Empowering Exceptional Children

Empowering Exceptional Children

Analyzing and Discovering Educational, Welfare, Cultural and Social Problems of Blind Students in order to Inform Members of the Academic Community

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Ph. D student of Psychology and Education of People with Special Needs, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Corresponding author: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Education of People with Special Needs, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Email: m.ashori@edu.ui.ac.ir
Abstract
The current research was conducted with the aim of analyzing and discovering the educational, welfare, cultural and social problems of blind students in order to inform the members of the academic community. This research was qualitative type and descriptive phenomenological method was used. The participants in this research included all the blind students of Shiraz city who were selected by purposive sampling method with criterion type. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Descriptive phenomenological analysis and simultaneous coding were used to analyze the data from the interview. By analyzing the findings of the interview, five main themes and twelve sub-themes were obtained. The main theme of structural and educational facilities included three sub-themes of commuting, educational facilities, and training and evaluation. The main theme of welfare and well-being facilities included two sub-themes of nutrition and health as well as dormitory living. The main theme of cultural attitude and beliefs included two sub-themes of positive attitude and self-belief, as well as information and awareness. The main theme of cultural and social programs included three sub-themes of informing programs, religious ceremonies, and camps and group visits. The main theme of social and voluntary participation included two subcategories of access to cultural places and student assistant. Based on the findings, the examination of the problems of visually impaired students showed that they face problems in the university, that appropriate interventions can be designed using the main themes and sub-themes of this research and reduce their problems.
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  • Receive Date 27 August 2024
  • Revise Date 17 October 2024
  • Accept Date 28 October 2024