English Language Learning by Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals in Inclusive Setting: Access to Study Material

Abstract

This study is part of my PhD research and it investigates the issue of access to study material by BVI learners in an inclusive education environment. This qualitative, phenomenological study employs in-depth interviews as tool for data collection. The purposive sample consisted of fifteen participants, including ten BVI students and their five sighted teachers. The study employs Oliver’s (2013) Social Model of Disability to investigate both external and internal factors underlying The BVI learners’ attempts at accessing the written word. The collected data is transcribed and thematically analyzed. The findings suggest that the students experience difficulties in accessing study materials, as the practices, dominant in the system, are majority oriented and marginalize the students with visual impairment. The BVI students, despite confronting such barriers, try to get on with their studies employing their individualized coping mechanisms to overcome these obstacles.

Key words: Accessibility, Blind And Visually Impaired, English Language Learning.