Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231166573
Sandra Lewis
For nearly three decades, students seeking master’s degrees at Florida State University as they prepared to be professionals in the field of services to people with visual impairments were required to review the research literature on some topic related to their major and prepare a 20-page term paper describing their findings. This exercise provided students with an important opportunity to explore the literature, critically review research studies, and to demonstrate professional writing skills. Topics had to be approved by a faculty member, whose responsibilities were to gently guide students to topics for which the literature base was robust enough to support students’ work. Few student-suggested topics elicited a louder groan in me than did the subject of social skills—such an important concept, but so complex to explore, especially by university students with limited teaching experience and (at best) novice skills at reviewing research. In this issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), a much more experienced group of researchers tackle the published research on social skills instruction designed to improve the social competence of students with visual impairments. Caron, Barras, van Nispen, and Ruffieux conducted a systematic review of 32 studies in which a social skills intervention was tested on school-age students. Their results highlighted the complexity of the construct of social competence. Even after categorizing the target of these studies using the dimensions identified by Caldarella and Merrell (1997; peer relations, self-management, academic independence, and productivity, compliance, and assertion), they noted much heterogeneity in targeted skills. For example, in the category of peer relations, they found studies targeting greetings and initiating conversations, social interactions, the direction of gaze, reduction in inappropriate behaviors, and using sound toys to increase peer play. These studies not only used different methodologies, but differed in the tools used to measure the dependent variables. No wonder my university students were challenged to get a good handle on this topic! The good news is that Caron and her colleagues determined that most of the intervention studies they examined were of moderate to high quality and that students’ targeted skills improved in all but two instances. They noted, however, that given the heterogeneity of the studies, it remains difficult to recommend specific interventions for use with students. Their paper on this critical topic is an important contribution to the literature—one that will be welcomed by both serious investigators hoping to build on the research base and by university students alike. The impact of the development of positive social interaction skills is manifested throughout one’s life. This point is evident in the findings reported by Steverson and Crudden, who studied the predictors of job satisfaction in adults with visual impairments and whose
{"title":"Increasing the Knowledge Base, One Paper at a Time","authors":"Sandra Lewis","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231166573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231166573","url":null,"abstract":"For nearly three decades, students seeking master’s degrees at Florida State University as they prepared to be professionals in the field of services to people with visual impairments were required to review the research literature on some topic related to their major and prepare a 20-page term paper describing their findings. This exercise provided students with an important opportunity to explore the literature, critically review research studies, and to demonstrate professional writing skills. Topics had to be approved by a faculty member, whose responsibilities were to gently guide students to topics for which the literature base was robust enough to support students’ work. Few student-suggested topics elicited a louder groan in me than did the subject of social skills—such an important concept, but so complex to explore, especially by university students with limited teaching experience and (at best) novice skills at reviewing research. In this issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), a much more experienced group of researchers tackle the published research on social skills instruction designed to improve the social competence of students with visual impairments. Caron, Barras, van Nispen, and Ruffieux conducted a systematic review of 32 studies in which a social skills intervention was tested on school-age students. Their results highlighted the complexity of the construct of social competence. Even after categorizing the target of these studies using the dimensions identified by Caldarella and Merrell (1997; peer relations, self-management, academic independence, and productivity, compliance, and assertion), they noted much heterogeneity in targeted skills. For example, in the category of peer relations, they found studies targeting greetings and initiating conversations, social interactions, the direction of gaze, reduction in inappropriate behaviors, and using sound toys to increase peer play. These studies not only used different methodologies, but differed in the tools used to measure the dependent variables. No wonder my university students were challenged to get a good handle on this topic! The good news is that Caron and her colleagues determined that most of the intervention studies they examined were of moderate to high quality and that students’ targeted skills improved in all but two instances. They noted, however, that given the heterogeneity of the studies, it remains difficult to recommend specific interventions for use with students. Their paper on this critical topic is an important contribution to the literature—one that will be welcomed by both serious investigators hoping to build on the research base and by university students alike. The impact of the development of positive social interaction skills is manifested throughout one’s life. This point is evident in the findings reported by Steverson and Crudden, who studied the predictors of job satisfaction in adults with visual impairments and whose ","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"105 - 106"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44823712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221149746
Tessa McCarthy, Rachel Anne Schles, Debra W. Moore
Introduction: This study evaluated performance and engagement on the tactile science alternate assessment based on alternate academic standards (AA-AAS). This assessment was designed for students with significant intellectual disabilities and visual impairments (i.e., blindness and low vision). Four primary research questions guided this study. What were the demographic characteristics of the students who took the tactile AA-AAS-science? How did students who took the tactile AA-AAS-science perform? What accommodations, accessibility options, and communication strategies were employed in the administration of the tactile AA-AAS-science? Was there a correlation between any administration practices and improved student results? Methods: Thirty-four students with visual impairments and significant intellectual disabilities participated in the 2017 administration of the AA-AAS-science. Post-hoc analyses of the testing strategies were conducted using video recordings of each assessment. Videos were coded for accommodations, student performance, engagement, and appropriateness of the assessment for each student. Results: The tactile materials were the primary accommodation provided to students and were totally novel in 79.1% of the administrations. Students were not permitted to thoroughly explore materials. In many cases, the exam content was determined to be too difficult for the students. Discussion: This study supports the literature and suggests benefits in academic instruction for all students. For academic instruction to be meaningful, students need appropriate accommodations and consistent materials. Implications for Practitioners: Test administrators for assessments based on alternate academic standards should use familiar materials during a test administration, preferably the same materials used during instruction. It is also important for teachers to prepare students and allow for time to systematically explore tactile materials. Teachers can support students by including academic goals in the individualized education program.
{"title":"Administration and Results of a State Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Academic Standards in Science for Students Who Are Blind and Have Low Vision","authors":"Tessa McCarthy, Rachel Anne Schles, Debra W. Moore","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221149746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221149746","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: This study evaluated performance and engagement on the tactile science alternate assessment based on alternate academic standards (AA-AAS). This assessment was designed for students with significant intellectual disabilities and visual impairments (i.e., blindness and low vision). Four primary research questions guided this study. What were the demographic characteristics of the students who took the tactile AA-AAS-science? How did students who took the tactile AA-AAS-science perform? What accommodations, accessibility options, and communication strategies were employed in the administration of the tactile AA-AAS-science? Was there a correlation between any administration practices and improved student results? Methods: Thirty-four students with visual impairments and significant intellectual disabilities participated in the 2017 administration of the AA-AAS-science. Post-hoc analyses of the testing strategies were conducted using video recordings of each assessment. Videos were coded for accommodations, student performance, engagement, and appropriateness of the assessment for each student. Results: The tactile materials were the primary accommodation provided to students and were totally novel in 79.1% of the administrations. Students were not permitted to thoroughly explore materials. In many cases, the exam content was determined to be too difficult for the students. Discussion: This study supports the literature and suggests benefits in academic instruction for all students. For academic instruction to be meaningful, students need appropriate accommodations and consistent materials. Implications for Practitioners: Test administrators for assessments based on alternate academic standards should use familiar materials during a test administration, preferably the same materials used during instruction. It is also important for teachers to prepare students and allow for time to systematically explore tactile materials. Teachers can support students by including academic goals in the individualized education program.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"50 - 61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41490205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150906
Sultan Çelik, S. Çalim
Introduction: Breast cancer is a significant health problem affecting the health of women globally. Breast self-examination is a procedure applied for the early detection of breast cancer. Given the barriers that women with visual impairments face to access health care and health education, there is a need to develop materials for breast self-examination training as a skills-based practice for this group. This study evaluated the effect of a training video with an audio description on the breast self-examination of women who were visually impaired. Methods: The universe of this quasi-experimental study comprised women who were visually impaired (N = 70) who were registered members of the Manisa Altinokta Blind Association in Turkey. The women who participated in the study volunteered and met the selection criteria (n = 60). They were divided into two groups by lot. The audio description group listened to a breast self-examination training video with an audio description (n = 30). The control group listened to the training video accompanied by typical sound, without audio description (n = 30). Before and after a training video, all women performed breast self-examination on a female mannequin torso. The skills of women in breast self-examination were evaluated using a checklist by a midwife who was non-researcher. Results: The skills differed significantly between the two groups after the video training (p < 0.05). The audio description group correctly performed most of the skills required for breast self-examination. None of the women in the groups were able to apply steps for such self-examination before the training. Discussion: A breast self-examination training video with audio description can improve the self-examination skills of women with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: Women with visual impairments benefit from watching a breast self-examination training video with an audio description before performing self-examinations. Training videos with audio descriptions should, therefore, be prepared for the health education of individuals who are visually impaired.
{"title":"The Effect of a Training Video With Audio Description on the Breast Self-Examinations of Women With Visual Impairments","authors":"Sultan Çelik, S. Çalim","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221150906","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221150906","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Breast cancer is a significant health problem affecting the health of women globally. Breast self-examination is a procedure applied for the early detection of breast cancer. Given the barriers that women with visual impairments face to access health care and health education, there is a need to develop materials for breast self-examination training as a skills-based practice for this group. This study evaluated the effect of a training video with an audio description on the breast self-examination of women who were visually impaired. Methods: The universe of this quasi-experimental study comprised women who were visually impaired (N = 70) who were registered members of the Manisa Altinokta Blind Association in Turkey. The women who participated in the study volunteered and met the selection criteria (n = 60). They were divided into two groups by lot. The audio description group listened to a breast self-examination training video with an audio description (n = 30). The control group listened to the training video accompanied by typical sound, without audio description (n = 30). Before and after a training video, all women performed breast self-examination on a female mannequin torso. The skills of women in breast self-examination were evaluated using a checklist by a midwife who was non-researcher. Results: The skills differed significantly between the two groups after the video training (p < 0.05). The audio description group correctly performed most of the skills required for breast self-examination. None of the women in the groups were able to apply steps for such self-examination before the training. Discussion: A breast self-examination training video with audio description can improve the self-examination skills of women with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: Women with visual impairments benefit from watching a breast self-examination training video with an audio description before performing self-examinations. Training videos with audio descriptions should, therefore, be prepared for the health education of individuals who are visually impaired.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"87 - 98"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42778057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150015
Eugene A. Bourquin, Joy Bieder, Robert Wall Emerson, L. Franck
Introduction: The use of leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) creates safer street crossings for typical pedestrians, giving them a head-start into the crosswalk. The LPI, however, delays the onset of the traditional traffic sound cue that pedestrians who are blind use to initiate crossing streets. LPIs can create situations where pedestrians who are blind will frequently begin or end crossings or both against the pedestrian signal. Methods: The researchers conducted two sets of observations in an urban environment. They measured the seconds from the initiation of the vehicular circular green signal to the front of the first vehicle passing through the center of the intersection (n = 40) to calculate the average driver's delay. Pedestrians who are blind, to confirm a straight-through surge of parallel traffic (i.e. not turning vehicles), listen for a vehicle to reach the roadway center to know it is the appropriate time to initiate a crossing. In the second set of observations (n = 40), the researchers recorded the length of the Walk, Flashing Don’t Walk, and LPI to calculate average impacts on crossing. Results: The average time for vehicles to reach the center of the intersection was 6.0 s. When there was an LPI, on average the clearance for pedestrians after reaching the far corner was 0.49 s; for Walk intervals, there was an average of 3.35 s margin of time to begin crossing. Discussion: These observational studies verify the crossing latencies for pedestrians who are blind. At crosswalks with LPI, pedestrians can be expected to cross after the Walk sign has expired 15 to 38% of the time and end their crossing 40 to 82% of the time when the visual display says Don’t Walk. Implications for Practitioners: Orientation and mobility specialists should instruct students on how to identify intersections with LPI to assist in decision making. Traffic management remediation is the installation of an accessible pedestrian signal (APS); specialists should advocate for the installation of APS where LPIs are implemented and teach students how to use APS.
{"title":"Leading Pedestrian Intervals at Urban Crosswalks: Effects on Safety for Travelers Who Are Blind","authors":"Eugene A. Bourquin, Joy Bieder, Robert Wall Emerson, L. Franck","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221150015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221150015","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The use of leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) creates safer street crossings for typical pedestrians, giving them a head-start into the crosswalk. The LPI, however, delays the onset of the traditional traffic sound cue that pedestrians who are blind use to initiate crossing streets. LPIs can create situations where pedestrians who are blind will frequently begin or end crossings or both against the pedestrian signal. Methods: The researchers conducted two sets of observations in an urban environment. They measured the seconds from the initiation of the vehicular circular green signal to the front of the first vehicle passing through the center of the intersection (n = 40) to calculate the average driver's delay. Pedestrians who are blind, to confirm a straight-through surge of parallel traffic (i.e. not turning vehicles), listen for a vehicle to reach the roadway center to know it is the appropriate time to initiate a crossing. In the second set of observations (n = 40), the researchers recorded the length of the Walk, Flashing Don’t Walk, and LPI to calculate average impacts on crossing. Results: The average time for vehicles to reach the center of the intersection was 6.0 s. When there was an LPI, on average the clearance for pedestrians after reaching the far corner was 0.49 s; for Walk intervals, there was an average of 3.35 s margin of time to begin crossing. Discussion: These observational studies verify the crossing latencies for pedestrians who are blind. At crosswalks with LPI, pedestrians can be expected to cross after the Walk sign has expired 15 to 38% of the time and end their crossing 40 to 82% of the time when the visual display says Don’t Walk. Implications for Practitioners: Orientation and mobility specialists should instruct students on how to identify intersections with LPI to assist in decision making. Traffic management remediation is the installation of an accessible pedestrian signal (APS); specialists should advocate for the installation of APS where LPIs are implemented and teach students how to use APS.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"30 - 39"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47388632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231168889
Anne Steverson, Adele Crudden
{"title":"Predictors of Job Satisfaction for People with Visual Impairments.","authors":"Anne Steverson, Adele Crudden","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231168889","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0145482X231168889","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46589546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221149980
Rachel Anne Schles, Madeline Chastain
Introduction: The shortage of teachers of students with visual impairments is well documented, yet little research exists exploring the motivations of why individuals join the profession. This study evaluated why alumni of a Southeastern teacher preparation program became teachers of students with visual impairments and how they chose which program to attend. Methods: A mixed methods survey was distributed to program alumni who graduated between 2000 and 2020 with a bachelor’s or master's degree in Visual Disabilities Special Education. Quantitative and qualitative data about participant demographics, motivation to become a teacher of students with visual impairments, the decision to choose the program, and experiences in the program were collected. Multiple measures were used for reliability and credibility in data analysis. Results: Forty-seven responses were received. Most respondents held at least one teaching license (n = 32) before entering the program and were drawn to the field after working with a student with visual impairment or a teacher of students with visual impairments. Participants reported hands-on and practical experiences in the community and the relationships with professors, mentors, and peers as the most impactful components of their training. Discussion: Most participants had prior teaching experiences before entering the program. Personnel preparation programs may focus program recruitment on current teachers who may be interested in becoming a teacher of students with visual impairments. Expanding the current survey to a national audience could allow for a better understanding of the motivations of the individuals who enter the profession. This information may be used to improve the recruitment of future teachers of students with visual impairments throughout the United States, and, particularly, in areas that are most affected by a shortage of these teachers. Implications for Practitioners: Relationships between school districts, teachers, teachers of students with visual impairments, and preparation programs are discussed, as well as implications for recruiting future teachers of students with visual impairments who will be motivated to stay in the field long-term.
{"title":"Teachers of Students With Visual Impairments: Motivations for Entering the Field of Visual Impairment and Reflections on Pre-Service Training","authors":"Rachel Anne Schles, Madeline Chastain","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221149980","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221149980","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The shortage of teachers of students with visual impairments is well documented, yet little research exists exploring the motivations of why individuals join the profession. This study evaluated why alumni of a Southeastern teacher preparation program became teachers of students with visual impairments and how they chose which program to attend. Methods: A mixed methods survey was distributed to program alumni who graduated between 2000 and 2020 with a bachelor’s or master's degree in Visual Disabilities Special Education. Quantitative and qualitative data about participant demographics, motivation to become a teacher of students with visual impairments, the decision to choose the program, and experiences in the program were collected. Multiple measures were used for reliability and credibility in data analysis. Results: Forty-seven responses were received. Most respondents held at least one teaching license (n = 32) before entering the program and were drawn to the field after working with a student with visual impairment or a teacher of students with visual impairments. Participants reported hands-on and practical experiences in the community and the relationships with professors, mentors, and peers as the most impactful components of their training. Discussion: Most participants had prior teaching experiences before entering the program. Personnel preparation programs may focus program recruitment on current teachers who may be interested in becoming a teacher of students with visual impairments. Expanding the current survey to a national audience could allow for a better understanding of the motivations of the individuals who enter the profession. This information may be used to improve the recruitment of future teachers of students with visual impairments throughout the United States, and, particularly, in areas that are most affected by a shortage of these teachers. Implications for Practitioners: Relationships between school districts, teachers, teachers of students with visual impairments, and preparation programs are discussed, as well as implications for recruiting future teachers of students with visual impairments who will be motivated to stay in the field long-term.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"62 - 73"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45576385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150013
N. Griffin-Shirley, Laura A. Bozeman, Phoebe A. Okungu, Chinomso Ihenagwam, The Nguyen
Introduction: To better serve students with visual impairments who are enrolled in personnel preparation programs training orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, faculty should be aware of effective teaching strategies, tools, and resources to use. In this context, it is vital that instructors in personnel preparation programs for O&M specialists to understand how to best serve students with visual impairments. Two prior studies have addressed this need. This study sought to establish what techniques and teaching strategies O&M instructors who are visually impaired use when teaching students O&M skills to ensure their safety. Methods: This study used a qualitative research design using a case study approach to explore the teaching strategies, nonvisual skills, and accommodations that O&M instructors who are visually impaired use when teaching O&M lessons to their students. Eight participants with visual impairments who are O&M instructors were interviewed for this study. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews included structured discovery learning and philosophy, monitoring and teaching strategies, equipment and materials, and accommodations. These findings played a vital role when instructors with visual impairments provided O&M lessons to students who are visually impaired. Discussion: This research confirms and adds to the previous research regarding instructional strategies, equipment and materials, and accommodations utilized by O&M instructors who are visually impaired. Additionally, further information was provided concerning instructional strategies (e.g., structured discovery learning and philosophy, monitoring). Implications for Practitioners: The results reported in this study can serve as guidelines for O&M personnel preparation program faculty who are teaching students with visual impairments in their blindfold or simulation cane courses. This study can also be used as a reference for students with visual impairments to advocate for accommodations with their university's office of students with disabilities to be successful in an O&M personnel preparation program.
{"title":"Teaching Strategies and Nonvisual Skills Used by Orientation and Mobility Specialists Who Are Visually Impaired","authors":"N. Griffin-Shirley, Laura A. Bozeman, Phoebe A. Okungu, Chinomso Ihenagwam, The Nguyen","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221150013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221150013","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: To better serve students with visual impairments who are enrolled in personnel preparation programs training orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, faculty should be aware of effective teaching strategies, tools, and resources to use. In this context, it is vital that instructors in personnel preparation programs for O&M specialists to understand how to best serve students with visual impairments. Two prior studies have addressed this need. This study sought to establish what techniques and teaching strategies O&M instructors who are visually impaired use when teaching students O&M skills to ensure their safety. Methods: This study used a qualitative research design using a case study approach to explore the teaching strategies, nonvisual skills, and accommodations that O&M instructors who are visually impaired use when teaching O&M lessons to their students. Eight participants with visual impairments who are O&M instructors were interviewed for this study. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews included structured discovery learning and philosophy, monitoring and teaching strategies, equipment and materials, and accommodations. These findings played a vital role when instructors with visual impairments provided O&M lessons to students who are visually impaired. Discussion: This research confirms and adds to the previous research regarding instructional strategies, equipment and materials, and accommodations utilized by O&M instructors who are visually impaired. Additionally, further information was provided concerning instructional strategies (e.g., structured discovery learning and philosophy, monitoring). Implications for Practitioners: The results reported in this study can serve as guidelines for O&M personnel preparation program faculty who are teaching students with visual impairments in their blindfold or simulation cane courses. This study can also be used as a reference for students with visual impairments to advocate for accommodations with their university's office of students with disabilities to be successful in an O&M personnel preparation program.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"40 - 49"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49433851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150221
M. G. Wittorff, G. Lewin, E. Burton
Introduction: Understanding the attitudes, competency, and awareness of those supporting older people who have an acquired combined vision and hearing loss is an important endeavor for this population. It can help guide aged care policy makers, leaders, and managers in the allocation of resources and training. This Australian study investigated the awareness and perceptions of aged care workers on supporting older adults with acquired combined vision and hearing loss. Methods: Twenty-four participants who were employed in aged care services participated in semistructured interviews that were thematically analyzed. The interviews explored the participants’ awareness of this disability, identification within their service, adaptation strategies, and their access to relevant information. Results: Several themes emerged, including lack of identification and recording of acquired combined vision and hearing loss in this population, lack of awareness of this disability, and lack of available information or training to support aged care workers within their care setting. Discussion: Aged care workers have little understanding of the prevalence of acquired combined vision and hearing loss in an older population. Care plans are key documents for individuals, which outline their needs and any sensory losses; however, this information is not well recorded. Aged care workers have little awareness of how to effectively support this population. When encountering an individual with an acquired combined vision and hearing loss, however, an aged care worker will develop strategies to support the individual. Individuals with this acquired dual-sensory loss, as well as dementia, pose a significant challenge to aged care workers, and dementia is often the primary focus of intervention. Implications for Practitioners: It appears that older individuals living in aged care settings who have acquired combined vision and hearing loss are not adequately identified, nor are aged care workers adequately trained to support individuals with this unique disability.
{"title":"Acquired Combined Vision and Hearing Loss: Awareness and Perceptions of Australian Aged Care Workers","authors":"M. G. Wittorff, G. Lewin, E. Burton","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221150221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221150221","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Understanding the attitudes, competency, and awareness of those supporting older people who have an acquired combined vision and hearing loss is an important endeavor for this population. It can help guide aged care policy makers, leaders, and managers in the allocation of resources and training. This Australian study investigated the awareness and perceptions of aged care workers on supporting older adults with acquired combined vision and hearing loss. Methods: Twenty-four participants who were employed in aged care services participated in semistructured interviews that were thematically analyzed. The interviews explored the participants’ awareness of this disability, identification within their service, adaptation strategies, and their access to relevant information. Results: Several themes emerged, including lack of identification and recording of acquired combined vision and hearing loss in this population, lack of awareness of this disability, and lack of available information or training to support aged care workers within their care setting. Discussion: Aged care workers have little understanding of the prevalence of acquired combined vision and hearing loss in an older population. Care plans are key documents for individuals, which outline their needs and any sensory losses; however, this information is not well recorded. Aged care workers have little awareness of how to effectively support this population. When encountering an individual with an acquired combined vision and hearing loss, however, an aged care worker will develop strategies to support the individual. Individuals with this acquired dual-sensory loss, as well as dementia, pose a significant challenge to aged care workers, and dementia is often the primary focus of intervention. Implications for Practitioners: It appears that older individuals living in aged care settings who have acquired combined vision and hearing loss are not adequately identified, nor are aged care workers adequately trained to support individuals with this unique disability.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"74 - 86"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41397235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150592
Robert Wall Emerson
In this issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), the article entitled, “The effect of a training video with audio description on the breast selfexamination of women with visual impairments,” by Çelik and İldan Çalım, notes that some of their primary quantitative measures do not satisfy the requirements for normality, so they are not distributed along a bell curve (for more background on this topic, review the Statistical Sidebar from the May-June issue of 2018). Because of this issue, they chose a non-parametric equivalent to the parametric statistical test they would typically use. Let us unpack that statement a bit. At its core, a parametric statistical test is one that assumes the dependent variable is normally distributed and bases its calculations on means and standard deviations. There is also a requirement that there should be enough scores in each group being compared so that the means and standard deviations are not swayed too much by outliers in the data. What constitutes “enough scores” is a matter of debate. Some say there should be at least 30 scores in each group, others simply say more is better than less. More is better than less, but you can get away with fewer than 30 scores in a group if the spread of scores in your data is small, you have tight controls on extraneous variables influencing your data, and your study design and analytical approach has additional safeguards against the influence of outliers. But these matters have more to do with study design than statistical analysis. If your data fail to satisfy the basic requirements of normal distribution, as in the article under discussion in this sidebar, then a parametric statistical test is not appropriate, because parametric tests are based on means and standard deviations. They assume that the central tendency of the normal curve (eg, most scores tend to be in the center of the curve) is in play and driving the mean of the groups being compared. If this assumption is not true, then the theoretical curve behind a group of scores is skewed to one side or the other of the curve and the mean is no longer the best estimate for representing the group of scores. Nonparametric tests were developed to accomplish the same kinds of group comparisons that parametric tests are capable of doing, but without relying on means to do them. In the article under consideration, if the Champion’s Health Belief Model (CHBM) scale scores had conformed to the normal distribution parameters, the authors would have used an independent groups t-test to compare the data of two groups: the group of women who watched the video with audio description and the group who watched the video without description. Since there are two groups, a t-test would have been used; since different women were in the two groups, the independent groups version would have been used. But, since the CHBM scores were not normally distributed, the authors used the Mann-Whitney U test as the nonparametric al
在本期的《视觉障碍与失明杂志》(JVIB)上，Çelik和İldan Çalım发表了一篇题为“带音频描述的培训视频对视障女性乳房自检的影响”的文章，指出他们的一些主要定量指标不满足正态性要求，因此它们没有呈钟形曲线分布(有关该主题的更多背景信息，请参阅2018年5 - 6月号的统计侧栏)。由于这个问题，他们选择了一种与他们通常使用的参数统计检验等效的非参数检验。让我们稍微解释一下这句话。参数统计检验的核心是假设因变量是正态分布的，并根据均值和标准差进行计算。还有一个要求是，在每一个被比较的组中都应该有足够的分数，这样平均值和标准差就不会受到数据中的异常值的太大影响。什么是“足够的分数”是一个有争议的问题。有人说每组至少要有30分，也有人说多总比少好。多总比少好，但如果你的数据中分数的分布很小，你对影响你数据的无关变量有严格的控制，你的研究设计和分析方法有额外的保护措施来防止异常值的影响，那么你可以在一组中得到少于30分的分数。但这些问题更多地与研究设计有关，而不是统计分析。如果您的数据不能满足正态分布的基本要求，如本侧栏讨论的文章所述，那么参数统计检验就不合适了，因为参数检验是基于均值和标准差的。他们假设正常曲线的集中趋势(例如，大多数分数倾向于在曲线的中心)在起作用，并推动被比较组的平均值。如果这个假设不成立，那么一组分数背后的理论曲线就会向曲线的一边或另一边倾斜，平均值就不再是代表这组分数的最佳估计值。非参数检验的发展是为了完成与参数检验能够完成的相同类型的组比较，但不依赖于手段来完成它们。在考虑的文章中，如果Champion’s Health Belief Model (CHBM)量表得分符合正态分布参数，作者将使用独立组t检验来比较两组数据:观看有音频描述的视频的妇女组和观看没有描述的视频的妇女组。因为有两组，所以应该使用t检验;由于两组中有不同的女性，因此将使用独立组版本。但是，由于CHBM分数不是正态分布，作者使用Mann-Whitney U检验作为非参数替代，这使我们有机会看到这两个检验是如何相关的。t检验方程
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Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X221150336
S. Lewis
Research involves processes that are designed to describe, explore, and explain phenomena. In this issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), each of these activities is represented, providing evidence of the cyclical nature of research: Problems are identified, potential solutions explored and tested, and theoretical explanations posited. Then, more study is needed and the cycle begins again.
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