Population Data for Students with Visual Impairments in the United States

Autor/in	Schles, Rachel Anne
Titel	Population Data for Students with Visual Impairments in the United States
Quelle	In: Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 115 (2021) 3, S.177-189 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0145-482X
DOI	10.1177/0145482X211016124
Schlagwörter	Visual Impairments; Children; Adolescents; Young Adults; Special Education; Comorbidity; Student Needs; Access to Education; Multiple Disabilities; Educational Legislation; Equal Education; Federal Legislation; Students with Disabilities; Blindness; Data Collection; Data Use; Educational Finance; Eligibility; Preschool Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Databases + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Visual handicap; Sehbehinderung; Child; Kind; Kinder; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Young adult; Junger Erwachsener; Special needs education; Sonderpädagogik; Sonderschulwesen; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Multiple disability; Mehrfachbehinderung; Bildungsrecht; Schulgesetz; Bundesrecht; Student; Students; Disability; Disabilities; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Behinderung; Blindheit; Data capture; Datensammlung; Bildungsfonds; Eignung; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Datenbank
Abstract	Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine how many young children and students (birth to 22 years old) were identified with visual impairments and receiving special education services in the United States. Professionals estimate at least 50% of students with visual impairments have additional disabilities and are not identified as having a visual impairments for the purposes of the federal Child Count census; therefore, the differences between Child Count and states' total population counts were explored. Methods: A mixed-methods survey was sent to each U.S. state to determine the total population of students with visual impairments (birth to 22 years old) during the 2016-2017 school year. Results: The 49 responding states reported an average total population four times greater than the number of students with visual impairments than were documented in Child Count data. Many states had limited or no data on their total population of students with visual impairments. Discussion: The findings demonstrate many states are making policy and administrative decisions based on Child Count data not their total population data of students with visual impairments (e.g., planning for 100 students with a primary disability of visual impairments rather than a total population of 405 students with visual impairments). Misuse of Child Count data contributes to underfunding and under-hiring of teachers of students with visual impairments and orientation and mobility instructors. How to address these issues at a systemic level so all students with visual impairments receive appropriate access to resources and quality instruction is also discussed. Implications for practitioners: Practitioners can use available population data across states to educate decision makers at local and state levels regarding the differences between Child Count and total population data for students with visual impairments. Statewide vision programs can also circumvent limited data collection programs at the state level by developing their own systems for total population counts of students with visual impairments. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01