Using the voice of the child who is blind as a tool for exploring spatial perception

Abstract

Researchers from different disciplines have attempted to investigate the way in which people who are blind conceptualize and perceive elements of the spatial environment. Most of the studies that are reported in the literature use an experimental approach based on measurements of the performance in test situations of people who are blind or people who are sighted but who are blindfolded. The findings from these studies are important and have shed light on the process of understanding spatial relations in both small- and large-scale space. However, they have sometimes produced contrasting findings. The study the authors are currently involved in diverges from other studies in this key area in that the method used is essentially qualitative and participatory in character. This article gives an example of using the child’s voice to explore spatial understanding and involves a narrative account from a 13-year-old student who was blind from birth about the strategies he uses to overcome the challenges he faces in making sense of space. The results suggest that the child’s voice can provide insights into spatial understanding that can be used to help triangulate the findings and understandings achieved from the experimental approaches that dominate the literature.

Children with Disabilities and Disaster Risk Reduction: A Review

“…However, Franklin and Sloper (2009) noted that little effort is made to find alternative methods of communication. While researching children with visual impairments and their comprehension of surrounding space, Andreou and McCall (2010) described them as part of a population that is very heterogeneous and often cannot be classified into a single group or category. Even specific impairments-such as visual and hearing impairmentsrange in severity from mildly impaired to totally blind or profoundly deaf (Odom et al 2005).…”

Children’s who are Blind Voices Concerning Science

“…The main criteria for selecting children to participate in the present study were that the children should have a visual acuity level of total blindness or light perception only; should be in the 10 to 13 years age range and have no additional disabilities ( [8], [9]). This age range was used by another study [10] which examined science teaching of mainstream school children.…”

“…We also used observation data. Although it should be noted that observations were primarily used as a means of deepening understanding of the setting rather than as a means of data collection ( [8], [9]). However in practice they did provide interesting additional evidence, especially in terms of reinfo rcing and checking initial understanding gained fro m interviews about how children were thinking and acting when engaged in science lessons.…”

Application of Learning Mobility Orientation on Social Skill of Blind Children

“…Bigelow (1996) discussed the knowledge of the environment of blind children made them familiar with the layout of the entire world.Blind children could achieve mental structure construction through sound and spatial imagery that can be built and transferred through spatial sound (Sánchez, Lumbreras, & Lumbreras, 2001). In spatial understanding of large and small scale spaces, it was defined that the sound could provide the spatial understanding of blind children achieved through an experimental approach (Andreou & McCall, 2010).…”