Visual Impairment : Access to Education for Children and Young People

Written for parent and professionals working with children and young people with visual impairment, this work examines the causes of eye conditions and additional disabilities; how these can restrict access to the mainstream curriculum; and ways in which the effects can be ameliorated.

First published in 1998. This book embodies the positive philosophy that children with a visual impairment are entitled to access to the full national curriculum during their school years. In the UK, education placements for pupils and students with special needs range across a continuum from special schools and colleges, with day or residential attendance, to specialist units or individual integration into mainstream provision. Placement results from inter-disciplinary assessment and consultation and requires parental agreement. Lack of sight and measurably impaired vision constitute special needs in educational terms. The writers who have contributed to this major text are teachers and lecturers from both the specialist and mainstream areas of provision and have considerable first-hand experience in teaching pupils and students with a visual impairment.