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Roth asserts that, “the English word research comes from a prefix and a mean to seek out again:' most academic or scholarly matter of seeking out ideas and materials already found or others.”
Roth, A.J. (1988) p2.
This research assignment examines suitable methods of accessing information for VIPS {visually impaired people}, who attend the Beacon Centre, facilitating their learning requirements. VIPS need to be included into further education to promote social integration and to enable widening participation. The contemporary Tomlinson report asserts that, “A new vision of inclusion, based on a better match between learning requirements
and provision, is at the heart of far-reaching proposals for improving further
education following the first national inquiry in England into FE provision for
students with disabilities and/or difficulties in learning”. http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/tmlnsn.htm
Beacon Centre is a charity organisation for the Blind. The location of this establishment is in Wolverhampton, bordering Dudley. The people who attend are referred to as service users, and are aged from 18 to over 90 years and are of mixed gender, ethnicity and ability.
The Beacon centre offers Braille, craft, pottery, woodwork, weaving, recreation and information and technology etc.
The position of I.T instructor was offered to me in 1999subsequent to me leaving Ireland, where I completed my training, gaining accreditation from the University of Cambridge and Maynooth. It has been my experience to work with students of varying ages, gender, ethnic backgrounds and both categories of visual impairments. “There are two categories of visual impairments, these are partially sighted and blind. The partially sighted students are usually print users, but may require special equipment and materials.
The RNIB {Royal National Institute for the Blind} tell us that there are “around two million people with "uncorrectable" sight problems in the UK
(Covering the whole range of significant vision difficulties beyond the help of
Glasses), the following percentages have difficulty with, or cannot read at all:
Food packet instructions 85%
Medicine labels and medical letters 83%
Bus numbers 72%
TV captions 72%
Magazines 67%
Electronic displays 64%
Personal mail 58%
Maslow believed that human needs could be organised in a progressive hierarchy. The question I ask myself is “if VIPS lower order needs can not be met, how can they progress to higher order thinking and on to post compulsory education”? MY research reveals that, “Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA, 2000) indicate that in
1998,500 higher education students self-assessed themselves as having a
disability; 3.3% of these students had visual impairments”.
http://www.chelt.ac.uk/el/philg/gdn/disabil/blind/ch2_3.htm
In my opinion we will not witness an influx of VIP students into further education, until we understand what methods they prefer to access information.
2.0
“If I can't read it, I can't learn it.”
Anon
In my opinion VIPS should receive information in their preferred media such as large print, computer disk, audio tape or Braille.
The RNIB argues that “Nearly half (47%) of university or higher education students did not usually
receive books in a format they can read and 39% struggle to use libraries.”
http://www.rnib.org.uk/shaping/execsumm.htm
Change and developments at the Becon Centre have been prevalent, with the appointment of a new manager and chief executive. We have also adopted a new mission statement “realising the vision”. The manager informed me that with section 21 of the 1995 discrimination act being enforced on October 1st 2004, a centre like ours should be at the forefront. The RNIB argues that we now have a legal obligation, following the implementation of section 21 of the 1995 disability discrimination Act. To make reasonable adjustments to ensure blind and partially sighted people can access services.
http://www.rnib.org.uk/wedo/campaign/welcome.htm
We need to establish what constitutes an appropriate format.
In my opinion only through the development of an agreed institutional philosophy can developments take place and the components of 'best practice' be transformed from an ideal into reality. The rationale behind my research is to establish how to offer the most affective way to provide information for the service users within the Beacon Centre. The Tomlinson report asserts that, “inclusive learning means teachers focus not on the disability itself but on what
it means for the way people learn or are helped to learn more effectively.”
http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/tmlnsn.htm
Grant funding research in the Glasgow region argue that “One of the main deprivations caused by blindness is the problem of access to information.” http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~stephen/grants/grants.shtml
We all know information helps all of us to make decisions and lead independent lives.
Petty, g tells us, “research has consistently shown that female students get less classroom attention than males, have less access to computers or other specialist equipment, and are marked down if they are very able.” He also argues that “research has also continued to show that Afro-Caribbean’s, Asians, other ethnic minority students, and learners with special needs also get an unfair deal in the classroom from most teachers.”
Petty, g (1990) p63
The categories mentioned above will be included in my research, simply because I believe it is untrue, if it is true I am unaware of it.
Funding comes from 2 Local authorities, Wolverhampton and Dudley. They fund VIPS in these boroughs, VIPS who live out of the area have to pay a small amount. At the moment funding arrangements do not require the service users to have achieved an overall outcome. In my opinion we need to be more accountable for the service we provide, and demonstrate that we are aware of the service user’s needs and have addressed this issue.
2.1
Accessibility in my opinion refers to the freedom or ability of an individual to obtain or make full use of a product. This means a product is accessible to an individual only if he or she is able to use it to carry out all of the same functions and to achieve the same results as individuals with similar skills and training who do not have a disability.
Only a century a go It was obvious that if the blind were to be educated a method must be devised by which they would read and study like the seeing.
Louis Braille invented the embossed system which has ever since borne his name and which enables the blind to read and write easily with their fingers. His system was a group of six dots in which the vertical line consists of three dots, and the horizontal of two. The combination of these dots in all kinds of positions produces characters to each of which he assigned a particular meaning, just as the seeing do to the characters of ink print.
The RNIB describe moon in the following manner,
“The Moon system of embossed reading was invented by Dr William Moon in 1845.
Many people know about the Braille system of reading by touch; fewer have heard
Of Moon. This is a simple method based upon the standard alphabet. The Moon
Alphabet is made up of 14 characters used at various angles, each with a clear bold outline.”
http://www.rnib.org.uk/wesupply/fctsheet/moon.htm
Many students will use cassette tapes for some or much of their studying. This means that the student has to rely entirely on auditory input which requires both practice and skills of concentration and memory.
The computer and scanner equipped with a screen reader along with a voice synthesizer, or a standard sound card make useful verbal output possible. The screen reader tracks the text that
appears on the video display and sends it to the voice synthesizer or sound
Card.
This hardware interprets and then speaks the characters and words that it receives from printed material that is placed on the scanner.
Large print documents use larger type characters- ranging from 16 point to 22 point
Students who prefer to use a magnifier may use
a CCTV (closed circuit television), which throws an enlarged version of a page onto a screen. Computer software can also be obtained to enlarge print on the screen, providing independent access to those students who prefer to deal with materials on disk.
3.0
The approach I used at the beginning of January was to consult the University library and acquire any literature on how to put together a research paper. The personnel in the library were very helpful in the search for research literature. The books I acquire were scanned and put on to computer.
Then I interviewed service users on separate days at random to give a good cross section. They were interviewed and put on to my data base after gaining their permission. The internet was used due to the fact it is very accessible for me, and I can compete on an equal basis.
3.1
The database is a practical way for visually impaired people like me to record data. The data can be changed easily, if I were to have chosen paper, the information would not be able to have been changed.
The data can be extracted easily and accurately, it also reveals my skill in collecting and storing data.
4.0
The secretary of the day centre informed me that we cater for approximately 250 people every week. So I took a cross-section, taking 5 from each day at random, making 25 over all accounting for 10% of service users. There were 13 females and 12 males, 6 service users were from an ethnic minority. There will be a complete listing headed figure 1 with all the information that appeared in the questionnaire, and will be entered into my appendices.
4.1
Table 1 reveals the service users place of residence, there will be a detailed listing in figure 1.
Table1.
|
Location |
Number of service users |
Percentage |
|
Dudley |
8 |
32% |
|
Stafford |
4 |
16% |
|
Tamworth |
1 |
4% |
|
Wolverhampton |
12 |
48% |
4.2
The statistics in table 2 reveals the service user’s age, a complete list headed figure 2 will be found in my appendices.
Table2.
|
Minimum age |
Maximum age |
Average age |
|
22 |
76 |
55 |
4.3
The Braille statistics in table 3 give a percentage of Braille users in each borough. In addition table 3 reveals how many prefer this media. Additional information will follow the table, a detailed list will be found in figure 3 within my appendices.
|
Location |
Number of Braille users |
Percentage |
Preference |
|
Dudley |
1 |
4% |
0% |
|
Stafford |
4 |
16% |
0% |
|
Wolverhampton |
5 |
20% |
0% |
The Braille figures reveal that 40% of service users used Braille, but none preferred this media.
Figure 3 reveals that Braille users who attended state school came out at 24% with 16% attending a VIP school.
There were 2 service users from ethnic minority who used Braille, and the other ethnic minorities did not use Braille, but were partially sighted.
4.4
Figure 1 revealed that there was only 1 service user accounting for 4% who used moon, who happened to be in an ethnic minority and was female.
4.5
The audio tape statistics that can be found in figure 1 was that 100% used audio tape, and 16% of users preferred this media.
4.6
The computer statistics for the females will be found in table 4, table 5 will contain figures for the males, a full list will be found in figure 4 within my appendices.
|
Location |
Female computer users |
Percentage |
Preference |
|
Dudley |
5 |
20% |
4% |
|
Stafford |
3 |
12% |
4% |
|
Wolverhampton |
5 |
20% |
4% |
statistics reveal that 52% of computer users are female and 12% prefer this media.
|
Location |
Male computer users |
Percentage |
Preference |
|
Dudley |
2 |
8% |
0% |
|
Stafford |
1 |
4% |
0% |
|
Tamworth |
1 |
4% |
0% |
|
Wolverhampton |
7 |
28% |
12% |
The male statistics reveal that 44% use computers and 12 % prefer this media.
4.7
Figure 1 revealed that there were 60% of the service users who used large print and all of them preferred this media.
4.8
Figure 1 revealed that there were 44% of service users who used a magnifier, but none chose it as a preference.
The average age of the service users compared slightly lower than nationally at 55years of age.
The fact that 40% of service users used Braille would compare with Etheridge’s argument that: “Approximately half of the 3000 registered blind who are in paid employment, use Braille at work, so clearly for many of those with the severest visual disabilities, Braille is an essential skill.”
Etheridge, D.t. (1994) p100.
The fact none of the service users chose Braille has a preferred media was unexpected. It was not unanticipated to find that all service users registered blind who attended a VIP school used Braille. However it was unexpected none preferred this media. A colleague who is partially sighted and is the Braille teacher stated that she was not surprised, and would not choose Braille has her preferred method of accessing information either.
Hutchinson, J.O et al confirms my findings stating that, “It is often assumed that Braille is a widely used medium whereas only 19,000 visually impaired people in the UK are Braille readers. This is due to the fact that many lose their sight during later life, when it becomes more difficult to learn Braille.
Hutchinson, J.O et al (1998) p***
The service users excluding 1 who were out of the 2 boroughs and had to pay a small amount used Braille. When I questioned the service users they stated “we pay so we access as many activities within the centre as we can.” The 1 service user was asked why he did not use Braille and he told me that “I am a diabetic and would not be able to feel the dots.” I asked him why he not used moon he replied “I have never heard of moon”.
There was only 1 service user approximately 4%, who actually used moon. this could be due to the fact it is not well known.
The evidence showing that all service users use audio tape was not surprising, but I expected more the % to prefer it. The most astonishing finding was that all the service users who used large print preferred this media. This could be due to Etheridge’s finding that, “It has been asserted that eighty percent of learning is via the visual pathway.
P47.
Braille can be produced relatively easily with computer software, and an embosser which we have at the Beacon Centre. This service could be used for service users who were registered blind and attended a VIP school. In my opinion Braille would make a good supplement but not as a preference.
RNIB recommend when using large print to use, 14 point if possible - to reach more people with sight problems.
Plain clear typefaces, without italics, using semi bold or bold type
Set text against a single colour background using high contrast
Keep text well-spaced, left-aligned and free of "clutter"
Tape
Recording information onto tape can be quService ick, easy and inexpensive
For many elderly blind people especially, Moon is easier than the
more complex Braille system, although many people gain confidence from learning
Moon to move onto Braille.”
http://www.rnib.org.uk/wesupply/fctsheet/moon.htm
It is more difficult to skim through audio material, although equipment is available which plays material at a faster speed than normal. Some people will use four-track, rather than the usual two-track tapes, allowing twice as much material to be stored.
The print can be produced by photo-enlarging ordinary print, but the quality of print is improved if work is produced in large print at the outset, particularly if bold print is used. In my experience it is difficult to scan large print, and many people using residual vision find it tiring to concentrate on any print for long periods.
The service users were consulted before I entered information about them into the data base. This gave me the opportunity to explain about the data protection act.
There are also implications in the Human Rights Act 1998,
which protects the right of the individual to "privacy, family life, home and
correspondence" meaning that confidential information should not have to be
Shared with another person.