In the United States, death certificates document pre-existing conditions only when they directly contribute to a death. This precludes generating data in the event of a suicide involving a blind or visually impaired individual and for that reason existing suicide data is scarce for this population. This Grounded Theory study, with the…

The long-held global agenda for inclusive education often ignored indigenous knowledge, local assets, and cultural-historical context. As a result, those top-down policies become either fruitless or oppressive. They are not sustained and may result in unintended or negative outcomes. In Brazil, student profile at the specialized schools designed…

The purpose of this mixed-methods research was to develop and validate an instrument to measure teacher self-efficacy for teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVIs). The researcher used a six step process for survey development and validation, which included 1) literature review; 2) a preliminary qualitative study; 3) synthesis of…

Tactile graphics convert visual information into touchable patterns and braille, providing an essential solution for accessible graphics for individuals with visual impairments. Pioneering research advocates for the potential of audio-augmented tactile graphics, which convey complex information through auditory and tactile modalities rather than…

This study explores the perspectives of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) regarding screen reader instruction and summarizes their experiences teaching screen readers. Survey data were collected online for one month through professional listservs and social networks, and recipients were asked to forward the invitation to others…

The aim of this dissertation is to bring to light factors that affect how people who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) access, consume, design and produce with different types of tactile media for themselves or for others who are also BVI. Toward the goal of creating equity within the media and information landscape and beyond, this…

"Introduction": This study examined implications of literacy instruction for children with visual impairment (VI) with/without an additional disability at a specialized preschool in a large Midwestern city. "Methods": Teachers participated in interviews and revealed their perspectives for providing literacy instruction, and…

A child's social and emotional development has a powerful impact on every aspect of their life. When a child develops a strong social and emotional foundation, they learn how to express their feelings, empathize with others, and build relationships. All of these skills could influence a child's academic achievement and successful adult life.…

Medical advances in recent years have increased survival rates of infants born prematurely and/or infants and children that present with life-threatening conditions (Good et al., 1994; Khetpal & Donahue, 2007; Murphy & Carbone, 2011). These increased survival rates are associated with an increase in the number of children who have severe…

Professional development is essential for certified Teachers of students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) to create high-quality tactile graphics in school settings. The teachers need more opportunities to learn knowledge and skills from other teacher colleagues on a community basis. Few studies were conducted to investigate what community-based…

Blind/Visually Impaired (VI) youth of Bangladesh face a significant level of segregation and oppression compared to all people with disabilities living in the country. They are excluded from mainstream education and also face severe inaccessibility in terms of infrastructure and resources. This study aimed to identify the current barriers and…

Joint attention is developmental skill that is typically acquired through visual input during the first year of life in typically developing children. Children with visual impairments develop joint attention through alternate senses such as tactile and auditory input (Baron-Cohen, 1995) and show joint attention behaviors unlike those of typically…

The problem that this study addressed was the use of eye gaze technology (EGT) for nonverbal students with cortical visual impairment (CVI). There are no studies examining educators' viewpoints on the usefulness of EGT for communication and language development of nonverbal students with CVI. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to…

This qualitative exploratory case study looked at the challenges of perceived accessibility that needed to be addressed for visually impaired students to succeed in degree completion within the online learning environment. The biopsychosocial model of disability examined how human and environmental factors (social, biological, and psychological)…

This quasi-experimental study examined preservice teachers' attitudes, dispositions, and levels of self-efficacy regarding their ability to work with students who are blind or visually impaired effectively. This study assessed preservice teachers' attitudes of blindness using Bell and Silverman's (2011) Social Responsibility about Blindness Scale.…