Viewing Inclusive Education for Children with Visual Impairments from the Equity Lens; Relevant Strategies in School and Classroom Contexts

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue XI, November 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Viewing Inclusive Education for Children with Visual Impairments from the Equity Lens; Relevant Strategies in School and Classroom Contexts

Daniel Yaw Acheampong

Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Abstract:-This conceptual review paper synthesis exiting theories and findings to collates relevant school and classroom strategies in inclusive schooling context that maximises teaching and learning among visually impaired children. The study guided by social justice and equity lenses to education to extract 50 research literature from google scholar search using the Boolean search method. The conclusion drawn from this study is that at the methodological level situating inclusive educational research within the social justice and equity approaches help researchers and practitioners to adopt more inclusive methods that elicit critical and peripheral to create critical and inclusive knowledge. The broad conclusion drawn on from the empirical review is that responsive strategies for promoting inclusive learning among visually impaired students begin with family-school collaboration toward adapting teaching to learners’ contexts and peculiar backgrounds. The teaching and learning strategies should marry concrete, participatory and unifying learning experiences. In advancing these strategies teachers must demonstrate positive feelings; adapt to the students’ level, maintain positive communication with students, motivate, elicit and sustain student’s attention in the learning process. This paper argues for a detailed future longitudinal qualitative study on responsive teaching and learning strategies from variety of cultural and socio-economic contexts. This is crucial in developing better models for maximising learning among the visually impaired in school and classroom contexts.

Keywords: Inclusive Education, Visually Impaired learners, School and Classroom contexts, Learning Strategies.

I. INTRODUCTION

Education is globally recognised as the most sustainable and equal path for individual and societal development and social justice(Hattam et al., 2009). The provision of quality inclusive and accessible basic education for all, irrespective of one’s geographical, cultural and socio-economic contexts have become the clarion call in global socio-economic, sustainability and social just discourses(UNESCO, 2015b, UNESCO, 2015a, Anlimachie, 2019; 2016; 2015a).

Read More