The early focus of British, Scottish and French programs had always been on teaching handicrafts, but in 1835 the Yorkshire School for the Blind in England became the first institution to teach math/maths, reading and writing skills. It was published in 1829 and then again in 1837.Īs the Braille system became widespread, access to education for individuals with visual impairments increased.
The code, made up of dots and dashes and written on thick paper, was refined by Louis Braille to include just dots, with each letter able to be read by one stroke of the finger. Surprisingly, the idea for Braille was first introduced in a military context as a night reading system soldiers could use to silently pass messages in the dark. This was thanks in part to the development of Braille, an embossed reading system which allowed blind or visually impaired students to read using their fingers. While civilizations as far back as the Ancient Egyptians have been interested in education for the blind, it was not until the 18th and 19th centuries that specialized schools were first created. Early education for the visually impaired That means even legally blind children may have some useful vision. Nonetheless, only 15% of students with visual impairments are considered to be completely blind, with no light or form perception ability. Students who are blind have vision that is at or lower than 20/200. Given the right training and tools, children with visual impairments will develop the same early literacy abilities as their peers and master the coping skills they need to work around their impairments.Ĭhildren and adults with low vision are not considered legally blind, they simply have reduced vision at or lower than 20/70. There are plenty of resources and materials that provide the assistance these students need to join in reading and writing activities. That’s why it’s so important for parents, educators and specialists to understand how low vision students can be successful in the classroom.
Attending regular classes helps students with visual impairments feel “just like everyone else.” There are a number of reasons for this, including practical considerations, such as getting a child used to the independent education systems he or she will face in future high-school, college and university endeavors, as well as more social ones. In the past, students with visual impairments were placed in special institutions or programs however, today most are educated in a classroom with other children who are not visually impaired. That’s why whether visual impairments are moderate, severe or profound, they often interrupt a low vision student’s ability to participate in regular classroom activities. Consider the number of school lessons that revolve around students writing on the blackboard or reading off of photocopied handouts! Every subject, from math/ maths to spelling and even geography, requires reading and writing. Visual cues are central to most early childhood education systems.