A science camp for blind or visually impaired (BVI) students, covering mainly hands-on chemistry experiments, is described. The scientific experiments are detailed, and the feedback of the students is recorded, highlighting the benefits of the camp and its impact. BVI students actively participated in conducting the scientific experiments using…

Symbolic, spatial, and visual information, which is important for comprehending and learning physical and natural sciences, is not readily accessible to blind and low-vision (BLV) students in the undergraduate chemistry classroom, laboratory, and virtual environment via conventional means (through print and images), thus, creating a…

Purpose: This article's aim is to discuss the potential of audio description (AD) in two contexts: (1) developmental and educational difficulties experienced by children with low vision or total blindness; (2) psycho-social importance of access to mass media by children and adolescents. Method: The considerations presented here are formed on the…

Deaf-sighted, deaf-blind, and hearing-sighted people have been interacting within a small community in the Bay Islands of Honduras for over a century (Ali 2023; Ali and Braithwaite 2020). In this article, we sketch the history of the community and the ways in which signers make use of their own and their interlocutor's bodies to co-construct…

The 2023 Illinois Career and Technical Education Report is submitted in compliance with Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 435/2e, which requires a written career and technical education (CTE) report to be issued to the governor annually. This report describes the establishment of and delivery of CTE in Illinois, the existing condition of Illinois CTE…

BLV (blind low vision) students face difficulties when taking coding classes. Individual Development Environments (IDE) can be inaccessible which make it difficult if not impossible for BLV students to complete coursework. Alternative techniques are described which will allow a BLV student to successfully complete coursework. The author has found…

This article describes practical lessons and experiences acquired as part of a journey in teaching a blind student at The University of Arizona to master the written and graphical language of first-semester organic chemistry and its associated concepts. These practical lessons include details on how to adapt an organic chemistry model set (with…

The experience of visiting a museum exhibition is inherently visual. Although blind and partially blind people are increasingly offered some access to collections through audio and tactile content and inventive and accessible programming, these initiatives are infrequent and often assume that the goal is to replace or compensate for the visitor's…

Regardless of the cost and long preparation time, tactile materials are increasingly being used in science and mathematics education for students with visual impairment. In this study, a hands-on tactile activity related to making magnets using a STEM educational approach for students with visual impairment are introduced.

To best support students with low vision in the general education classroom, special education teachers can facilitate use of several adaptations including: (a) attention to curriculum access (e.g. text magnifiers), (b) mechanisms for promoting social connectedness, (c) managing physical space, and (d) effective instructional techniques. This…

There is a critical need for Americans to study foreign languages to support the United States' participation in a global economy, commitment to national security, and actions in the political arena. However, there is a lack of American students learning what the US Department of State refers to as "critical languages," which are less…

Coursework that is dependent on experiential learning, such as that offered in the laboratory-based sciences, can present barriers for a variety of students. These barriers can be magnified for students who experience disabilities that impact their access to the full depth of the course content and materials. Our unique perspective was formed…

As much as the field of visual impairment has advanced over the last half century and as growing populations of children and adults continue to be served by its practitioners, the issue of personnel shortages to meet the diverse needs of students and consumers seems to continue. More vision professionals are being trained than ever, but it seems…

Over the last decade, many local education agencies (LEAs) across California imposed significant restrictions on community-based orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction. Administrators from these LEAs prohibited O&M Specialists from transporting students off-campus for instruction, with one large Southern California district going so…

In 2002 the World Health Organization (WHO) analyzed available data on Blindness and Low Vision (BLV) from 55 countries and applied it to the 17 WHO epidemiological subregions. Results indicate approximately 37 million people are blind and 124 million have low vision (Foster & Resnikoff, 2005). Providing opportunities for these students to…