other teaching materials in their breaktimes. Activities, such as ball sports, undertaken by peers during lunch breaks, were a further source of isolation for some students, due to the difficulties they encountered participating in these activities.
School buildings are often old and incorporate minimal features to allow safe, comfortable access for people with disabilities. Students gave examples of a lack of high contrast markings for steps, directional material that was too small and low contrast for them to see, and hazards such as windows left open and bags left lying around, making safe navigation extremely difficult.
Overall, the article highlighted a need for a holistic approach, with improved awareness school-wide. It’s not enough for students with vision impairment to have to rely on a specialised teacher who they may only see a few hours every few weeks. On a daily basis, students who are blind / visually impaired attending a mainstream school will interact with numerous members of the school community, from other students, to teaching staff, to administrators. If we want to provide a truly inclusive environment, it is important for all of these people to have some knowledge and understanding about the needs of the student who is blind / visually impaired.
You can read the open access journal article that this blog is based on here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02646196241268318.