Summary The paper analyses the problems that occur in the relationship between families, which raise blind children, and medical (or other) specialists and indicates the possible directions of improving and deepening these relations. The purpose of the paper: to analyse the experience of the relationship between the families, which raise the children with visual disabilities, and medical specialists. The subject of the paper: what is the experience of the relationship between the families, raising blind children, and medical specialists in the process of helping the child. The paper tried to purify the experience of each family, to sense the meanings, which parents endow their empathies with, to ascertain what suspenses and hopes they foster. The qualitative analysis was taken for analysing the experience of the families and the specialists and the instrument for compilation the data was a qualitative interview. 7 women, raising the children with visual disabilities, participated in the research. The problems are researched in three aspects: firstly, the factors are identified, which help or disturb the families, raising the blind children, to overcome the psychological and spiritual discomfort, which is connected with the birth of the disabled child and his/her development, and which can have the influence to the health of the family members; secondly, the efforts are made to reveal the real requirements of these families, which are related to the services of medical and... [to full text]

Focus This thesis investigates inclusive education policy and practice in South Africa. In this context, particular focus is given to the rights and needs of visually impaired learners and students. Background Due to the dual segregated education system, as at 2001, approximately 280 000 disabled children did not have access to education at school. The special schools system fostered inequality and discrimination of disabled learners from an early age. This stood in tension with the South African Constitution and was not in line with international trends. This ‘normative tension’ and lack of alignment with evolving international practice led to a shift towards an inclusive education system as a policy preference. Policy In 1996 the Constitution and the South African Schools Act prescribed that everyone had the right to basic education and should not be discriminated against on any grounds. Mainstream schools catered for able-bodied learners, and existing legislation did not automatically equip schools and teachers with resources and training to accommodate disabled learners. To enable directives to obtain these objectives, Education White Paper 6 was passed in 2001. This policy documented Government’s intent to implement an inclusive education system by 2021. Investigation The educational needs of visually impaired learners were identified and discussed. An analysis of White Paper 6, highlighting its strengths and limitations in light of the identified specialised educational needs, was conducted. Research was undertaken in mainstream schools, special schools and universities to assess the progress of the implementation process. Challenges impeding the process including untrained educators, insufficient funding, and no established provisioning norms were identified. Inclusive education has its foundations within social rights theory. Education, like other basic social rights is a justiciable right which the State must uphold. However, like all normative wish lists of rights, limited resources, competing claimants and policy trade-offs are inevitable, more especially in a developing country. As a result budgets, utilisation of funds and accountability of the Department of Education were also investigated. Conclusion Following an analysis of the contents of the policy and findings on the progress of the implementation process, policy recommendations- informed by the researchwere proposed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

The goal of this project was to design a masterplan for an outdoor discovery trail on the grounds of the Indiana School for the Blind in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 62 acre site has not been developed for outdoor exploration and is virtually inaccessible due to extreme topographical changes in elevation on the site. Based on guidelines and recommendations recently proposed by the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Park Service for accessibility and interpretation, combined with site research by the author, the masterplan was conscientiously developed. The trail integrates the unique historic background of the site with the sites' diverse, natural features to create a handicapped accessible trail that is an educational and recreational experience for the Indiana School for the Blind campus community. / Department of Landscape Architecture

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Charles R. McClure, Florida State University, College of Information. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 9, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 261 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1994. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 28, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Edward R. Hines (chair), Paul J. Baker, Ming-Gon John Lian, George A. Padavil. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-163) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Acompanha: Leitura instrumental de notícia digital em espanhol para pessoas com DV / O trabalho pedagógico com pessoas com deficiência visual (DV) que pretendem ingressar no ensino universitário é uma tarefa bastante complexa. Nesse contexto, o professor deve realizar esforços em múltiplas direções para adequar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, torná-lo significativo e, assim, mais eficaz. Esta pesquisa tem o propósito de oferecer a esse professor subsídios teóricos e práticos que o auxiliem na prática pedagógica e levem a uma maior utilização do Sistema Braille e de recursos tecnológicos assistivos e digitais na preparação de materiais didáticos. Esse objetivo central desdobra-se nos seguintes objetivos específicos: (i) Desenvolver habilidades linguístico-discursivas em alunos com deficiência visual que vão prestar processos seletivos para ingresso em universidades; (ii) refletir sobre a importância do letramento digital e do uso de gêneros textuais digitais como ferramentas pedagógicas, interligadas à esfera social, como auxiliares do processo inclusivo dos alunos; (iii) Demonstrar o uso da Internet e de tecnologias assistivas digitais como auxiliares no processo educacional do aluno com deficiência visual. Para atingir esses objetivos, na base teórica, estão princípios e procedimentos da teoria dos gêneros textuais virtuais, na vertente do interacionismo sociodiscursivo, e conceitos e procedimentos inerentes ao desenvolvimento da compreensão leitora em língua estrangeira. A atividade proposta constitui-se de uma sequência didática composta de leitura de notícias digitais e de conteúdo sobre o espanhol para fins específicos, transcritas em Braille e/ou com a utilização de tecnologias assistivas, para a resolução das provas de processos seletivos. A aplicação resultou em uma melhor apreensão do conteúdo e mais interesse pela leitura e pelos conteúdos por parte dos alunos e deixou clara a necessidade de conhecimento, por parte do professor, das necessidades didático-pedagógicas da pessoa com deficiência visual (DV) e de uma postura didático-pedagógica com vistas ao desenvolvimento de um aluno/leitor proficiente. O estudo justifica-se pela escassez de materiais em Braille e digitalizados que atendam a necessidade de instrumentalização de exames seletivos em língua espanhola, bem como pela necessidade de contribuir para as pesquisas nessa área. / The pedagogical work with visually impaired people (VIP) who intend to enroll in higher education is a very complex task. In this context, the teacher should make efforts in multiple directions to adapt the process of teaching and learning, making it meaningful and thus more effective. This research aims to offer these teachers theoretical and practical subsidies that assist in teaching practice and lead to an increased use of the Braille system and assistive technological and digital resources in the preparation of teaching materials. This core objective unfolds in the following specific objectives: (i) developing linguistic and discursive skills in students with visual impairment that will go through selection processes for entrance into universities; (ii) reflecting on the importance of digital literacy and the use of digital genres as teaching tools, interconnected to the social sphere, as auxiliary of the inclusive process of students; (iii) demonstrating the use of the Internet and digital assistive technologies as aids in the educational process of students with visual impairments. For achieving these goals, in the theoretical basis, there are principles and procedures of the virtual genre theory, on the slope of socio-discursive interactionism, and concepts and procedures inherent to the development of reading comprehension in a foreign language. The proposed activity is made up of a composite didactic sequence of digital news reading and content on Spanish for specific purposes, transcribed into Braille and / or with the use of assistive technologies, to solve the selection process tests. The application resulted in a better content understanding by students, more interest in reading and in the content, making clear the teachers´ need for knowledge, the didactic and pedagogical needs of people with visual impairment (VI) and a didactic and pedagogical approach regarding the development of a proficient student / reader. The study is justified by the scarcity of digitalized Braille materials that meet the need for instrumentalization of Spanish language selective exams, as well as the need to contribute to researches in this area.

The knowledge about visual impairment (VI) including the use of appropriate mediation strategies are crucial in the learning process of children with visual disabilities. According to the Vigotskyan point of view, the development of cultural functions of thought and action of these children follow the same laws of development observed in children without VI. This exploratory study, inteded to trace the strategies used by regular school teachers in teaching VI children enrolled in primary schools (public and private) in the metropolitan área of Maceió. Data were obtained through systematic observation and checklist designed to map teaching strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted aiming to draw the teachers profile and their conceptions about VI. The results show that teachers have limited knowledge about VI, and lack of training to deal with these children. Itwas also noted and absence of strategies involving planning and appung specific materials and resources to work with VI children. The results of this research have the potential to contribute in the develoment of resources that help teachers in their own assessment about the teaching-learning process VI children. / O conhecimento sobre a deficiência visual (DV) e o uso de estratégias mediacionais adequadas são cruciais no processo ensino-aprendizagem de crianças com cegueira ou baixa visão. Do ponto de vista vigotskiano, o desenvolvimento das funções culturais de pensamento e ação destas crianças segue as mesmas leis do desenvolvimento típico das demais. Este estudo, de caráter exploratório, buscou mapear as estratégias utilizadas pelos professores da escola regular no ensino a crianças DV matriculadas em escolas de ensino fundamental, públicas e privadas, da cidade de Maceió e sua região metropolitana. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de observação sistemática, através de um checklist para mapeamento de estratégias docentes; assim como por uma entrevista semiestruturada, cuja finalidade foi traçar o perfil formativo do docente e suas concepções sobre DV. Os resultados apontam pouco conhecimento dos docentes a respeito da DV, falta de capacitação para atuar em sala de aula com crianças deste perfil; e baixa frequência de uso de estratégias que envolvem planejamento e uso de materiais e recursos específicos para o trabalho com crianças DV. Espera-se com os resultados desta pesquisa desenvolver recursos que auxiliem os docentes a avaliarem de forma continuada e específica suas ações no processo ensino-aprendizagem destas crianças DV.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die doel met hierdie studie is om 'n kurrikulum vir die onderwys van swaksiende kinders vanui t 'n makroperspektief te ontwerp. Van die belangrikste gevolgtrekkings waartoe in hierdie studie gekom word, dui daarop dat die kurrikula, leerplanne en -opleidingsprogramme wat in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika vir kinders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes (wat die onderwys van swaksiende kinders insluit) voorsien word * dikwels nie toereikend is om leerlinge vir suksesvolle indiensplasing voor te berei nie; * oorwegend akademies georienteerd is; * en nie altyd tred hou met die veranderende behoeftes, eise en tendense in die arbeidsmark nie. Swaksiende kinders is as groep hoogs heterogeen en het besondere en uiteenlopende onderwys- en opleidingsbehoeftes. Ten einde 'n relevante kurrikulum vir swaksiende kinders te on twerp wat genoemde leemtes ondervang, moes hulle uni eke behoef tes sowel as die eise van die moderne arbeidsmark in aanmerking geneem word. Die voorgestelde kurrikulum is op die onderwys van swaksiende kinders in af sonderlike skole vir gesiggestremde kinders en in skole in die hoof stroom van die onderwys van toepassing en maak * enersyds voorsiening vir die effektiewe implementering van die kurrikulum wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysowerheid op nasionale (en moontlik ook op provinsiale) vlak vir die onderwys van normaalsiende kinders voorgeskryf word, en * andersyds vir die ontsluiting en bemeestering van die noodsaaklike kompensatoriese persoonlikheids- en karaktereienskappe en algemene vaardighede, waaroor swaksiende kinders behoort te beskik ten einde hulleself na skoolverlating in die volwasse sosiale en beroepslewe te kan handhaaf. Die kurrikulummodel wat die basis vorm vir die ontwerp van hierdie kurrikulum, is sodanig aangepas dat dit uitdrukking gee aan die essensies van 'n Christelik-wysgerige perspektief op opvoeding en onderrig. / The aim of this study is to design a curriculum for the education of partially sighted children from a macro perspective. some of the most important conclusions arrived at in this study indicate that the present curricula, syllabi and training programmes which are being offered to children with special education needs (including the education of partially sighted children) in the Republic of South Africa * are often not adequate to prepare learners for successful placement; * are predominantly academically orientated; * and do not always keep track with changing needs, demands and tendencies in the labour market. Partially sighted children as a group are highly heterogeneous and have particular and diverse education and training needs. In order to design a relevant curriculum for partially sighted children which intends to eradicate the mentioned deficiencies in the present provision of education to them, their unique needs as well as the demands of the modern labour market have to be considered. The proposed curriculum is directed at the education of partially sighted children who are accommodated in separate schools for the visually impaired as well as in schools in the mainstream of education and provides * on the one hand for the effective implementation of the curriculum which is prescribed normally sighted children by for the education of the South African education authorities on national (and perhaps also on provincial) level and * on the other hand for the unlocking and mastering of the essential compensatory personality and character qualities and general skills which partially sighted children should possess in order to maintain themselves in the adult social and vocational life after leaving school. The curriculum model which formed the basis for the design of this curriculum was adadapted in such a way that it expresses the essence of a Christian philosophic perspective on education and teaching. / Teacher Education / D.Ed.

A pesquisa tem como tema o Turismo de Aventura praticado pelo deficiente visual. A escolha foi feita em função de motivações pessoais e da relevância do assunto no âmbito do turismo, no momento em que se ampliam as possibilidades de reconhecimento da cidadania das pessoas portadoras de algum tipo de deficiência. O estudo teve como participantes portadores de deficiência visual congênita e adquirida. O referencial teórico pertinente ao Turismo de Aventura e a Deficiência Visual ainda é muito escasso, mas não foi fator que impedisse a realização da pesquisa, uma vez que o propósito foi produzir um trabalho acadêmico que abrisse mais uma janela no âmbito do turismo. Sob perspectiva do paradigma qualitativo, utilizou-se a metodologia descritiva do tipo estudo de caso. O quadro teórico engloba os seguintes tópicos: a) análise do objeto de estudo em questão; b) o turismo de aventura; c) a deficiência; d) estudo da deficiência visual, especificidades e características dos participantes; e) descrição das atividades de aventura como arvorismo, escalada, rapel e tirolesa; e, f) procedimentos técnicos que nortearam a realização das atividades. Os participantes do estudo foram 7 pessoas portadoras de cegueira congênita e adquirida na faixa etária entre 31 a 74 anos. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada no Alpen Park, na cidade de Canela/RS, local em que são oferecidos pela Empresa Atitude, Ecologia e Turismo atividades de Turismo de Aventura. O procedimento utilizado como os deficientes visuais nas atividades de aventura estudadas seguiu a mesma rotina utilizada com videntes. A coleta de informações englobou registros de dados cadastrais dos participantes, entrevistas semiestruturadas aplicada aos participantes, memoriais descritivos elaborados pelos participantes após a realização das atividades de aventura, memorial descritivo elaborado pela pesquisadora a partir das observações de campo, análise de vídeos e de acervo fotográfico construído a partir da experiência empírica com os DVs. As informações recolhidas são descritas e analisadas à luz do problema e dos sujeitos do estudo. As discussões e interpretação das informações se dão a partir de unidades de significados e categorias de análise. Os resultados apontam que o turismo de aventura é percebido pelos deficientes visuais como uma atividade que lhes proporciona satisfação e bem estar na superação do que poderia ser limitador aos portadores desta deficiência. O estudo indicou que não há necessidade de adaptações técnicas para que os DV pratiquem e desfrutem do turismo de aventura. O Turismo de Aventura é um segmento de mercado latente e pronto para ser explorado inclusive com deficientes visuais. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-06-04T19:44:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Denise Holleben.pdf: 16920103 bytes, checksum: 0d6877c29c24e4fe42db54b72dd1c58e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-04T19:44:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Denise Holleben.pdf: 16920103 bytes, checksum: 0d6877c29c24e4fe42db54b72dd1c58e (MD5) / The research is about the Adventure Tourism practiced by visual disability. The choice was made based on personal motivations and the relevance of the issue within the tourism, when we are expand the possibilities of recognition of the citizenship of people with some type of disability. The study participants as people with visual disabilities congenital and acquired. The theoretical framework relevant to the Adventure Tourism and Visual Disabilities is still scarce, but they are not factors which prevent the achievement of research, since the purpose was producing a scholarly work that opens another window in the context of tourism. On a qualitative view of the paradigm, we used the methodology of the descriptive type of case study. The theoretical framework includes the following topics: a) analysis of the object of study in question; b) the adventure tourism; c) the disability; d) the disability visual study, specificities and characteristics of the participants; e) description of the activities like trees adventures, climbing, rappel and tyrol, and f) technical procedures that guided the implementation of activities. The participants were 7 people with congenital and acquired blindness in the age group between 31 to 74 years. The fieldwork was realized in Alpen Park, located in Canela/RS, where they are supplied by the Company Attitude, Ecology and Tourism Activities of Adventure Tourism. The procedure used for the visual disabilities in activities of adventure studied followed routine used with visionaries. Data collection included records of cadastral data of the participants, semi-applied to interview participants, descriptive memorial prepared by the participants after the completion of the activities of adventure, descriptive memorial developed by the researcher from the field observations, analysis of video and photographic collection constructed from the empirical experience with the DVS. The information collected is described and analyzed in light of the problem and subject of study. The discussion and interpretation of information is given as units of meaning and categories of analysis. The results indicate that the adventure tourism is perceived by the blind as an activity that provides them satisfaction and well being in overcoming what might be limiting this to people with these disabilities. The study indicated that there is no need for technical adaptations to the DVS practice and enjoy the adventure tourism. The Adventure Tourism is a latent market segment and ready to be exploited even with the blind.