This article discusses findings on schooling, pedagogy and notation in the life-experiences of amateur and professional visually-impaired musicians/music teachers, and the professional experiences of sighted music teachers who work with visually-impaired learners. The study formed part of a broader UK Arts and Humanities Research Council funded…

Large-scale social surveys of visually impaired people often explore participants' mobility and travel behaviour. What is methodologically more challenging is gathering participant-centred data in relation to their own interpretation of the barriers they face. Findings from a national survey of visually impaired people are presented in this…

Persons with visual impairment have consistently shown a preference for one alternative reading format over another, often because of factors outside their control. This study adopted survey research design to investigate alternative format preferences among secondary school visually impaired students, focusing on Southwestern Nigeria. Using total…

The research examined the socio-emotional impact of sight loss on a sample of 18 blind and partially sighted adults from the east coast of Scotland (average age 64). The impact of sight loss in four core areas (mood, self-concept, social connectedness and loss) was explored. Data were collected using the mental health and social functioning…

This study attempts to identify the drivers and inhibitors of employment for people with disabilities in Malaysia. It explores the skills and psychological traits needed by people with disabilities in order to get jobs and the barriers to their employment. Data include interviews detailing the viewpoints of 24 teachers with visual impairments.…

By means of documentary evidence and a small number of qualitative interviews, this article traces the development of education for partially sighted children from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1960s. The article shows how for much of this period, and in different educational settings, partially sighted children were prevented from…

Interviews were conducted with 18 professionals and 33 parents in 23 families with a blind or partially sighted child to assess their perceptions and experiences in support groups. The study clarified the types of parents who participate in support groups and the life conditions associated with their involvement. (Author/JDD)

This study assesses the validity of an interview questionnaire designed to predict performance by low-vision adults (N=41) on tasks of finding, detecting, scanning, and tracking. Subjects' ratings of difficulty with these tasks were compared to ratings of trained professionals. Results indicate self-report may be of some value in predicting…

Analysis of interviews and time-diary protocols with 48 students (16 blind, 16 low-vision, and 16 sighted), ages 15-21, and their parents focused on four lifestyle areas: academic involvement and performance, daily living and personal care activities, recreation and leisure activities, and work and vocational experiences. Similarities and…