Visual Impairment Week 2 Discussion

Visual Impairment

Week 2 Discussion 2 (S. w / D.)

Students with Visual Impairments

There is no typical vision impaired student. The extent of visual disability is dependent upon many factors including the physical sensory impairment of the student's eyes, the age of the student at the onset of vision impairment, and the way in which that impairment occurred. The two main functional categories of visual impairment are low vision and blind. Low vision students are usually print users, however many require special equipment and materials, and the definition of legal blindness encompasses a wide array of visual impairments. In any case, it is imperative to understand that vision may fluctuate and/or be influenced by such things as inappropriate lighting, light glare, or fatigue ("Strategies for Teaching students with vision impairments," 2005).

How Visual Impairment Affects Learning

Most traditional educational strategies are primarily based on the sense of vision. For the visually impaired these strategies must be modified to address the student's visual, auditory and tactile capabilities. A student with a substantial visual loss can only experience directly what is within arm's reach, can be safely touched, and in most cases, what can be heard. As the student grows the visual disability significantly limits their understanding of the world for none of the other four senses stimulates curiosity or combines information in the same manner or as readily as sense of sight.

The education goals for students with visual impairments are essentially the same as those for all students, effective communication, social competence, employability, and personal independence. However in order to accomplish these goals students with visual impairments require specific interventions and modifications of their educational programs.

The educational needs created by a visual impairment are unique. Vision loss can result in delayed concept development and critically influence social, emotional, academic, and vocational development. These students must garner knowledge through alternative mediums using their other senses. Because of this students with visual impairments often require individualized instruction since group instruction for learning specialized skills may not be provided in a meaningful manner. These students require specialized skills as well as specialized books, materials and equipment for learning through alternate modes and are limited in acquiring information through incidental learning since they are often unaware of subtle activities in their environment. Curriculum areas that require unique strategies or adaptations for students with visual impairments include concept development, academic functioning, communication skills, sensory/motor skills, social/emotional skills, orientation and mobility, daily living skills, and career/vocational skills (AFB, 2011).