Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes special report study entitled : Architecture and orientation & mobility training. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

People with disabilities including people with visual impairments experienced severe forms of discrimination, isolation and separation. They were perceived as people with deficits and in need of help. They were separated from the. society as they were considered to be inadequate people. The discriminative practices against people with disabilities and the doctrines of apartheid that contributed to discrimination and separation on racial differences resulted in black people with disabilities being doubly handicapped. The discrimination against people with disabilities is largely associated with the adherence to the medical model and deficit theory to disability. However the current trends which support the Social Rights model to disability which is consistent with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and its Bill of Rights (Constitutional Court, 1996), adopts an inclusive approach and promotes equal rights and equal opportunity for all people, including people with disabilities. This commits the University to enrolling students with disabilities and providing equal education opportunities for them The late commitment, which was guided by the Constitution (Constitutional Court, 1996), resulted in the lack of resources. Lack of support services and stereotypical attitudes contributed to academic barriers to learning by students with visual impairment and students with disabilities. This study explores the barriers encountered by students with visual impairments studying at the University of Natal. A qualitative case study approach was adopted in this study, whereby eight subjects who were visually impaired at the University of Natal were interviewed using a semi structured questionnaire, exploring the barriers they encountered with their academic studies. The findings reveal that there are numerous barriers which students with visual impairments encountered with their studies at the University of Natal. However, acknowledgement is made on the commitment by the University to address these special needs of students with visual impairments. Recommendations are made to address the academic barriers encountered by visually impaired students. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Students with visual impairments are often confronted with major challenges at tertiary institutions. This dissertation investigated how students with visual impairments interact in an educational environment that is not designed with their needs in mind. This study further highlighted some of the challenges faced by students with visual impairments at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (Westville Campus) from adequately achieving their academic goals. It also afforded the students with visual impairments an opportunity to become involved in the process of evaluating, planning and bringing about changes in the services that directly affected them. Further it is the intention that the findings of this study will increase the understanding of the university community of the needs of students with visual impairments. This study was exploratory in design as the purpose was to collect as much data as possible in this area of study. A qualitative method using the non probability sampling method was used. This method allowed for the use of the researcher's judgement in identifying and selecting the respondents for the sample group. The sample consisted of 16 students with visual impairments registered at the Westville Campus during the period 2003-2004. To ensure that the respondents understood the procedure of the investigation, the contents of the consent form was made available in alternate format. This is in keeping with the principles of consultation, negotiation, agreement and co- ownership of the research study. In the analysis of this study the information was gathered primarily from an in-depth interview with a schedule. The findings indicated some of the major challenges experienced by students with visual impairments. These were primarily access to academic material, limited human and technological resources, implementation of accommodations during examinations and negative attitude of some members of staff. Recommendations to meet the students' needs focused on university wide education and awareness programmes. Hence, faculties will have to play an important role in facilitating the entry and success of students with visual impairments by making a paradigm shift from the medical/individual explanation of visual disabilities to understanding systemic deficiencies located within the barriers to teaching, learning and support. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Title from PDF cover (viewed February 25, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-98)

This research focuses on the grief and emotional reactions, especially frustration, of adventitiously visually impaired adults following loss of sight. The traditional grief-following loss theory with the assumption of a time-limited linear grief process, accompanied by diminishing emotions and culminating with acceptance and adjustment has been challenged. Chronic grief assumes a recurrent and continuous grief process, accompanied by increased emotions associated with continual losses related to a chronic loss, such as visual impairment. The question of whether there is a relation between length of time of adventitious visual impairment and the healing affect of time on grief and frustrations has been examined by quantitative and qualitative investigations. The answer to the question of whether time changes and heals everything is not necessarily the case. As always there are more questions than answers, and this research provides further insight into the real world of adventitious visual impairment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

published_or_final_version / abstract / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

This research project was a descriptive analysis of the computer usage and skills of academic students in grades 10-12 who are legally blind and attending public school in the Region 10 Education Service Center service area of Texas. In addition, this study provided a process that other regions in the state or educational agencies may duplicate to document the computer skills and usage of students with visual impairments in their area. Twenty-seven students who are legally blind were surveyed by their teachers of the visually impaired regarding their computer usage and skill abilities, and eleven of the twenty-seven students were interviewed by the researcher to gain further information pertaining to computer usage and future plans upon graduation. Using prior research as a basis for understanding how sighted students used the computer, it was found that students who are legally blind used the computer similarly to their sighted peers except that students with significant visual impairments seemed to use to the computer to listen to music more than their sighted counterparts. In addition, students who are legally blind indicated that they learned most of their computer skills at school rather than at home like their sighted teenagers. Furthermore, it was determined that students who are legally blind were not learning the computer skills necessary for success in post-secondary education and vocational endeavors. Although the students were being exposed to many different computer applications, most did not use the applications weekly, nor report that they were experienced with the majority of basic skills related to applications such as word processing, Internet searching, emailing, spreadsheets and databases.

Self-concept scores of 19 visually-impaired adults were compared to those of 19 matched sighted adults using the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS). All participants attended the University of North Texas. Scores were examined against the Vocabulary and Information subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R).

Anxiety levels of partially sighted were compared with totally blind people. Using the Anxiety Scale for the Blind, the primary hypothesis tested was that the partially sighted would manifest more anxiety than would the totally blind. The study was designed to ascertain whether the primary hypothesis would hold within the structure of this study, and to obtain information useful in future anxiety studies of the visually handicapped. A residential center for the blind furnished subjects, facilities, and biographical data. The primary hypothesis lacked statistical significance at the .05 level as did comparisons of anxiety levels by age, sex, economic need, and age at onset. The use of a different instrument may be indicated for future studies.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes of visual impairment (low vision and blindness) among eye clinic patients at Nkhensani hospital in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: This was a cross sectional design in which 400 stratified participants aged ≥ 6 years were selected {100 participants in each stratum (6 – 18; 19 – 35; 36 – 59 and ≥ 60 years)}. Presenting, pinhole and best corrected visual acuities were measured using a logMAR E chart. Where reduced visual acuity (VA) was due to uncorrected refractive errors (UREs), ophthalmic lenses were used to compensate for the refractive errors using subjective refraction method and best corrected VA was measured. All participants underwent external and internal ocular examinations using ophthalmoscope to detect eye diseases. Participants with ocular pathology were referred to the ophthalmic nurse and/or ophthalmologist for further management. Refractive error findings were elaborated on in this study in order to highlight the importance and impact of this eye condition. Results: The ages of participants ranged from 6 to 92 years with mean of 39.5 ± 23.5 years. They included 161 (40.3%) males and 239 (59.8%) females. The prevalence of significant visual impairment (SVI) (VA < 6/18 to no light perception, i.e. low vision and blindness), low vision and blindness based on presenting visual acuity (PVA) in the right eye were 34.8%, 16.3% and 18.5% respectively while the prevalence based on the best corrected VA were 24.0%, 7.5% and 16.5% respectively. Based on the PVA, there was a significant association between age (Chi = 71.6; df =3; p = 0.00) and gender (Chi = 8.9; df =1; p = 0.003) with visual impairment (VI) of the right eye. In the left eye, the prevalence of SVI, low vision and blindness based on PVA were 35.8%, 17.5% and 18.3% respectively, while the prevalence based on best corrected VA were 24.8%, 8.5% and 16.3% respectively. Based on PVA, there was a significant association between age and visual impairment in the left eye (Chi = 52.9; df =3; p = 0.00) but there was no association between gender and VI (Chi = 1.9; df =1; p = 0.163). In both eyes, the prevalence of SVI, low vision and blindness based on PVA were 27.0%, 17.5% and 10.3% respectively, while the prevalence based on best corrected VA were 16.8%, 3.8% and 9.5% respectively. Based on the PVA, there was a significant association between age and VI (Chi = 54.1; df =3; p = 0.00) and gender and VI (Chi = 4.7; df =1; p = 0.03) in both eyes. iv The causes of significant visual impairment were uncorrected refractive errors (38.0%), cataract (25.9%) and glaucoma (17.6%) in both eyes. Among all participants, the leading causes of low vision based on presenting VA were uncorrected refractive errors (56.7%), cataract (20.9%) and glaucoma (9.0%). The main causes of blindness in both eyes were cataract (34.1%), glaucoma (31.7%) and corneal anomalies (17.1%) based on presenting visual acuity. After optical corrections, the main causes of VI were cataract (39.4%), glaucoma (28.8%) and corneal anomalies (18.2%). The main causes of low vision were cataract (42.9%), glaucoma (21.4%) and corneal anomalies (17.9%), while the main causes of blindness were cataract (39.5%), glaucoma (34.2%) and corneal anomalies (15.8%). Conclusion: The findings in this study indicate that the overall prevalence of visual impairment, low vision and blindness among patients attending the Nkhensani hospital eye clinic were 27.0%, 16.8% and 10.3% respectively. The main causes of visual impairment, low vision and blindness were uncorrected refractive errors, cataract and glaucoma. A focus on the optical correction of refractive errors and surgical intervention in the case of cataract would lead to a significant reduction in the burden of visual impairment among patients who utilise Nkhensani hospital for eye care services. Also, early detection and appropriate management of glaucoma will reduce the burden of this ocular morbidity. A significant proportion of these prevailing ocular morbidities are avoidable and with appropriate management, visual impairment is preventable.