Educational Needs of Visually Impaired Learners

1. Presented by
Mr. Reyaz Ahmad Wani
Assistant Professor
School of Education
Central University of Kashmir
PRESENTATION
ON
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF VISUALLY
IMPAIRED LEARNERS

2. 1. Magnifying Glasses and Hand Magnifiers
2. Close-Circuit Television
3. Large Print Material
4. The Braille
5. Talking Calculators
6. Other Specialized Equipments
7. Plus Curriculum
8. Participation in Co-Curricular Activities
9. Orientation & Mobility
10.Provision for integrated Education
11. Unified Instruction
12.Vocational Training & Placement
13.Residential Schools
14.Mainstream Schooling

3. These assistive devices are useful for learners
with low vision. These tools present the materials
in enlarged size.

4. A camera with zoom lens photographs the part of the page or
material and projects that in a magnified form on the
television screen to aid the affected learner to have an easy
grasp of the projected image. The learner moves the book
while reading in such a way that the appropriate portion of
the page gets enlarged. The size of the projected material
can also be adjusted/customized.

5. The font size of large/big print materials is considerably
larger than the usual, may be in18-24 font size, making it
feasible for learner with low vision to read the print with
convenience.

6. Braille is a system of raised dots that can be read with the
fingers by people who are blind or who have low vision.
Teachers, parents, and others who are not visually impaired
ordinarily read braille with their eyes. Braille is not a
language. Rather, it is a code by which many languages—
such as English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and dozens of
others—may be written and read. Braille is used by
thousands of people all over the world in their native
languages, and provides a means of literacy for all.

7. A talking calculator has a built-in speech synthesizer that
reads aloud each number, symbol, or operation key a user
presses; it also vocalizes the answer to the problem. This
auditory feedback may help an individual with visual
perception limitations check the accuracy of the keys as
they are pressed and verify the answer before he/she
transfers it to paper.

8. Audio-aids like tape recorder, radio, arithmetic aids and
embossed and relief maps for teaching of Geography and
Space Perception are some of the specialized equipments
use for learners with low vision. Reading material both
from text books and other sources can be transcribed and
presented to the profoundly VI learners, who usually
benefit more from audio-oral cues than from visual-cues.
Tape recorder, for example helps in teaching/learning of
History, Language, Geography, General Science, etc.

9. Plus curriculum means the development of skills specific to
blindness such as Braille reading, Braille writing, orientation and
mobility, daily living skills, sensory training, and use of
mathematical devices such as Taylor's frame and abacus. It is an
education programme, especially for inclusive education.
When we are dealing with the education of the Visually
Impaired children we have observed the term – “ Plus
Curriculum”. This plus curriculum is always being recommended
for the blind children as an extended core curriculum. As we
have already perceived that, generally, the curriculum area refers
to certain subjects like Mathematics, Science, Social Science etc.
On the contrary, plus curriculum refers to certain skills and
competencies that are absolutely peculiar to blindness.

10. Participation in co-curricular activities for learners with
special needs could be a great source of encouragement to
develop sense of personal worth and self-confidence. The
activities for VI can be poetic recitation, debate & dialogue
contests, singing and playing musical instruments. The
objective is to develop appropriate inter-personal skills or
social adjustment in mainstream society.

11. An Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist provides training that
is designed to develop or relearn the skills and concepts a blind or
visually impaired person needs to travel safely and
independently through his or her environment.
Orientation and Mobility is that part of a blind and visually
impaired child’s education that prepares him/her for more
independent travel. Orientation refers to an awareness of one’s self in
relation to the physical environment, as well as having an
understanding of the many objects one encounters in their
environment. It is for this reason that Orientation & Mobility
specialists stress the area of concept development, particularly body
image concepts, spatial orientation and environmental concepts.
Mobility is the ability to travel safely, efficiently, and as independently
as possible. Put simply, it is the ability to walk in a safe manner and
know where you are going.

12. Profoundly VI learners need a major curricular
adaptation in an integrated system of education as compared
to learners with low vision.

13. VI learners need to be given hands on experiences
through authentic tasks so that they will be able to progress
into leading normally independent lives as much as
possible.

14. Indian Association for the Blind (IAB), e.g. based in
Madurai, South India, is a well-known non-profit
organization working at the grassroots for the
rehabilitation of people with visual challenges. IAB affirms
its commitment to empower visually challenged people
become self-reliant by providing comprehensive
rehabilitation, education and employment opportunities.
IAB has a special focus on the socio economically
disadvantaged visually challenged children and adults,
particularly those from rural areas.

15. The concept of specialized residential schools is losing
charm in modern Indian scenario because of its limitations
with regard to personality development and use of
fundamental rights of individuals. It is also a very costly
process for developing economies like India.

16. Over the years, studies in child development, sociology, and special
education have led enlightened educators to the conclusion that blind
children grow, flourish, and achieve greater self and social fulfillment by
being nurtured in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Through local
education, supported by well prepared specialists in education of the
blind, these children may enjoy everyday common experiences essential
to the development of a keen awareness of the realities of the world
around them. With proper technical assistance, consultation given to
regular classroom teachers, and a broad educational environment, blind
children are able to show their true worth; they are then more readily
accepted socially by their sighted counterparts. Statistics reveal that not
even 10% of blind children in most of the developing countries are
receiving any kind of education, and therefore, integrated education is
considered to be the only practical approach. It is the economically
viable, psychologically superior, and socially acceptable model to bring
all those unreached blind children into the mainstream of education.