TY - GEN
T1 - Challenges with creating accessible and usable learning environments for visually impaired students' language education
AU - Al-Busaidi, Saleh
AU - Tuzlukova, Victoria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 IEEE.
PY - 2017/7/2
Y1 - 2017/7/2
N2 - Nowadays, more educational institutions in countries worldwide move towards inclusive education that ensures visually impaired students equal opportunities with their sighted peers 'for success in mastery of course material... without compromising the content, quality or level of instruction' (Optimizing, 2014, p.3) [1]; the Sultanate of Oman is no exception. This paper reports the findings of a study that sought to examine the specific challenges teachers in Oman face with creating accessible and usable learning environment for visually impaired students taking English language courses at tertiary education level. Data was collected during a one semester period at the Centre for Preparatory Studies at Sultan Qaboos University using face-to-face interviews with language teachers. The researchers looked into the teachers' views on challenging aspects related to technological and pedagogical support given to visually impaired students for them to meet learning outcomes and standards of competency in English, and successfully integrate into the mainstream English language programs. The study revealed that in-service targeted professional development aimed at teacher training in using assistive technologies and developing accessible teaching materials and curricula can have a significant positive impact on constructing effective language learning environment specific for visually impaired students and beneficial for facilitating their learning experience.
AB - Nowadays, more educational institutions in countries worldwide move towards inclusive education that ensures visually impaired students equal opportunities with their sighted peers 'for success in mastery of course material... without compromising the content, quality or level of instruction' (Optimizing, 2014, p.3) [1]; the Sultanate of Oman is no exception. This paper reports the findings of a study that sought to examine the specific challenges teachers in Oman face with creating accessible and usable learning environment for visually impaired students taking English language courses at tertiary education level. Data was collected during a one semester period at the Centre for Preparatory Studies at Sultan Qaboos University using face-to-face interviews with language teachers. The researchers looked into the teachers' views on challenging aspects related to technological and pedagogical support given to visually impaired students for them to meet learning outcomes and standards of competency in English, and successfully integrate into the mainstream English language programs. The study revealed that in-service targeted professional development aimed at teacher training in using assistive technologies and developing accessible teaching materials and curricula can have a significant positive impact on constructing effective language learning environment specific for visually impaired students and beneficial for facilitating their learning experience.
KW - Oman
KW - Sultan Qaboos University
KW - accessible and usable learning environment
KW - visually impaired students
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050978218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1109/ICTA.2017.8336010
DO - 10.1109/ICTA.2017.8336010
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85050978218
T3 - 2017 6th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Accessbility, ICTA 2017
SP - 1
EP - 2
BT - 2017 6th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Accessbility, ICTA 2017
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 6th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Accessbility, ICTA 2017
Y2 - 19 December 2017 through 21 December 2017
ER -