Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness最新文献

{"title":"Literary Braille Instruction: A Review of University Personnel Preparation Programs","authors":"Kathleen M. Farrand, Karen E. Koehler, Ananí M. Vasquez","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221130356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221130356","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Braille literacy for students who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision) can be a critical component for school and postsecondary transition success. This survey study was a modified replication of previous studies that examined the instruction of literary braille in university preparation programs for professionals who work with students with visual impairments. Methods: Nineteen university instructors of literary braille responded to a survey about instructional formats, books, and tools, as well as assessment issues, such as test formats, scoring, and requirements for demonstrating proficiency. Results: Survey responses indicated that some instructional strategies at the university level have remained the same over the last 20 years, but there are also some changes. Most notably, updated books and resources are being used and instructors represent the same demographic group, Caucasian females over 45 years old. But, the level of experience has substantially dropped and there has been a shift to increased online learning. All programs indicated focusing instruction on Unified English Braille (UEB) code. Discussion: Prior concerns about the challenges of teaching UEB have been somewhat satisfied. Proficiency exams are now required by programs, which could contribute to better prepare teachers for students with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: The shift to online learning affects practice. The use of braille simulation software might alter the way practitioners think about erasures. In preparing for distance learning, instructors must consider how to make courses accessible, rigorous, and of high quality. Although university braille proficiency exams should continue to be used to evaluate the skills of future professionals, educators might advocate for tests at the state or province level prior to licensure and common standards for minimal competency.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"617 - 628"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43952521","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}

{"title":"Barriers to Employment of Young Cultural Practitioners With Visual Impairments in the Cultural Industries of Ethiopia","authors":"Yisma Tsige Yeshanew","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221133126","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221133126","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Employment in the culture and arts sector has multiple psycho-socioeconomic benefits for people with visual impairments. However, a study in this area is rare in Ethiopia. The current study explored barriers to employment of young cultural practitioners with visual impairments in the cultural industries of Ethiopia. Method: Eight young cultural practitioners who have visual impairments were interviewed and the qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Results: The results indicated that personal, attitudinal, and environmental barriers hinder the meaningful participation of young cultural practitioners with visual impairments in the job market of the cultural industries of Ethiopia. Discussion: Although the study found differences in geographic and sectoral barriers to employment the results of the current study supported previous research findings. Implications: The current study has implications for future research as well as policymakers concerning employment and labor affairs. Besides highlighting the need for an increased understanding of identified barriers to cultural employment, the study revealed that there is also a need for further research on the numerous benefits that employment and participation in culture and arts provide for people with and without impairments at individual, community, and national levels.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"678 - 688"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42378952","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}

{"title":"Creation of a National Agenda for STEM Education for Students With Visual Impairments","authors":"T. Wild, Xinyue Lu, Stacy M. Kelly, Derrick W. Smith, Danene Fast","doi":"10.1177/0145482x221134372","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x221134372","url":null,"abstract":"The field of visual impairment has never had the opportunity to engage its community in a common discourse around STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education for students with visual impairments. When planning research projects, professionals who work in STEM education for students with visual impairments often do not know what others are doing, which leads to redundancy and leaves major gaps in research within the sub-disciplines of STEM. Therefore, resources are not being used efficiently, and the needs of students with visual impairments continue to not be met. The field of STEM education for students with visual impairments had no focused research agenda, sources for best practices, or clear directives as to the immediate needs of students with visual impairments with regard to STEM education. With the goal of making a change, we created a research agenda to address these concerns so that the field of visual impairment can move forward with one shared vision to prepare grant proposals, research projects, and curriculum development that no longer replicates or does not address all areas of STEM education.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"749 - 751"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46861180","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}

{"title":"Stigma Among Older Adults With Age-Related Vision Impairments","authors":"Priyanka Kumar, J. Campanile, B. Swenor, V. Varadaraj","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221132844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221132844","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Limited research has examined the experience and psychosocial effect of vision impairment in older adults. We examine the relationship between vision impairment and stigma using guided interviews among older adults with age-related eye disease. Methods: Thirty-six participants with vision impairment were recruited from glaucoma (n = 18) (better eye visual fields mean deviations: >5 and <15 decibels) or retina (n = 18) (better eye visual acuity: <20/40 and >20/400) clinics of the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute between 2015 and 2020. Participants completed interviews to examine stigma surrounding age-related vision impairment. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Content analyses of interview transcripts revealed underlying stigma within our cohort. Starting with categories of (1) interpersonal relationships and (2) evolving self-perception, specific domains of stigma were realized in this study. Although both enacted (external) stigma and perceived stigma were acknowledged by a subset of participants, few endorsed internalized stigma. In the face of stigma, participants demonstrated notable resiliency in adapting to and living with age-related vision impairment, captured in an additional category of (3) behavioral adaptations. Discussion: In-depth interviews revealed that older adults with vision impairment confront specific domains of stigma, including enacted and perceived stigma. Features protective against internalized stigma included older age, community support, and assistive technologies. Implications for Practitioners: A recognition of the subtypes of stigma that older adults with age-related vision impairment face is necessary to tailor support and target interventions.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"689 - 698"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42117023","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}

{"title":"Validation of Image Descriptions for the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children: A Delphi Study","authors":"Melanie Perreault, Katriana Belknap, L. Lieberman, Pamela Beach","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221129619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221129619","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and the Preferences for Activities of Children (PAC) are useful measures to assess how children with visual impairments are meeting the nine areas of the expanded core curriculum (ECC). Each item of the CAPE and PAC includes an activity with an accompanied image to illustrate it. However, the measures do not provide standardized image descriptions for each item, which limits its validity and reliability for this population. Thus, the purpose of this Delphi study was to validate and standardize image descriptions for the CAPE and PAC so they can be used more effectively with children with visual impairments. Methods: The expert panel consisted of 11 professionals with extensive knowledge and experience with individuals with visual impairments and six dyads of parents and their child with a visual impairment. Each panel member assessed the accuracy of wording for 57 image descriptions on a 4-point Likert scale and provided feedback on items rated below 3. Results: Consensus on all image descriptions was reached after two rounds. Discussion: The results of this study help to increase the validity and reliability of the CAPE and PAC for children with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: The CAPE and PAC can be used more effectively by practitioners and researchers to assess the areas of the ECC for children with visual impairments.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"736 - 743"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47922474","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}

{"title":"Prevalence, Cause, and Associated Factors of Visual Impairment Among Diabetic Patients at the Debre Tabor General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia","authors":"Getasew Alemu Mersha, Yezinash Addis Alimaw, G. Belete, A. Woredekal","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221131823","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221131823","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Visual impairment is a major public health challenge for diabetics who have ocular comorbidities. In Ethiopia, data are lacking on the prevalence of visual impairment among diabetics as well as information on causes and predisposing factors. The current study was designed to assess the causes, risk factors, and levels of diabetes-related visual impairment within an Ethiopian population. Methods: The study enrolled a total of 296 diabetic patients at the Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH). Data were ascertained through face-to-face interview, from patients’ medical folder, and through comprehensive ocular health assessment. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. Result: Generally, the prevalence of visual impairment among adult diabetic patients was 39.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.8–45.6). Visual impairment was primarily due to diabetic retinopathy (44.4%), followed by refractive error (20.6%), cataract (13.9%), other ocular conditions (6.1%), and glaucoma (5.4%). Age >45 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.8, 95% CI: 3.5–18), female gender (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.4–7.7), low educational status (AOR = 8.1, 95% CI: 2.4–26.0), and longer span of diabetes (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI: 2.1–6.8) had a notable association with visual impairment among diabetic patients. Discussion: This study observed a high prevalence of visual impairment in diabetic patients. Diabetic retinopathy, refractive error, and cataract were the most common causes of visual impairment, followed by other ocular conditions and glaucoma. Older age, female gender, low educational status, and longer span of diabetes were important risk factors of visual impairment among diabetic patients. Implications for Practitioners: This result could alert health care professionals to inform their diabetic clients about the serious impacts of diabetes and the need for a regular eye check-up. Health care providers and policy makers should work to integrate the diabetic clinics into a general hospital with an eye care unit for an effective screening of diabetic eye disease and prevention of blindness.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"658 - 667"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43951497","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}

{"title":"Moving Towards Inclusivity: A Call for Increased Speed and Intensity in Making Fitness Facilities Accessible for People with Visual Impairments","authors":"L. Jones, Maria S. Murray, Renata S. M. Gomes","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221133938","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221133938","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the well-established evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity on health and well-being, many adults in the United Kingdom (UK) and worldwide remain insufficiently active. One in four working age adults in the UK do not reach the government recommended physical activity targets of at least 150 min of moderate intensity or combined with 75 min of vigorous intensity activity per week (NHS Digital, 2019). People living with disabilities are twice as likely to be inactive compared to the general population, placing this group at greater risk of poor health outcomes (Reiner et al., 2013; Rimmer & Marques, 2012). Of those with disabilities, people with visual impairments (i.e., a reduction in visual acuity or visual field loss which cannot be corrected using standard eyeglasses or lenses) rank among the least physically active, with activity rates comparable to individuals with physical disabilities affecting gross motor skills such as cerebral palsy (Longmuir & Bar-Or, 2000). Fitness facilities such as gyms and leisure centers provide a range of services designed to improve physical health. In the UK there is an extensive network of approximately 7,200 fitness facilities, with over 85% of the population living within 2 miles of their closest venue (Leisure Database Company, 2022). These facilities are often the first point of contact for the general population wishing to increase rates of physical activity; however, venues remain largely inaccessible for people with visual impairments, who describe being refused membership due to health and safety concerns or because of the requirement to pay for a personal trainer to facilitate every session (Phoenix et al., 2015). Structural and interior design has a major effect on the ability of people with visual impairments to participate in activities. A recent scoping review of the accessibility of public buildings found most studies identified issues relating to mobility and vision, particularly with regard to parking, routes to entrances, and pathways inside the building (Carlsson et al., 2022). Designing facilities that are inclusive for the whole population requires consideration across the entire service user journey. A recent investigation from Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national sight loss charity in the UK, found that many people with visual impairments have difficulties completing basic tasks associated with popular gym equipment such as treadmills,","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"752 - 755"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45811655","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}

{"title":"Interference With the Work of Dog Guides in Public: A Survey","authors":"Melissa R. Allman, Kathleen Freeberg, K. Evans","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221132540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221132540","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: One of the greatest challenges dog guide handlers face after completing training is interference with their dogs’ work, both from people and other dogs. The Seeing Eye surveyed its active dog guide handlers to gain a better understanding of the types and severity of interference they were currently experiencing and to develop strategies to better equip handlers to deal with that interference. Methods: For one month (October 2019), an online survey was made available to the 1,761 active Seeing Eye handlers concerning the interference they had experienced while working their dogs in public within the past 5 years. The survey questions were designed to elicit information about the types, frequency, and severity of interference handlers experience both from people and other dogs, as well as the settings in which the interference took place. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Eighty-nine percent of handlers had experienced people interfering with the work of their dogs at least occasionally by talking to or making eye contact with them, and 78% had experienced interference from other dogs regularly. Interference from other dogs was usually nonaggressive, but 36% reported other dogs making aggressive physical contact with their dogs. Interference of all types mostly occurred in public places. Discussion: A robust, multifaceted public awareness campaign is necessary to address the persistent problem of interference with dog guide teams. Implications for Practitioners: Many factors influence a person's decision about whether to work with a dog guide. This study provides practitioners with a more realistic picture of the challenges handlers are likely to face in their encounters with the public. Practitioners and dog guide schools can use the information in the study to better equip and support dog guide handlers to proactively engage the public and manage interference when it does occur.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"607 - 616"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42066334","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}

{"title":"An Observational Study of Lunchroom Interactions Among Secondary Students With Visual Impairments and Their Peers","authors":"Hilary E. Travers, E. Carter","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221130365","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221130365","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: This study examined the naturally occurring social interactions of adolescents with visual impairments during lunch. Methods: We observed nine middle and high school students with visual impairments during multiple lunch periods (i.e., 44 total observations). We used interval recording (15 s observe, 15 s record) to collect data on our three primary variables: social interactions, social engagement, and proximity to others. We also took notes on quality of interaction (i.e., degree of reciprocity, appropriateness of content, affect of students and their peers, response relevance). Results: Students sat in close proximity to peers without disabilities for more than half of the observed lunch periods. However, students interacted with another person during only one-third of lunch periods. Interactions were more common with peers than with adults. Moreover, students without an additional cognitive impairment had higher quality and more frequent interactions with peers than adults; the opposite was true for students who had cognitive impairments in addition to visual impairments. Discussion: The findings of this study demonstrate that some students with visual impairments are very socially engaged during lunch, while others, namely those with additional cognitive impairments, have infrequent or low-quality interactions with peers during lunch. Implications for Practitioners: This study should prompt educators to consider the cafeteria as a context for supporting peer interaction and social skill development.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"699 - 710"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46177987","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}

{"title":"ANOVA Assumptions","authors":"R. W. Emerson","doi":"10.1177/0145482X221124187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X221124187","url":null,"abstract":"In this issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), the article “Evaluating the use of tactile shapes in associative learning for people who are blind,” by Gupta, Mannheimer, Rao, and Balakrishnan reports the results of one-way ANOVA tests, but also notes results of something called “Levene’s test.” The mention of this test gives me a chance to talk about the assumptions behind a test like the one-way ANOVA. If readers will recall, a one-way ANOVA is a statistical test in which a dependent variable is compared across three or more groups. An example might be looking at the average height of people in North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. An experimenter would collect a bunch of height data across those continents and could compare the average heights using an ANOVA test. But an experimenter should only use the ANOVA test if certain conditions are satisfied within the data. The first assumption is that the dependent measure is continuous, which means that it can have a value across a wide range and can have any value within that range. Height satisfies this requirement because people are a range of heights and can be any height within that range. The second assumption is that of normality, which is the assumption that the data for each group is drawn from a normally distributed population. A researcher could plot the heights of all the people in the dataset from each of the continents sampled and each sample should look like the standard bellshaped curve, with most heights being close to the average of the sample, and fewer people being much taller or much shorter. Plotting data is a quick way to check for normality. There are also statistical measures of normality. The shape of the bell curve has characteristics called “skewness” and “kurtosis.” One can think of skewness as how symmetrical the bell curve is and kurtosis as how pointy the curve is. If the bell curve of the plotted data is too lopsided (skewness of more than 1 or less than −1) or if it is too pointy (kurtosis of more than 3), then the sample of data is probably not normally distributed and another statistical test needs to be used. There are other tests that look at normality, but I will not get too deep in the weeds on that topic right now. The third assumption of data for an ANOVA test is that of independence, which means that the data in one group are not influenced by the data in another group and that the data in each group was gathered using random sampling. If height data from people in Turkey were included in both the European group and the Asian group, then those two groups would not be independent. Similarly, if a researcher only sampled people from Vancouver to represent all of North America, that would not be properly represented as a random sample of the continent. The final assumption of data for an ANOVA test is that of equal variances, and this is the point at which a test like Levene’s test comes into play. The assumption of equal variances mea","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"116 1","pages":"585 - 586"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49505578","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}