A Comparison of the Economic Status of Working-Age Persons with Visual Impairments and Those of Other Groups

This article compares the economic status of working-age individuals with visual impairments with those with nonvisual impairments. It shows that the employment rates and mean household incomes were lower and the receipt of Social Security Disability Insurance was higher among those who were blind in both eyes than among those with less-severe visual impairments and those who were deaf in both ears

Perceived Barriers to Including Students with Visual Impairments in General Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to examine barriers perceived by teachers when including students with visual impairments in general physical education. Teachers (52 males, 96 females) who had children with visual impairments in their physical education classes were surveyed prior to in-service workshop participation. The most prevalent barriers were professional preparation, equipment, programming, and time. A logistic regression analysis, regressing gender, in-service training, number of students with visual impairments taught, masters degree attained, masters hours spent on visual impairments (yes or no), undergraduate hours spent on visual impairments (yes or no), and years of experience failed to indicate significant predictors of professional preparation as a barrier, Model x2 (6, n = 148) = 4.48, p \u3e .05

Degraded reality: Using VR/AR to simulate visual impairments

The effects of eye disease cannot be depicted accurately using traditional media. Consequently, public understanding of eye disease is often poor. We present a VR/AR system for simulating common visual impairments, including disability glare, spatial distortions (Metamorphopsia), the selective blurring and filling-in of information across the visual field, and color vision deficits. Unlike most existing simulators, the simulations are informed by patients' self-reported symptoms, can be quantitatively manipulated to provide custom disease profiles, and support gaze-contingent presentation (i.e., when using a VR/AR headset that contains eye-tracking technology, such as the Fove0). Such a simulator could be used as a teaching/empathy aid, or as a tool for evaluating the accessibility of new products and environments

Integración de estudiantes con deficiencias visuales en el aula de enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras en la enseñanza superior

At colleges or universities students with visual impairments have to be mainstreamed. Therefore, each year quite a lot of students with visual impairments can be found in classes scattered over the different colleges and universities in every country. However, most teachers have not been instructed how to teach students with visual impairments in a mainstream classroom. Thus, they worry about changes in the syllabus, availability of suitable textbooks, and how to teach all students together in an effective way. Obtaining necessary information about the students’ problems and sources for help are paramount for the successful integration of students with visual impairments into the mainstream classroom. This paper, therefore, aims to provide information for teachers with little or no background knowledge in special education. Several of the problems discussed in this paper are of concern for teachers of students with visual impairments in general, but some aspects are of special interest for foreign language teachers and are not normally found in guidelines provided to teachers of students with visual impairments in mainstream classes

A long cane competition\u27s impact on self-determination of youth with visual impairments

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore self-determination in daily life and external programs for youth with visual impairments. To achieve this, the researcher explored three areas that contribute to the development of self-determination based on Wehmeyer’s Functional Theory of Self-determination: capacity, opportunities, and support. All participants in this study participated in Cane Quest, an external program specifically designed for youth with visual impairments. Cane Quest is a long cane competition for youth with visual impairments. These youth independently complete on a route using their orientation and mobility skills while navigating through complex environments such as residential areas, commercial areas, stores, buses, and a college campus. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus group sessions, and document collection. The phenomenological approach was used to analyze the data. Results suggest that youth with visual impairments are facing barriers to capacity, opportunities, and appropriate support in their daily lives. The finding also identified that external programs, like Cane Quest, can provide opportunities and appropriate support for youth with visual impairments to practice and develop self-determination skills. External programs, such as Cane Quest, can be beneficial for youth with visual impairments by filling in some of the gaps that may be occurring in their daily lives

Exploring the Experiences of Runners with Visual Impairments and Sighted Guides

: Running is a popular sport, and, with simple modifications, it can be accessible for individuals with visual impairments, particularly with a sighted running guide. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of runners with visual impairments and sighted running guides. Adopting a descriptive qualitative approach to guide data collection analysis and interpretation, seven runners with visual impairments and four sighted running guides were recruited and interviewed. The analysis identified four major themes: (1) benefits, (2) barriers, (3) advocacy, and (4) communication. The identified themes illustrate the influence of participation in running on the health and relationships of the runners with visual impairments, the barriers that exist to participation, and the advocacy and communication needed to overcome those barriers

A Survey of Speech Sound Production in Children with Visual Impairment

Few studies have explored the characteristics of speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. Similarly, there is little research on how speech- language pathologists provide therapy to improve speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. This study addressed the need for research evidence upon which speech-language pathologists might base their clinical practices. The intent of this report is to contribute to the available information on successful speech-language therapy for speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. Fifteen speech-language pathologists responded to a survey that inquired about speech sound productions in the children with visual impairments on their caseloads. Respondents reported on the characteristics of 46 children’s speech sound production, including errors attributed to deficits in articulation and motor speech and to phonological processes. Also reported were the children’s co-existing medical diagnoses and developmental conditions, and the history and nature of their visual impairments. Respondents reported on children’s previous treatments for speech sound productions and noted the length of time children had received therapy. Data were analyzed to determine the characteristics of speech sound productions amongst this sample. The children, as a group, demonstrated developmental speech delays, in some cases well into their teen years. The evidence revealed that the presence of medical and developmental conditions influenced the speech delays in the majority of the children. It cannot be concluded that any of the characteristics of the children’s speech sound productions were the direct result of having visual impairments. Although the respondents reported effective treatment techniques that resulted in improvement of these children’s speech sound productions, the results show improvement for a sample of children who have a variety of developmental disorders, not for a specific sample of children with visual impairments. This study contributes a detailed report of speech sound production characteristics in children who, despite a diversity of co-existing diagnoses, have visual impairment in common. Findings provide practicing speech-language pathologists with a point of reference regarding the characteristics of speech sound productions in children with visual impairments, as well as efficacious techniques for treating children with visual impairments

A Survey of Speech Sound Production in Children with Visual Impairment

Few studies have explored the characteristics of speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. Similarly, there is little research on how speech- language pathologists provide therapy to improve speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. This study addressed the need for research evidence upon which speech-language pathologists might base their clinical practices. The intent of this report is to contribute to the available information on successful speech-language therapy for speech sound productions in children with visual impairments. Fifteen speech-language pathologists responded to a survey that inquired about speech sound productions in the children with visual impairments on their caseloads. Respondents reported on the characteristics of 46 children’s speech sound production, including errors attributed to deficits in articulation and motor speech and to phonological processes. Also reported were the children’s co-existing medical diagnoses and developmental conditions, and the history and nature of their visual impairments. Respondents reported on children’s previous treatments for speech sound productions and noted the length of time children had received therapy. Data were analyzed to determine the characteristics of speech sound productions amongst this sample. The children, as a group, demonstrated developmental speech delays, in some cases well into their teen years. The evidence revealed that the presence of medical and developmental conditions influenced the speech delays in the majority of the children. It cannot be concluded that any of the characteristics of the children’s speech sound productions were the direct result of having visual impairments. Although the respondents reported effective treatment techniques that resulted in improvement of these children’s speech sound productions, the results show improvement for a sample of children who have a variety of developmental disorders, not for a specific sample of children with visual impairments. This study contributes a detailed report of speech sound production characteristics in children who, despite a diversity of co-existing diagnoses, have visual impairment in common. Findings provide practicing speech-language pathologists with a point of reference regarding the characteristics of speech sound productions in children with visual impairments, as well as efficacious techniques for treating children with visual impairments

The use of Talking Chips Technique in Cooperative Learning Models to Increase Language Ability for Visual Impairment Students

This research aims to gain information from various written sources related to the cooperative learning model of talking chips types in improving the oral language skills of students with visual impairments. This research was conducted using a content analysis-based literature review, involving 25 articles and 12 books. The research data used is in the form of secondary data taken from printed books, a collection of journals, previous researches, and relevant websites. The results of the literature review show: (1) cooperative learning model of talking chips types can improve oral language skills in composing simple sentences of students with visual impairments; (2) there are differences in the oral language skills between students with visual impairments low vision and blind; (3) the use of cooperative learning model of talking chips types becomes an innovation in the learning process of students with visual impairments. The results of this research implied that the cooperative learning model of talking chips types could serve as an alternative to improve the oral language skills of students with visual impairments