Visual Impairments

Introduction: Vision helps to perceive details of surroundings and regarded as the most important tool for learning for schoolchildren. World Health Organization (WHO) has prioritized vision screening in schools to decrease the burden of visual impairment (VI) in children. Any change in vision can be identified by schoolteachers when a child has difficulty in seeing the black board and reading books. Aim: This study is aimed to see if visual screening training to schoolteachers can effectively be used to detect VI in children. Material & Methods: Visual screening of 1134 eyes of 567 students was done by both the investigator and school teachers and results were formulated and compared. There was no difference in result in 66.31 % eyes. Investigator recorded better visual acuity (VA)+ with a 1-line difference in 14.55% eyes and two lines difference 3.35% eyes. Whereas, teachers recorded one-line better VA in 12.79% eyes and two lines better VA in 3% eyes. Result: Out of 578 students from the three different schools of Allahabad district, from class 3 to 6, majority (267) belonged to school 3, whereas school 1 had the least (142) number of students. Conclusion: The present study has identified the role of teachers as visual screeners in schools. The procedure is cost effective and require only visual screening training to the schoolteachers, so they can be used effectively for early detection of reduced vision in schoolchildren.

The positive psychological and physical health effects associated with exposure to natural environments are well recognised. However, previous research in this field has focused almost exclusively upon the visual aspects of the environment, largely ignoring the role of the other senses. This paper reassesses these findings by examining the role senses other than sight play in blind people’s experiences of natural environments. Six people with visual impairments were interviewed regarding their experience of natural environments; interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that if the participants felt safe, they reported experiencing restorative effects in the majority of natural environments. Three main themes that contribute to an understanding of the processes involved in psychological restoration emerged: restoration, challenges, sources of experiences. Environmental restoration was reported by participants as being mostly experienced through sound and to a lesser extent through touch and smell.

Conducting assessment with individuals with physical disability, visual impairment or blindness, and hearing impairment or deafness poses significant challenges for the neuropsychologist. Although standards for psychological testing have been devised to address assessment of persons with disabilities, little research has been conducted to validate neuropsychological test accommodation and modification practices that deviate from standard test administration or to develop test parameters and interpretive guidelines specifically for persons with different physical or sensory disabilities. This paper reviews issues pertaining to neuropsychological test selection and administration, common accommodation and modification practices, test development and validation, and disabilityrelated factors that influence interpretation of test results. Systematic research is needed to develop methodological parameters for testing and to ensure reliable and valid neuropsychological assessment practices for individuals with physical or sensory disabilities.

In this study, it was aimed to prepare an Instruction Design Model (IDM) to teach the concepts of 'States of Matter and Heat' unit for the students with visual impairment at 8th grade primary school. At scope of this study, the activities and materials developed for the related unit were assessed in terms of teaching, learning, functionality and usability. Design Based Research was used at this study. The ADDIE model was utilized while IDM was being developed. In the analysis phase the students' learning needs were identified. Materials and activities were designed and implemented at the Design, Development and Implementation phase. In the evaluation phase, the evaluation of these teaching materials and activities was assessed. 5 students in the analysis phase and 6 students in the implementation phase were used in the study. In the needs analysis and at the implementation phase of the study, the case study method was used. While the science lesson observation form was used in the needs analysis of the study, the science activity observation form was used as the data collection tool. According to results, it was determined that the activities and the activities materials were satisfied the criteria in terms of teaching, learning, functionality and usability.

This paper discusses the methods and results of Usability Evaluation in the context of Web of the NVDA screen reader-software speech synthesizer, which allows visually impaired to use the computer. As an instrument for data collection was used two methods: an interface embossed (made with EVA) with the aim of presenting a web page to users through touch and a roadmap with the technique of Usability Evaluation-Communicability Test. With this evaluation sought to understand the degree of usability of the NVDA in the access the Web by people with visual impairments. Resumo. Neste artigo serão discutidos os métodos e resultados da Avaliação de Usabilidade no contexto Web do leitor de tela NVDA-software sintetizador de voz, o qual permite ao deficiente visual utilizar o computador. Como instrumento de coleta de dados utilizou-se dois métodos: uma interface em alto relevo (confeccionada com E.V.A) com o objetivo de apresentar uma página web aos usuários através do tato e um roteiro com a técnica de Avaliação de Usabilidade Teste de Comunicabilidade. Com essa avaliação procurou-se compreender qual o grau de Usabilidade do NVDA no acesso a Web por pessoas com deficiência visual.

This research aimed to explore the actual situation of information accessibility for university students with visual impairment at higher academic institutions of Lahore, Pakistan. This research adopted a qualitative research design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to investigate the proposed phenomenon. The participants were recruited with purposive sampling from higher academic institutions for data collection. Face to face interview of 15 visually impaired students was conducted using an interview guide. The participants were debriefed for data authentication and verification at the end. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed carefully using IPA. The results indicated that these students utilized interpersonal relationships as the primary source of their academic information. The other available facilities for information access included the internet, disability resources center (if available at the institution), and the university library. The major barr...

Öz Görme engelliler için Braille alfabesiyle oluşturulan kitaplar, birinin okuması esasına dayalı eğitimler sürdürülmektedir. Öğrenme, öğrendiğini aktarabilme güdülerini harekete geçiren işitsel-parmak ile okumak şeklindeki yöntemleri içine alan çalışmalar, görme engellilere teknoloji destekli yapılmaktadır. Görme engelli müzisyenler için; bir müzik eserini yazma, okuma, anlama, analiz etme, icra etme daha zordur. Araştırmada, müzisyenlerin müzik eserini yazmada ne tür program veya programlar kullandıkları belirlenmiş, yaygınlığı göz önünde bulundurularak ayrıntılı bir şekilde ele alınmıştır. Kişilerin Braille notasyon çıktılarını kullanmadığı, programlar aracılığıyla yazılan eserlerin edit (düzeltme) işlemlerinde çeşitli zorluklar yaşadığı, 20.-21. yy besteleme tekniklerini içeren yapıtları hiç uygulamaya geçirmedikleri veya son derece sınırlı düzeyde gerçekleştirdikleri saptanmıştır. Türk Müziği alanında söz konusu programların görme engelli kullanıcılara cevap vermediği görülmüştür. Abstract For visually impaired people, not only in our country but also in much of the world, based on the principles are maintained Braille books or read one of the alphabet created with education. This is naturally reveal of based on rote learning. There is also have an assisted technology for visually impaired people of learning, can be transfer to learn methods such as auditorial methods or reading with fingers. Consequently, for impaired musicians on music education are more difficult to composing, reading, understanding, analyzing, performing etc. In this research, it will came up digital composing programs using by impaired musicians. It will identified the most common composing programs for impaired musicians and will utilized. According to them, this study indicates that the participants of the survey don't use the embossed version of Braille notation, come across various difficulties in editing their works written by the means of such programs and in particular either benefit from the programs in very limited way or not use them at all for the works which contain 20th and 21st century music technics. In the same context, it is noted that these mentioned programs do not apply comfortably for the users who are visually impaired dealing with Turkish Music as well. 1. Giriş Araştırmanın merkezinde bulunan bestecilik ve besteleme teknikleri kısaca şu şekilde ifade edilebilir. Ham olarak ortaya çıkan müzik yaratısından beste, teknik donanım, bilgi ve deneyimlerle işlenmiş, anlamlı-tutarlı bir bütünlük haline getirilmiş biçimine de müzik kompozisyonu şeklinde tanımlanabilir. Örneğin, arka arkaya koyulan cümlelerin her zaman bir kompozisyon oluşturmadığı gibi arka arkaya gelen müzikal fikirler veya nota ya da notaların da müzik kompozisyonu oluşturamaması gibi… Bu bağlamda, kompozisyonel müzik yaratısı, ruhun ve aklın beraber kurguladığı, duygunun doğurduğu, bilginin yoğurduğu tecrübenin çocuğudur. Besteci de yoğun çalışması sonucu, yeteneğini bilgiyle şekillendiren duygu ve düşüncelerini kağıda veya benzeri bir ortama (dijital veri alanları gibi) aktaran kişidir. Bir besteci ile yorumcu arasındaki en büyük farklardan biri ise bestecinin boş, yorumcunun dolu kağıtlar ile çalışmasıdır. Beste yapan kişi sahip olduğu bilgi ve ilgisi doğrultusunda farklı türlerde üretim sergilemektedir. Bu alanlardan bazıları bir diğerine göre çok daha fazla yazılı müzikal materyal gereksinimi içerebilmektedir. (Klasik Batı Müziği'ndeki bir eserde görülen notaya bağlı geleneksel yapı, Klasik Türk Müziği'ndeki meşk yöntemindeki notaya bağımlı olmama durumu veya Popüler Müzik'teki bir eserin yorumunda farklılık olabileceği gibi). Beste temelde, nota kağıdı, kalem, enstrüman gibi araçlar ile yapılsa da teknolojik gelişmeler kaçınılmaz olarak her alanda etkisini göstermektedir. Görme engelli bir birey eserini ortaya koyarken de bazı teknolojik olanaklardan yararlanması son derece doğaldır. Ancak teknolojik gelişim, bu araştırmada konu edilen görme engelli müzisyenlerin besteleme teknikleri ve dijital uygulamalar göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, bir engel grubuna dahil • Bu çalışma, 2-4 Eylül 2015 tarihinde Manisa'da düzenlenen BILTEVT'15 Uluslararası Engelsiz Bilişim Kongresi'nde metin özeti kabul edilmiş olup sözlü olarak sunulan bildiriden genişletilmiştir.

ALTER, European Journal of Disability Research 9, 130-143.
Abstract: The research aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences of individuals with visual disability regarding their visits to museums. To obtain relevant information, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 Greek individuals with visual disability aged between 19–59 years. The participants highlighted issues relevant to factors which facilitated or/and hindered their accessibility to Greek museums, such as escorts, museum tour guides, tactile access, prohibition signs “do not touch”, museum services and museum websites. Also, they referred to positive and negative emotions which were associated with their museum visits. Finally, they made suggestions aiming to improve the participation of people with visual disability to museums.

In this experience paper we consider the relevance of social policy to the design of personal cameras for accessibility. As researchers with different backgrounds, in disability studies, accessible computing, AI-based systems, HCI and disability policy, we reflect broadly on our experiences of developing assistive technology for and with people with deafblindness. For designers of assistive technology there are usually few restrictions placed on what may be investigated, provided certain ethical and legal standards are met. However, deafblind and disabled people experience many more barriers in how the products of design may be accessed and how they may be used. Social policy is one of the mediators that governs the allocation of resources and benefits, especially for disabled people. We discuss these issues for researchers in the field, using the example of personal cameras: an area of high policy intervention. Awareness of policy is limited in HCI research, and we argue that it has the potential to add focus to work on design and assistive devices for disabled people. Designers have an important role to play in this process.

My area of interest is the lighting sense for visually impaired people. I find that lighting design disciplines is not considered enough for those who are visually impaired, especially for blind people. This is because to most sighted people, even some lighting professors believe that since blind people can't see anything, light has nothing to do with them. They simply ignore this visually impaired group when they are considering lighting design.
However, according to my research, this is wrong. Light, both daylight and electric light, are important to visually impaired people. Firstly, there are different scales of blindness. Only 6-8% of the legally blind are totally blind. Most of the blind people has some sense of light. Secondly, light can play with other senses, such as sound and smell to help them understand about the sequence of a space. Thirdly, light always comes together with heat, because of the wave–particle duality essential to Light. The other senses of blind people are stronger than sighted people, such as the sense of feel heat. Fourthly, light is fundamentally important to keeping the 24 hour cycle of people no matter if they are blind or not. Lastly, blind people share a space with sighted people, light can help them interact socially with each other. At the same time, it will be dangerous if a sighted person can't see blind people clearly in a space.
To me, I don’t want to consider only visually impaired people, but to consider how to bring those who are visually impaired into public space by lighting. Lighting can help visually impaired people better understand a space, find their ways easier, and communicate with others.

Video games represent one of the most popular forms of digital entertainment , but people who are blind or visually impaired end up having restricted access to these games. Discussions about digital accessibility and inclusion often end up leaving this question aside, in favor of some discourse considered more "utilitarian" or "productivist". However, video games have a relevant role in contemporary culture and can bring cognitive, motivational, emotional , and social benefits, as well as contribute to the well-being of their players. Audiogames are a specific type of digital game that have sound and sometimes tactile stimuli as their central element, rather than visual graphics. Thus, audiogames can create atmosphere, mechanics, and unique gameplay, while making digital entertainment more accessible to people with all levels of vision. It is also necessary to consider (and charge) the need for other types of digital games to comply with accessibility guidelines and to guarantee the right to play for everyone. Digital games that promote universal design and that are capable of captivating their players can ensure that people with different levels of vision can interact, collaborate, and even compete on equal terms with the same game-a situation that can not always be observed in other everyday situations.

The present study aims at identifying the needs of the teachers of visually impaired students in Amman city. For this end, the researchers have developed a special tool which consists of 31 statements. The tool has been validated by a group of professionals from the University of Jordan and World Islamic University. The liability of the tool was calculated by using (Cronbach’s, alpha=0.953). The sample has been collected from some governmental and no governmental schools which deliver special education services to students with visual impairment. The community research comprises (100) teachers of both sexes, from 20 schools. Sixty participants (60) have been chosen to a chief the purpose of the study. The participants had been chosen according to the following criteria; teach at least one visual impaired or blind student, have an experience at least 6 months. For the purpose of this study, the researchers have tested the assumption. Through using SPSS program (Version 21). A suitable statistical approaches (Mean, SD Percentages; t-test; Chronback alpha test). ANOVA, Ancova and post comparative have been used to analysis the data.
The results of the study revealed the need for training in braille writing and reading, communication skills for the visually impaired teachers (mean=2.07/4) which is the lowest and for all statements was (mean=2.81/4) with percentage of 70.28%. Which consider moderate according the scale? However the statement which indicated the need for early intervention has a (Mean=3.52) which was the highest of all  scale items. Also the study indicates no relation between demographic variable (sex; education; experience; class level) and training needs (sig 0.677, 0.094, 0.434, 0.322; respectively) but there is a significant difference (*.003) due to teachers' characteristics. In addition, when  Scheffe’s test for post Hoc comparison (*0.76) the results indicate presence of  significant differences in quality and quantity of training needs of the teachers of the visually impaired students relate to teachers' characteristics toward the sighted teachers of visually impaired students (mean=3.06). The results of Scheffe’s test for Post Hoc comparison (*0.89) also indicate a presence of significant, a difference in the teachers of the visually impaired student between the blind and partially sighted teachers in favor of partially sighted teachers (mean=3.19).

This article presents in brief the causes of visual impairment in modern times and sets the theoretical framework along with giving some practical tips of the teaching methods the teacher of foreign languages should follow in order to maximize the performance of the visually impaired students in the language classroom. Moreover, it presents a mini research held by the author in the area of Central Macedonia, Greece in order to trace the conditions which visually impaired students are faced with while learning English and other foreign languages in Greece and the problems that they are confronted with. Furthermore, through the elaboration of the questionnaires used in the research, some useful conclusions are drawn and some suggestions are presented about the improvement of the teaching of foreign languages to the blind and the measures the state should take.

This article presents a pilot study conducted in Barcelona with blind and visually-impaired people. The aim was to analyze the use and efficacy of tactile maps produced by means of 3D printing. For this purpose, structured interviews were used, along with direct observation, the creation of cognitive maps and tasks with prototypes. The aim has been to examine the instrumental and communicative value of these products in terms of interpreting, memorizing and understanding a certain urban route, comparing this with experience in situ, focusing on the difficulties faced by the visually disabled when visiting new places. Findings show the utility of this type of technique in aiding visually disabled users to memorize routes. As a limitation, this study shows that tactile maps are not wholly efficient since they require verbal support, which makes it hard for them to be used autonomously.

This end-of-year report discusses how this intelligent stick is built and how it will help visually impaired people in their everyday lives, and has as objective to permit visually impaired people in Cameroon to navigate freely using an Ultrasonic Smart Stick, to send SMS notifications to family members, to permit family members to tract them, to find the cane in the case of loss. As such we used the APTE (Application of Professional Method) based on the Value Analysis (VA) methodology which permitted us to do: need analysis by using a Horned Beast diagram and an Octopus diagram to define our needs and show the link between different elements of the project respectively, to do functional analysis using Function Analysis System Technic (FAST) diagrams to define our project’s functions and arrive at technological solutions, and to do structured analysis using SADT (Structured Analysis Design Technic) to show a model of our project. We used a breadboard to simulate our project and then we used a software ISIS in Proteus to show the pinout of our system and ARES, still in Proteus, to draw our Printed Circuit Board (PCB); also, we used Arduino IDE to program in C-language our two microcontroller boards Arduino Nano, and MIT App Inventor to program and generate the Android installation package
(the apk file) of the Smart Stick Finder app, which will help the person with visual impairment to both locate his cane and after finding his cane, to mute it by sending vocal commands to the Arduino Nano through its Bluetooth device. After assembling our system, we did some tests and
noticed that: the ultrasonic sensor has an absolute error of 1cm in its readings, the higher the water level the more sensitive the water sensor becomes in its readings, the motor and the buzzer vibrate and beep respectively as expected, the accuracy of GPS readings depend on the last time that the readings were taken, and the GSM module’s accuracy depends on the network. Our project permitted us to solve the problem of visual impairment using a Smart Stick and we can rightfully and joyously conclude that we had a 95% success.

The low-incidence disability of visual impairment has led to many challenges in the field of education. The present study compared school related issues of adolescents with a visual impairment and their parents to adolescents who do not have a visual impairment and their parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of students with a visual impairment and their parents to determine the level of satisfaction of the education the students are receiving. A sample of n = 180 parents and 10th grade students were used to answer the questions regarding various factors of education. The predicted outcome will be that overall parents are satisfied with their child's education but will have negative feelings regarding the quality of education. It is also predicted that the students with a visual impairment will have similar feelings regarding education.

This paper reports on a study that helps visually-impaired people to walk more confidently. T he study hypothesizes that a smart cane that alerts visually-impaired people over obstacles in front could help them in walking with less accident. T he aim of the paper is to address the development work of a cane that could communicate with the users through voice alert and vibration, which is named Smart Cane. T he development work involves coding and physical installation. A series of tests have been carried out on the smart cane and the results are discussed. This study found that the Smart Cane functions well as intended, in alerting users about the obstacles in front.

Studies showing developmental delays in infants and children with visual impairments
have triggered early childhood special education studies for this population. Early childhood
special education guidelines for visually impaired infants and children range from
individualized services to personnel preparation issues while all display certain limitations
in practice. Th is study focuses on the problems faced in the implementation of these
guidelines and some possible solutions regarding these limitations, in light of a thorough
literature review. Th ese guidelines included steps to be taken in determining the developmental
patterns of visually impaired young children, providing instruction in all areas of
development, personnel preparation, assessment and evaluation as well as mainstreaming
practices and several solutions to overcome barriers were proposed. Th is discussion is believed
to shed light on planning and implementing eff ective support services for infants
and children with visual impairments.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocoping, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without permission from Pearson Education, Inc. This Publication is being presented under the project "Developing of Parameters for Quality Profi ling of Schools for the Blind" of the Institute.

The current research examined the academic journey of university students with Visual Impairment,specifically the ways in which they experience their adjustment to university both
academically and socially. The study explicitly aimed at incorporating students’ voices and, using in-depth interviews, to offer insight into students’ experiences of the process of
adjustment, which would be analyzed from the students’ subjective point of view. The aim isto raise awareness of how students with visual impairment experience higher education and
to improve the understanding of obstacles and barriers, but also to shed light on the strengthsand inner resources that these students discover along the way.
The current research is a longitudinal qualitative study which examines the adjustment process of university students with VI during two years of their studies. The data was
collected and analyzed due to the principles of ‘grounded theory’ (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).
The research uses a ‘disability studies’ approach, thus adhering to the social model which describes disability not as a medical condition or a personal tragedy of the individual, but as
the product of the interaction between the individual and society. This approach also promotes the adoption of a model of research named by Oliver (1992) as the ‘emancipatory paradigm’, which was utilized in the current research. This paradigm draws explicitly uponpeople with disabilities’ collective experience and so challenges directly the widespread social oppression of this group.

Education of children with disabilities is a major concern of 21st century. The diversity of population of children with disabilities has posed a challenge towards inclusive education. After implementation of United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and Right to Education Act, Inclusive Education inclusive education got attention of policy makers in India. Inclusive education is a very complex process and it is critical too if it is intended to children with visual impairment. The purpose of present paper is to outline defining perspective and the assessment procedures of visual impairment in specific Indian context and describe certain curricular adaptations in different curricular areas to provide children with visual impairment an equal access of education which in turn will facilitate full inclusion of children with visual impairment in main stream schools of India.

Students with disabilities face physical, social, and emotional barriers in their postsecondary education. Some barriers may include obstruction in the environment, lack of awareness in the university community and peer participation. This article explores the experiences and challenges faced by visually impaired students in a public university in Malaysia. The article delves into the feelings and aspirations of the students as they study in the University. It gives an insight into the lives of the students with disabilities and how they cope throughout their stay in the university.

Standartlaşan eğitimle birlikte, eğitime dair hedefler de her birey için aynı hale gelmiştir. Aynılaşan bu eğitim hedefleri, uygulamalarda da standartlaşmayı da beraberinde getirmiş ve eğitimin neredeyse tüm unsurlarını etkilemiştir. Okul binasından eğitim programına, ders kitaplarından ölçme ve değerlendirmede kullanılan materyallere kadar tek – standart – bir yol izlenmekte, bu durum ise standart tanım dışındaki öğrenciler için sorunlar ve zorluklar oluşturmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda yapılan çalışma, görme engelli bir öğrencinin üniversite
öğreniminde bir gün boyunca yaşadığı olayları ele alma düşüncesiyle ortaya çıkmıştır. Bilindiği gibi dünyada ve ülkemizde birçok engelli kişi eğitim kurumlarının değişik seviyelerinde öğrenim görmektedirler. Bu kişiler genellikle ailesi ve kendilerinin gayretleriyle eğitim hayatlarını
sürdürmekte, diğer insanların detaylı bilgiye sahip olmadığı bir hayat içerisinde öğrenimlerine devam etmektedirler. Yakın çevresinde engelli bir kişi olmayan kimse engelli kişilerle doğru bir bağ kurmakta ve onları anlamakta güçlük çekmektedir. Toplum içerisinde var olan engelli
bireylerin anlaşılamaması ya da engelli bireyleri anlayamama durumunun aşılması için bu ve benzer türde çalışmaların etkili olabileceği düşünülebilir. Durum çalışması olarak tasarlanmış çalışmada, görme engelli bir öğrencinin anılarından yararlanılmıştır. Birinci ağızdan kaydedilmiş engelli öğrenci anıları nitel araştırma tekniklerinden içerik analizi yöntemiyle incelenmiş ve temalar ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Nitel çalışmalar detaylı veri toplamak için kullanılan teknikleri içerir ve derinlemesine bilgi verir. Araştırmanın katılımcısı, üniversite mezunu olup MEB’de kadrolu öğretmen olarak görev yapmaktadır. Bu durumun birçok farklı açıdan engelli insanların eğitim ortamlarında ve seviyelerinde yaşadığı olayları iyi aktarabilecek tecrübeye sahip olmasını sağladığı düşünülebilir. Ayrıca araştırmanın katılımcısı, bildiri yazarlarından ilkidir. Bu durum ise çalışmanın uygulanabilirlik ilkesini kolaylaştırırken, etkisini ve veri toplama aşamasını da güçlendirmiştir. Diğer yandan, bu durumun yaratacağı öznellik riski ikinci araştırmacı tarafından dengelenmiştir. Bu çalışmayla birlikte eğitim uygulamalarında ve toplumsal hayatta
farkındalık oluşturmak ve de önerilerde bulunmak amaçlanmıştır. Görme engelli bir öğrencinin anılarından yola çıkan bu araştırma sadece görme engelli kişilerin durumunu değil aynı zamanda başka engelleri olan kişilere de dikkat çekmenin çabası içerisindedir. Çünkü her birey bir engelli adayıdır.

Bu araştırmanın genel amacı, okul öncesi dönemdeki bir az gören çocuğun işlevsel görme becerilerinden izleme becerilerinin gelişiminde İşlevsel Görme Aktivite Programı’nın (İGAP İzleme) etkililiğini belirlemektir. Araştırma amacına göre, araştırmanın bağımsız değişkenini “İGAP (İzleme)”, bağımlı değişkenini ise “katılımcı az gören çocuğun izleme becerilerini sergilemedeki performans düzeyi” oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada, bağımsız değişken bir katılımcı çocuğa uygulanarak programın etkililiği değerlendirilirken, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden “örnek olay çalışması” kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcısını, 2014-2015 eğitim-öğretim yılında Ankara ilinde bulunan Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı’na bağlı Göreneller Görme Engelliler İlkokulu’na devam eden az gören tanısı almış 5 yaşındaki bir kız çocuğu oluşturmaktadır.

The mission of science education, in terms of school establishments, is to prepare individuals
who would develop a certain level of scientific understanding and basic scientific process skills.
Developing basic scientific process skills requires practice in and out of school. Therefore,
practical work is seen as a prominent feature of school science teaching in many countries, and
it is acknowledged that good quality of practical work promotes the engagement and interest
and curiosity of students as well as developing a range of skills, science knowledge, and
conceptual understanding. Learning science requires intensive use of the senses, particularly
the eyes in order to be a good observer. However, some of the individuals, have difficulty in
using their eyes due to visual impairments. In this chapter, visually impaired students’ needs in
carrying out practical works and learning science are discussed. In addition, sample learning
materials which were developed to meet those students’ needs are presented. Recommendations
are made how to adapt the science curriculum to visually impaired students

The aims of this work were to examine the
attitudes of individuals with visual impairments towards
distance education (DE) and the relationships between
attitudes and participants’ personal characteristics. Fortyone
adults with visual impairments, who ranged in age
from 20 to 40, participated in this study. A self-constructed
questionnaire measuring the attitudes towards DE was
employed. The participants’ answers revealed slightly
positive emotions towards DE according to the affective
component of attitudes, slightly positive attitudes when DE
is compared with traditional education, and positive attitudes
as far as the cognitive component of attitudes and
participants’ intention to participate in a DE programme
were concerned. The elder participants seem to have more
positive attitudes towards DE compared with younger
participants. Furthermore, the greater the level of education,
the more positive were the attitudes towards DE, and
the greater the frequency of computer usage, the more
positive were the attitudes towards DE. The analysis of the
data collected revealed that the sample of individuals with
visual impairments had slightly positive attitudes towards
DE. Age, level of education, and frequency of computer
usage were found to be significant predictors of the participants’
attitudes.

An Ethnographic Case Study of a Savant: Implications for Special Education and Music Education of Children with Special Needs
Suad Sakalli Gumus, PhD., Special Education Faculty, Saint Mary of the Woods College, USA
Sezgin Suna, MS., Music Instructor, Mustafa Kemal University Atakya State Conservatory, TR
This ethnographic case study of a musical savant with high functioning Autism aimed to analyze the experiences of the individual and his family in terms of development, education, and social functioning with the hope to shed light on implications related to raising and educating individuals with special needs.
Music education has high prospects for students with special needs as it offers engaging and different modes of expression, links the universal language of notes with speech, as it is compelling and captivating for all living beings, and it is a multi-sensory experience (Adamek &Darrow, 2010; Bilgehan, 2014). However, research-based practices in this field are scarce and the situation warrants more systematic qualitative and quantitative research. Though the scholarly research on the Savant Syndrome is very informative and important, to place that research in context, it is necessary to look at specific cases of individuals with the syndrome (Dennis, 20010). The goal of this study is to contribute to the field by documenting and sharing the scrutinized experiences of a savant, his family, and some of his educators.
Interviews were conducted with the individual, his parents, and the two music educators who are working with the individual. Semi-structured interview questions were prepared by a special educator and interviews were conducted by one of the music educators who work closely with the family. Each interview lasted around 1-1,5 hours and was recorded for transcription. After transcription, the second round of member check interviews was conducted to clarify information and to further elaborate on the information. Data were read and re-read simultaneously by both educators/researchers to be coded. Throughout the process of data coding, both educators consulted with each other to ensure the reliability of the procedure. After the coding process was exhausted, the two investigators held a meeting to discuss the themes until they reached a hundred percent agreement in order to meet the requirements for inter-rater reliability. The agreed-upon themes were collapsed into broader categories based on commonalities and findings of the study were presented under these four overarching themes: The developmental dilemma and family life, What is the right Education, Common misconceptions, and Lessons Learned.
This presentation will share the findings of this study under the aforementioned themes and provide the much-needed platform for discussion of implications with practitioners and parents for future practices.

This study aimed to identify the need for accessible audio mathematics books for students with visual impairment at the secondary school. The method of this research was mixed method. The sampling technique used in this research was purposive sampling, the sample consisted of 18 visual impairment students and 15 math teachers at the secondary school for children with visual impairment from 9 provinces in Indonesia. The method used in this research was explanatory survey. The instrument validity used was content validity. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistic technique. The results showed that mathematics Braille equipped with audio or vice versa (52.94%) with reason feel faster, more convenient. Subject to reduce the number of pages, then the audio book completeness tactual/Braille only in the form of illustrations and text are considered difficult course. Audio books are expected to be produced by the Daisy format (70.6%) with navigation full text and full audio (81.25%). The narrator could be conditioned, alternating between male and female, while the other musical equipment was presented as necessary. Most of the subjects wanted timbre narrator soft portion (75%), subjects considered most preferred medium tone frequency (100%). Media deviation is hoped can be stored on the thumb drive, hard drives and CDs (87.5%), while the most accessible media is a computer (53%). Level of difficulty 7th grade math book first semester of this when converted into audio format most difficult is the third part is the algebra (38.46%) and the level of average difficulty on all parts is 25.42%. If the book is converted into Braille format is in section 3 that the algebra (53.85%) and the difficulty level of the average on all sections is 27.21%.

The purpose of museums is to enable all visitors to enjoy its collections and to learn. Although programs for visitors with visual impairment have appeared in developed countries, it does not seem that much has been done to integrate this group into the museum audience. Museum staff had to consider the different learning needs of visitors and consult with members of the community to gain a better understanding of what needs to be changed in order to make their museum accessible to visitors with different abilities. However, it has also been suggested that inclusive practices can be achieved through the use of Universal Design. According to McGinnis (2007), Universal Design means that exhibitions and programs would have to be designed so that everyone was able to use them. This article aims to analyze the accessibility of museums in Skopje to visitors with visual impairments, with a particular focus on how they can become more inclusive.

The aim of this study is to investigate the success that disabled people generally, visually impaired in particular were able to achieve through English. It also aims at exploring the challenges that some visually impaired people face while learning a different language.
Snowballing technique was applied to select the sample which comprised of forty-seven mail and female working age visually impaired people from fourteen different countries from different geographical locations in and across the Middle East and North Africa region. Participants were those who know English and English has helped them in one way or another throughout their lives as well as those who would like to learn English or were in the process of learning it.
Two qualitative methods of research were applied to collect data; telephone interviews and focus groups. Thematic analysis was applied to identify emerged key themes.
The findings strongly revealed that English enhances the life chances of visually impaired, increase their employability and give them the opportunity to have better access to information. However, participants highlighted some constrains related to the accessibility inside and outside the teaching environment as well as some other issues that influence  on their opportunities to acquire the knowledge of foreign languages i.e. the method applied to learn English, the availability of the English materials in their preferred format and the  ability to access the available English resources.
The results also showed that the lack of the support for visually impaired people and the extra expenses that the disability may cost are still major problems face many visually impaired people to acquire the knowledge of English. The set recommendations aim at  creating a more accessible English teaching environment and raising the awareness of policy makers and professionals to the importance of English on the lives of disabled people and the way it supports their inclusion in the society so that they prioritise them in their agendas.

Blindness often results in the adaptive neural reorganization of the remaining modalities, producing sharper auditory and haptic behavioral performance. Yet, non-visual modalities might not be able to fully compensate for the lack of visual experience as in the case of congenital blindness. For example, developmental visual experience seems to be necessary for the maturation of multisensory neurons for spatial tasks. Additionally, the ability of vision to convey information in parallel might be taken into account as the main attribute that cannot be fully compensated by the spared modalities. Therefore, the lack of visual experience might impair all spatial tasks that require the integration of inputs from different modalities, such as having to represent a set of objects on the basis of the spatial relationships among the objects, rather than the spatial relationship that each object has with oneself. Here we integrate behavioral and neural evidence to conclude that visual experience is necessary for the neural development of normal spatial cognition.

Try this simple experiment: close your eyes tightly, stand up, and walk to the other side of the room and back.You have just simulated for yourself what it is like to be blind. Well, not quite: there are several importantfactors missing. Firstly, you knew all along that you could open your eyes at any minute if you ran into trouble(e.g., a large hard obstacle). A blind person does not have that option for recovering from a mistake.Secondly, you almost certainly used your visually derived mental 'map' of the room's layout to guide you.Think how much harder it would have been to do the same thing in an unfamiliar room. Thirdly, you drew on aset of spatial concepts and orientation skills developed across your life-span that involved vision as a major unifying sense; the very first time you, as an infant, watched your hand as you reached out for an object, youwere already learning about space through vision.Even this experiment hardly brings you close to the everyday experience of someone who is totally,congenitally blind. Such a person has no visual memories of particular spaces, and has had no direct visual input into the development of their spatial understanding in general. Their experience of space comes fromhearing, touch and movement, and yet they can engage in pretty much all the activities that a sighted personcan. How is this possible when we, as sighted people, place so much importance on visual experience in our lives? Through theories and research in cognitive psychology and behavioural geography, this chapter willexplore the way(s) in which blind people experience and represent space. The first section will trace thehistory of thinking on the subject, the second will assess current work while the third will look to the future.

Viajando a Sul, ao encontro da realidade das pessoas cegas em Moçambique, o autor analisa as implicações de uma conceção de cegueira intimamente ligada às dinâmicas socioespirituais. O presente livro fala-nos de um quadro cultural em que, no limite, “não há cegueira sem feitiço”. A partir de uma incursão etnográfica entre as “vidas da cegueira”, Bruno Sena Martins faz emergir um corpo múltiplo que põe no lugar o “feitiço” através do qual a modernidade ocidental inventou a noção de deficiência.
Trata-se de um percurso que procura pôr a cegueira no contexto de resistências situadas: corpos e histórias que reclamam por culturas menos certas dos seus sentidos.

Education is an important foundation of society yet children with impairments have limited opportunities for participation in school activities. There is a lack of functionality in the design of school spaces and outdoor play areas for children with impairments, arguably as there are insufficient performance guidelines that target the body condition of
children with impairments. Architectural barriers that prevent a child’s participation in school can decrease their quality of life, often resulting in the further deterioration of their health. This research explores existing knowledge across disciplines aimed at promoting and facilitating impaired children’s physical and mental resilience and well-being in a
school environment. The research method involves systematic evaluation of the current school design knowledge surrounding the creation of learning environments that target children with impairments and proposes a set of performance-based design criteria. It finds that there is a lack of health research examining the usefulness of classroom
and play spaces for children with impairments, which prohibit an ideal learning environment for children with multiple impairments. In addition, it finds a demand for greater integration of outdoor play with education, which in turn can make participation within schools more enjoyable.

Raport stanowi prezentację wyników badań na temat użyteczności wybranych aplikacji mobilnych, dostępnych na urządzeniach z systemami operacyjnymi Android i iOS, zaprojektowanych i rozwijanych w celu ułatwienia życia niewidomym użytkownikom. Badania były prowadzone od stycznia do grudnia 2015 roku. Ich celem był opis praktyk, potrzeb i trudności niewidomych użytkowników technologii mobilnych. W trakcie pracy podjęto następujące pytania badawcze: O jakich aplikacjach mobilnych dedykowanych dla osób niewidomych wiedzą przedstawiciele tej grupy? Skąd czerpią tę wiedzę? Jakie aplikacje uważają za przydatne w codziennym życiu? Z jakich rozwiązań korzystają regularnie? W jakich sytuacjach pojawiają się problemy i ograniczenia w stosowalności dedykowanych aplikacji mobilnych? Jakie potrzeby zostają zaspokojone przez dostępne programy? Czego wciąż brakuje niewidomym użytkownikom? O czym marzą w związku z dynamicznym rozwojem technologii mobilnych? Jak oceniają zmiany i możliwości związane z dostępem do tego typu urządzeń? Badania były prowadzone w ramach projektu „Akademia Rozwoju ‒ kluczem wzmocnienia kadr polskiej gospodarki”, współfinansowanego ze środków Unii Europejskiej w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego.

This paper reports on a study that helps visually-impaired people to walk more confidently. The study hypothesizes that a smart cane that alerts visually-impaired people over obstacles in front could help them in walking with less accident. The aim of the paper is to address the development work of a cane that could communicate with the users through voice alert and vibration, which is named Smart Cane. The development work involves coding and physical installation. A series of tests have been carried out on the smart cane and the results are discussed. This study found that the Smart Cane functions well as intended, in alerting users about the obstacles in front.