What does the literature say?
A look at the current research and educational literature surrounding visually impaired students. This incorporates ideas for inclusion, strategies for specific KLAs, creating positive environments, and reasonable adjustments for vision impaired students.
Department of Education and Training (n.d.) Vision in the Classroom. Retrieved online from: http://www.education.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/2293/VisionInClassroom.pdf
This one-page flyer provides 12 quick but key considerations when working with a student who has a vision problem in the classroom.
Roe, J., Rogers, S., Donaldson, M., Gordon, C. & Meager, N. (2014). Teaching literacy through braille in mainstream settings whilst promoting inclusion: Reflections on our practice. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 61(2), pp. 165-177.
Ways to ensure effective teaching of braille:
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Vervloed, M., Loijens, N., Waller, S. (2014). Teaching the meaning of words to children with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. September-October 2014. pp. 433-438.
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Sharma, U., Moore, D., Furlonger, B., Smyth King, B., Kaye, L. & Constantinou, O. (2010). Forming effective partnerships to facilitate inclusion of students with vision impairments: Perceptions of a regular classroom teacher and an itinerant teacher. The British Journal of Visual Impairment. 28(1), pp.57-67.
"The present study demonstrated that flexibility, adaptability and positive attitudes toward inclusion are co-attributes of successful inclusive teachers" (Sharma et al. p. 9)
Itinerant Support Teachers-Vision = ISTV
The interviewed ISTV highlighted 5 major challenges:
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Click the link below to learn more about the role of an Itinerant Support Teacher:
http://www.palmtree.schools.nsw.edu.au/programs-services/itinerant-support-teachers
http://www.palmtree.schools.nsw.edu.au/programs-services/itinerant-support-teachers
"I am not sure if I or any other regular classroom teacher can teach a child with vision impairment without the necessary support from a specialist teacher. I had a million questions for Linda (ISTV) and she patiently answered them for me which reduced lots of my anxieties."
- (Sharma et al,, p. 6) Regular Classroom Teacher
The itinerant model of educating students with a vision impairment has been employed in Australia for many years, however, there is a lack of Australia research into the challenges that these teachers face and how to address them.
This article highlighted a few key success factors that were discovered during the interview process:
This article highlighted a few key success factors that were discovered during the interview process:
- Building a mentor relationship between the regular classroom teacher and ISTV
- Organisation is key: The ISTV needs to be informed about what is being taught the following week, the following month and the following term in order for reasonable adjustments to be made for the student
"In order to facilitate the successful inclusion of students with vision impairments these teachers need to be flexible and have positive attitudes toward students with disabilities and the inclusion of such students into regular classes" (Sharma et al., p. 9)