Pub Date : 2023-11-18DOI: 10.1177/02646196231212744
Ifigeneia Manitsa
Previous research has attempted to examine specific social aspects of the school inclusion of students with vision impairment, such as the development of social relationships with their teachers and peers and their participation in school activities. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory, this article presents a socio-ecological model that aims to embrace the different elements of social inclusion in school. Considering the components of this socio-ecological model, the findings of an empirical study that examined the school engagement of adolescents with vision impairment and its effect on their social competence are presented. Thirty-seven adolescents, with and without vision impairment, aged 12–14 years, participated in this study. Adolescents were divided into three groups: adolescents with severe sight impairment (previously ‘blindness’), adolescents with sight impairment (previously ‘low vision’) and sighted adolescents. Participants completed a questionnaire about their school engagement and disengagement, and their parents completed a quantitative scale about their children’s social competence. There were no significant differences found between the three participant groups in terms of school engagement, disengagement and social competence. Neither school engagement nor disengagement was a significant predictor of social competence. The findings of this empirical study revealed remarkable similarities in school engagement and social competence between adolescents with and without vision impairment. These findings may also suggest that other clinical and social factors, independent of visual functioning, affect the school inclusion and social competence of adolescents with vision impairment. Overall, the socio-ecological model developed for the purposes of this research can lead to the development of evidence-based interventions that will aim to improve the social inclusion of adolescents with vision impairment. Furthermore, the rationale of the empirical study may promote further investigation of the critical role of promoting less-intrusive classroom interventions to facilitate the school inclusion of students with vision impairment.
{"title":"Conceptualising social inclusion and examining its relationship with social competence","authors":"Ifigeneia Manitsa","doi":"10.1177/02646196231212744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231212744","url":null,"abstract":"Previous research has attempted to examine specific social aspects of the school inclusion of students with vision impairment, such as the development of social relationships with their teachers and peers and their participation in school activities. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory, this article presents a socio-ecological model that aims to embrace the different elements of social inclusion in school. Considering the components of this socio-ecological model, the findings of an empirical study that examined the school engagement of adolescents with vision impairment and its effect on their social competence are presented. Thirty-seven adolescents, with and without vision impairment, aged 12–14 years, participated in this study. Adolescents were divided into three groups: adolescents with severe sight impairment (previously ‘blindness’), adolescents with sight impairment (previously ‘low vision’) and sighted adolescents. Participants completed a questionnaire about their school engagement and disengagement, and their parents completed a quantitative scale about their children’s social competence. There were no significant differences found between the three participant groups in terms of school engagement, disengagement and social competence. Neither school engagement nor disengagement was a significant predictor of social competence. The findings of this empirical study revealed remarkable similarities in school engagement and social competence between adolescents with and without vision impairment. These findings may also suggest that other clinical and social factors, independent of visual functioning, affect the school inclusion and social competence of adolescents with vision impairment. Overall, the socio-ecological model developed for the purposes of this research can lead to the development of evidence-based interventions that will aim to improve the social inclusion of adolescents with vision impairment. Furthermore, the rationale of the empirical study may promote further investigation of the critical role of promoting less-intrusive classroom interventions to facilitate the school inclusion of students with vision impairment.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139261241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-18DOI: 10.1177/02646196231212826
Hyung Nam Kim
Emotional intelligence, as a mental ability, consists of attention, clarity, and repair abilities, contributing to emotion management. Emotional intelligence is subject to changes induced by external environmental factors. However, little is known about changes in emotional intelligence among people with visual disabilities. This study aims to advance knowledge of the degree to which people with visual disabilities change emotional intelligence between “before” and “amid” the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 81 participants with visual disabilities completed a Trait Meta-Mood Scale to assess emotional intelligence in Fall 2019 ( n = 20), Summer 2020 ( n = 31), and Fall 2020 ( n = 30). While the attention and clarity abilities did not significantly change in Summer 2020, the repair ability significantly increased in Summer 2020. However, all three abilities significantly decreased in Fall 2020. People with visual disabilities were able to manage their negative emotions just a few months after the pandemic was declared. Yet, 1 year after the pandemic was declared, their emotional intelligence was significantly weakened. As a long-term effect, emotional challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic might have become strong enough to lead to decreased emotional intelligence abilities.
{"title":"Changes in mental ability of people with visual disabilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Hyung Nam Kim","doi":"10.1177/02646196231212826","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231212826","url":null,"abstract":"Emotional intelligence, as a mental ability, consists of attention, clarity, and repair abilities, contributing to emotion management. Emotional intelligence is subject to changes induced by external environmental factors. However, little is known about changes in emotional intelligence among people with visual disabilities. This study aims to advance knowledge of the degree to which people with visual disabilities change emotional intelligence between “before” and “amid” the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 81 participants with visual disabilities completed a Trait Meta-Mood Scale to assess emotional intelligence in Fall 2019 ( n = 20), Summer 2020 ( n = 31), and Fall 2020 ( n = 30). While the attention and clarity abilities did not significantly change in Summer 2020, the repair ability significantly increased in Summer 2020. However, all three abilities significantly decreased in Fall 2020. People with visual disabilities were able to manage their negative emotions just a few months after the pandemic was declared. Yet, 1 year after the pandemic was declared, their emotional intelligence was significantly weakened. As a long-term effect, emotional challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic might have become strong enough to lead to decreased emotional intelligence abilities.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"133 11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139261907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-14DOI: 10.1177/02646196231212738
Clare Strongman, Rosie K Lindsay, Andie Riches, Francesca Cavallerio, Dan Gordon, Andrew Morrison
Objectives: People with visual impairment participate in less physical activity than sighted people, and may have been further affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing and lockdown measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of mat-based group Pilates as a possible ‘return to sport’ intervention for adults with visual impairment. Methods: A 10-month intervention of community-based instructor-led mat-based group Pilates sessions was conducted with 14 participants with visual impairment. Measures of quality of life and balance confidence were collected at the start and end of the intervention. In addition, qualitative surveys and participant interviews were conducted pre- and post-intervention to gather data about the participants views and lived experiences of participating in the session. Results: There were no statistically significant changes to overall quality of life or balance confidence over the 10-month intervention period, but participants started with good scores with limited scope for improvement. Participants scored lower on the environmental domain ( p = .042) after the intervention, which may be due to services struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. Reflexive thematic analysis identified themes relating to becoming a community, (re)gaining competence, and developing independence with the intervention having a positive effect on both physical and mental health. Conclusions: Despite no quantifiable positive changes in balance confidence or quality of life, the qualitative analysis identified that the participants valued and benefitted from the intervention and found it helpful to their overall function as well as wellbeing and mental health. This suggests that mat-based group Pilates classes as a physical activity intervention is useful in this population and warrants further research.
{"title":"‘Sometimes I feel like dancing afterwards’: Exploring experiences of Pilates as a ‘return to sport’ intervention after the COVID-19 lockdown in UK adults with visual impairment","authors":"Clare Strongman, Rosie K Lindsay, Andie Riches, Francesca Cavallerio, Dan Gordon, Andrew Morrison","doi":"10.1177/02646196231212738","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231212738","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives: People with visual impairment participate in less physical activity than sighted people, and may have been further affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing and lockdown measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of mat-based group Pilates as a possible ‘return to sport’ intervention for adults with visual impairment. Methods: A 10-month intervention of community-based instructor-led mat-based group Pilates sessions was conducted with 14 participants with visual impairment. Measures of quality of life and balance confidence were collected at the start and end of the intervention. In addition, qualitative surveys and participant interviews were conducted pre- and post-intervention to gather data about the participants views and lived experiences of participating in the session. Results: There were no statistically significant changes to overall quality of life or balance confidence over the 10-month intervention period, but participants started with good scores with limited scope for improvement. Participants scored lower on the environmental domain ( p = .042) after the intervention, which may be due to services struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. Reflexive thematic analysis identified themes relating to becoming a community, (re)gaining competence, and developing independence with the intervention having a positive effect on both physical and mental health. Conclusions: Despite no quantifiable positive changes in balance confidence or quality of life, the qualitative analysis identified that the participants valued and benefitted from the intervention and found it helpful to their overall function as well as wellbeing and mental health. This suggests that mat-based group Pilates classes as a physical activity intervention is useful in this population and warrants further research.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"47 3","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134901891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-31DOI: 10.1177/02646196231203367
Hoi Ying Cheng, John Fellenor, Ffion Parry, Michael Proulx
Quality of life (QoL) measures are often used to assess the effectiveness of services and interventions. For individuals living with vision impairment (VI) this is potentially problematic, given that QoL is characteristically assessed using instruments designed with non-VI norms and may not accurately represent issues specifically associated with VI. Hence, the authors designed an instrument (Vision Impaired Quality of Life [VIQoL]) tailored for adults living with VI. This article reports on VIQoL’s psychometric properties and outlines its utility for the VI sector. Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) was used to assess VIQoL’s construct validity, conducted on a combined dataset of adults with VI ( n = 582), and adults without VI ( n = 1992). To assess factor integrity, analyses were conducted on these groups separately. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. VIQoL display high construct validity and reliability. PAF analysis presented a two-factor solution: ‘functional confidence’ (items encompassing autonomy and frequent demands of life), and ‘personal flourishing’ (items related to affect and feeling). VIQoL is a valid and reliable tool for assessing QoL for people living with VI. It affords a basis for meaningful evaluations and insights into how differences in QoL are appraised by VI and non-VI populations; although factors were fundamentally similar, the importance of the two factors was reversed across the groups, which highlights the importance of condition-specific QoL measures and implies the need for research to assess other variables that can affect the QoL of people living with VI.
{"title":"Validation of a quality of life measure (VIQoL) for adults living with vision impairment","authors":"Hoi Ying Cheng, John Fellenor, Ffion Parry, Michael Proulx","doi":"10.1177/02646196231203367","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231203367","url":null,"abstract":"Quality of life (QoL) measures are often used to assess the effectiveness of services and interventions. For individuals living with vision impairment (VI) this is potentially problematic, given that QoL is characteristically assessed using instruments designed with non-VI norms and may not accurately represent issues specifically associated with VI. Hence, the authors designed an instrument (Vision Impaired Quality of Life [VIQoL]) tailored for adults living with VI. This article reports on VIQoL’s psychometric properties and outlines its utility for the VI sector. Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) was used to assess VIQoL’s construct validity, conducted on a combined dataset of adults with VI ( n = 582), and adults without VI ( n = 1992). To assess factor integrity, analyses were conducted on these groups separately. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. VIQoL display high construct validity and reliability. PAF analysis presented a two-factor solution: ‘functional confidence’ (items encompassing autonomy and frequent demands of life), and ‘personal flourishing’ (items related to affect and feeling). VIQoL is a valid and reliable tool for assessing QoL for people living with VI. It affords a basis for meaningful evaluations and insights into how differences in QoL are appraised by VI and non-VI populations; although factors were fundamentally similar, the importance of the two factors was reversed across the groups, which highlights the importance of condition-specific QoL measures and implies the need for research to assess other variables that can affect the QoL of people living with VI.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"148 20","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135863283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-15DOI: 10.1177/02646196231201773
Edward Tran, Mohamed Aly, Nirmit Shah, Vivian Phu, Monali S. Malvankar-Mehta
Vision impairment could have debilitating effects on patients’ mental, physical, and emotional health. Our study aims to understand the role of meditation and breathing exercises in the management of vision loss and its effects on patient’s disease progression. This study is designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eligible studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases and gray literature. Covidence software was used to conduct the systematic review. Duplicate records were removed, and two independent reviewers screened records for relevance. After the screening, a risk-of-bias assessment was carried out. Data were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed using STATA 14.0. Fixed-effect and random-effect models were computed based on heterogeneity. Our results indicate that meditation and breathing exercises significantly reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) (ES = −1.76, 95% CI = [−2.69, −0.83]) in glaucoma patients, mean deviation of Humphrey visual field testing (ES = −0.20, 95% CI = [−0.37, −0.03]), and biomarkers such as cortisol (ES = −0.73, 95% CI = [−0.25, −2.22]) and reactive oxygen species (ES = −2.45, 95% CI = [−4.20, −0.71]). In addition, our results demonstrated significant increases in beta-endorphins (ES = 28.60, 95% CI = [25.61, 31.59]) following breathing and meditation exercises. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that these exercises were associated with non-significant decreases in inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6 levels (ES = −1.25, 95% CI = [−2.75, −0.24]), retinal nerve layer fiber thickness (ES = −0.20, 95% CI = [−0.53, −0.14]), and non-significant increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (ES = 28.24, 95% CI = [−25.24, 81.71]). Our systematic review also found improvements in quality of life, physical fitness, and mood for vision loss patients. Meditation and breathing exercises offer a range of benefits to patients with vision loss, including improvements in IOP, biomarkers, quality of life, physical fitness, and mood. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying their effects and the means to apply them in practice.
视力障碍可能对患者的精神、身体和情绪健康产生衰弱性影响。我们的研究旨在了解冥想和呼吸练习在视力丧失管理中的作用及其对患者疾病进展的影响。本研究设计为系统回顾和荟萃分析。从MEDLINE、EMBASE和CINAHL数据库和灰色文献中检索符合条件的研究。采用covid软件进行系统评价。删除重复的记录,并由两名独立的审稿人筛选记录的相关性。筛选后,进行风险偏倚评估。提取数据,使用STATA 14.0进行meta分析。根据异质性计算固定效应和随机效应模型。我们的研究结果表明,冥想和呼吸练习可显著降低青光眼患者的眼内压(IOP) (ES = - 1.76, 95% CI =[- 2.69, - 0.83])、Humphrey视野测试的平均偏差(ES = - 0.20, 95% CI =[- 0.37, - 0.03])和生物标志物,如皮质醇(ES = - 0.73, 95% CI =[- 0.25, - 2.22])和活性氧(ES = - 2.45, 95% CI =[- 4.20, - 0.71])。此外,我们的研究结果显示,呼吸和冥想练习后-内啡肽显著增加(ES = 28.60, 95% CI =[25.61, 31.59])。此外,我们的研究表明,这些运动与炎症标志物(如白细胞介素-6水平(ES = - 1.25, 95% CI =[- 2.75, - 0.24])、视网膜神经层纤维厚度(ES = - 0.20, 95% CI =[- 0.53, - 0.14])和脑源性神经营养因子(ES = 28.24, 95% CI =[- 25.24, 81.71])的非显著降低有关。我们的系统回顾还发现,视力丧失患者的生活质量、身体健康和情绪都有所改善。冥想和呼吸练习为视力丧失患者提供了一系列益处,包括改善IOP、生物标志物、生活质量、身体健康和情绪。需要进一步研究以更好地了解其影响的机制和在实践中应用它们的方法。
{"title":"Benefits of meditation and breathing exercises in vision loss patients","authors":"Edward Tran, Mohamed Aly, Nirmit Shah, Vivian Phu, Monali S. Malvankar-Mehta","doi":"10.1177/02646196231201773","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231201773","url":null,"abstract":"Vision impairment could have debilitating effects on patients’ mental, physical, and emotional health. Our study aims to understand the role of meditation and breathing exercises in the management of vision loss and its effects on patient’s disease progression. This study is designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eligible studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases and gray literature. Covidence software was used to conduct the systematic review. Duplicate records were removed, and two independent reviewers screened records for relevance. After the screening, a risk-of-bias assessment was carried out. Data were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed using STATA 14.0. Fixed-effect and random-effect models were computed based on heterogeneity. Our results indicate that meditation and breathing exercises significantly reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) (ES = −1.76, 95% CI = [−2.69, −0.83]) in glaucoma patients, mean deviation of Humphrey visual field testing (ES = −0.20, 95% CI = [−0.37, −0.03]), and biomarkers such as cortisol (ES = −0.73, 95% CI = [−0.25, −2.22]) and reactive oxygen species (ES = −2.45, 95% CI = [−4.20, −0.71]). In addition, our results demonstrated significant increases in beta-endorphins (ES = 28.60, 95% CI = [25.61, 31.59]) following breathing and meditation exercises. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that these exercises were associated with non-significant decreases in inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6 levels (ES = −1.25, 95% CI = [−2.75, −0.24]), retinal nerve layer fiber thickness (ES = −0.20, 95% CI = [−0.53, −0.14]), and non-significant increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (ES = 28.24, 95% CI = [−25.24, 81.71]). Our systematic review also found improvements in quality of life, physical fitness, and mood for vision loss patients. Meditation and breathing exercises offer a range of benefits to patients with vision loss, including improvements in IOP, biomarkers, quality of life, physical fitness, and mood. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying their effects and the means to apply them in practice.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"75 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135759651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-15DOI: 10.1177/02646196231203594
Sausan Abu Tair, Ahmad S Haider, Malik Alkhawaldeh
This article examines the description of race in the audio description (AD) of Netflix through the lens of political correctness to determine any bias, whether intentional or not. It analyzes the wording of English AD incidents where characters are described in several series and films available on Netflix. Passing, Kipo, and Squid Game were selected because their cast and characters were diverse or consisted mainly of minorities. The findings showed that although Netflix aims to minimize bias in the AD provided on its platform, some subtle biases are still present; some of these may even be unintentional. When it comes to labels, no offensive terms were ever used; however, some efforts to avoid offensive language resulted in the descriptions being too ambiguous. The study concludes that since language cannot be separated from its pragmatics, the choice in wording can create a problematic area for the scriptwriter.
{"title":"Verbalizing visual characterizations of race in the audio description of Netflix","authors":"Sausan Abu Tair, Ahmad S Haider, Malik Alkhawaldeh","doi":"10.1177/02646196231203594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231203594","url":null,"abstract":"This article examines the description of race in the audio description (AD) of Netflix through the lens of political correctness to determine any bias, whether intentional or not. It analyzes the wording of English AD incidents where characters are described in several series and films available on Netflix. Passing, Kipo, and Squid Game were selected because their cast and characters were diverse or consisted mainly of minorities. The findings showed that although Netflix aims to minimize bias in the AD provided on its platform, some subtle biases are still present; some of these may even be unintentional. When it comes to labels, no offensive terms were ever used; however, some efforts to avoid offensive language resulted in the descriptions being too ambiguous. The study concludes that since language cannot be separated from its pragmatics, the choice in wording can create a problematic area for the scriptwriter.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135759081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-14DOI: 10.1177/02646196231199924
Tiziana Battistin, Irene Bottan, Vincenzo Zanardo, Elena Mercuriali, Maria Eleonora Reffo
This is a qualitative study that gives voice to 33 siblings of children with visual impairment in care at the Robert Hollman Foundation, focusing on their relationships with their brothers/sisters. Participants aged 7 to 22 recounted their daily life experiences and perspectives, expressing their feelings during semi-structured individual interviews. Data were analyzed according to the thematic analysis in the conceptual framework of ‘the new sociology of childhood’. The vast majority of siblings showed a special relationship with their brother/sister, characterized by unconditional love and willingness to help. Different emotions, such as happiness, empathy, sorrow and sadness, were expressed as well as how the experience of being siblings of children with visual impairment shapes their attitudes, highlighting a number of needs in some of the subjects.
{"title":"Being siblings of children with visual impairment","authors":"Tiziana Battistin, Irene Bottan, Vincenzo Zanardo, Elena Mercuriali, Maria Eleonora Reffo","doi":"10.1177/02646196231199924","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231199924","url":null,"abstract":"This is a qualitative study that gives voice to 33 siblings of children with visual impairment in care at the Robert Hollman Foundation, focusing on their relationships with their brothers/sisters. Participants aged 7 to 22 recounted their daily life experiences and perspectives, expressing their feelings during semi-structured individual interviews. Data were analyzed according to the thematic analysis in the conceptual framework of ‘the new sociology of childhood’. The vast majority of siblings showed a special relationship with their brother/sister, characterized by unconditional love and willingness to help. Different emotions, such as happiness, empathy, sorrow and sadness, were expressed as well as how the experience of being siblings of children with visual impairment shapes their attitudes, highlighting a number of needs in some of the subjects.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"2011 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135803999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-10DOI: 10.1177/02646196231203605
Jeyaseeli Flora, Sahithya Bhaskaran, Vijayalakshmi Perumalsamy, Varuna Abinethri L M
Disruption of vision intervention (VI) worsens global development of children with multiple disability (MD). Digital platforms help parents to continue vision intervention in pandemics. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been done to assess the impact of online VI, therefore this is first. The aim is to study the impact of online VI on functional vision of children with MD during COVID-19. Fifteen children with MD recruited for in-office VI had abandoned it during the first pandemic, but had been able to continue through online during second pandemic and were recruited. Impact of online VI was retrospectively examined, by comparing functional vision (grating acuity [GA] and contrast sensitivity [CS]) at the time of discontinuance and period with online sessions. Parents received questionnaire to assess their perceptions about online VI. Discontinuity of in-office sessions during the first wave resulted in deterioration of functional vision. GA decreased from 1.5 to 0.9 cycles per degree (CPD; p = .012) and CS decreased from baseline in eight children. Upon lockdown relaxation, resumption of in-office VI showed improvement. GA improved from 0.9 to 1.7 CPD ( p = .009) and CS improved in 10 children. However, during the second wave, with institution of online sessions, GA and CS were either maintained or improved. Results from questionnaire showed high satisfaction level of online VI among parents. Although advantages of in-office VI are undeniable, functional vision outcomes and parental satisfaction encourages to combine online and in-office VI whenever necessary.
{"title":"Impact of online vision intervention on functional vision in children with multiple disabilities","authors":"Jeyaseeli Flora, Sahithya Bhaskaran, Vijayalakshmi Perumalsamy, Varuna Abinethri L M","doi":"10.1177/02646196231203605","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231203605","url":null,"abstract":"Disruption of vision intervention (VI) worsens global development of children with multiple disability (MD). Digital platforms help parents to continue vision intervention in pandemics. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been done to assess the impact of online VI, therefore this is first. The aim is to study the impact of online VI on functional vision of children with MD during COVID-19. Fifteen children with MD recruited for in-office VI had abandoned it during the first pandemic, but had been able to continue through online during second pandemic and were recruited. Impact of online VI was retrospectively examined, by comparing functional vision (grating acuity [GA] and contrast sensitivity [CS]) at the time of discontinuance and period with online sessions. Parents received questionnaire to assess their perceptions about online VI. Discontinuity of in-office sessions during the first wave resulted in deterioration of functional vision. GA decreased from 1.5 to 0.9 cycles per degree (CPD; p = .012) and CS decreased from baseline in eight children. Upon lockdown relaxation, resumption of in-office VI showed improvement. GA improved from 0.9 to 1.7 CPD ( p = .009) and CS improved in 10 children. However, during the second wave, with institution of online sessions, GA and CS were either maintained or improved. Results from questionnaire showed high satisfaction level of online VI among parents. Although advantages of in-office VI are undeniable, functional vision outcomes and parental satisfaction encourages to combine online and in-office VI whenever necessary.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136295533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.1177/02646196231201770
Maram M Alraddadi, Kim T Zebehazy
This study’s goal was to investigate the extent to which general classroom teachers were implementing practices to promote the inclusion of students with visual impairment (VI) using self-regulated learning (SRL) as a framework for the study. SRL can help students, including struggling students or students with special needs, acquire the skills to take control of their learning situations as well as feel more included in the classroom. Observations and self-report questionnaires designed from SRL practices that foster inclusion were used to collect the data. Overall, the teachers provided limited opportunities at a depth that promoted inclusion or supported the SRL development of students with VI. Teacher training in SRL and student readiness to meet higher expectations will support inclusion within an SRL framework.
{"title":"Exploring inclusive teaching practices to enhance effective learning of students with visual impairments in a secondary school in Saudi Arabia using a self-regulated learning framework","authors":"Maram M Alraddadi, Kim T Zebehazy","doi":"10.1177/02646196231201770","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231201770","url":null,"abstract":"This study’s goal was to investigate the extent to which general classroom teachers were implementing practices to promote the inclusion of students with visual impairment (VI) using self-regulated learning (SRL) as a framework for the study. SRL can help students, including struggling students or students with special needs, acquire the skills to take control of their learning situations as well as feel more included in the classroom. Observations and self-report questionnaires designed from SRL practices that foster inclusion were used to collect the data. Overall, the teachers provided limited opportunities at a depth that promoted inclusion or supported the SRL development of students with VI. Teacher training in SRL and student readiness to meet higher expectations will support inclusion within an SRL framework.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136336453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196231195699
Fituma Yadasa Kana, Dawit Negassa Golga
This study focuses on the lived experiences of students with blindness in learning and using Braille for academic purposes at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. A descriptive phenomenology design was employed, and eight students with blindness were purposefully selected to be the sample for this study. Data were collected using substantive interviews. A digital audio recorder was used to capture the voices of respondents. The data were translated into English using Google Docs and Google Translate (supported by VB audio virtual cable). Then, the data were coded, themed, and analyzed using QDA Miner Lite software. Thematic analysis was used to analyze collected data. There are three main themes and seven subthemes among students with blindness based on their actual experiences learning and using Braille for academic purposes. These are characteristics of blind students who have learned Braille and are using it for learning; contributing factors for knowing Braille and using it; benefits of using Braille; impacts of knowing but not using Braille for academic purposes; reasons for knowing but not using it for learning; factors influencing not learning using Braille; and characteristics of blind students who did not know Braille. The practical intersections of students with blindness knowledge of Braille and their use of it for academic purposes influence their lived experiences. The study encourages and advises administrators of academic programs, curriculum and software developers, and policymakers, including practitioners, to consider Braille interpretation service issues to increase participation and meet the needs of students with blindness during teaching–learning programs in the study area.
{"title":"Lived experiences of students with blindness learning and using Braille at Haramaya University in Ethiopia","authors":"Fituma Yadasa Kana, Dawit Negassa Golga","doi":"10.1177/02646196231195699","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196231195699","url":null,"abstract":"This study focuses on the lived experiences of students with blindness in learning and using Braille for academic purposes at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. A descriptive phenomenology design was employed, and eight students with blindness were purposefully selected to be the sample for this study. Data were collected using substantive interviews. A digital audio recorder was used to capture the voices of respondents. The data were translated into English using Google Docs and Google Translate (supported by VB audio virtual cable). Then, the data were coded, themed, and analyzed using QDA Miner Lite software. Thematic analysis was used to analyze collected data. There are three main themes and seven subthemes among students with blindness based on their actual experiences learning and using Braille for academic purposes. These are characteristics of blind students who have learned Braille and are using it for learning; contributing factors for knowing Braille and using it; benefits of using Braille; impacts of knowing but not using Braille for academic purposes; reasons for knowing but not using it for learning; factors influencing not learning using Braille; and characteristics of blind students who did not know Braille. The practical intersections of students with blindness knowledge of Braille and their use of it for academic purposes influence their lived experiences. The study encourages and advises administrators of academic programs, curriculum and software developers, and policymakers, including practitioners, to consider Braille interpretation service issues to increase participation and meet the needs of students with blindness during teaching–learning programs in the study area.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"56 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135244412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}