VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 3
difficulties (Zebehazy & Wilton, 2014). Hence, these individual factors may
further impact their ability to participate fully in STEM.
To address these individual factors, this study focuses on toys and play
activities that are commonly enjoyed by young children with visual impairment. A
substantial body of research supports the importance of play for both individuals
with and without visual impairments (e.g., Ferguson & Buultjjens, 1995; Lai et al.,
2018; Verver et al., 2020). Play is recognized as beneficial for a range of
developmental domains, including motor skills, cognition, and social interaction
(Celeste, 2006; Lai et al., 2018; Verver et al., 2020). Furthermore, certain types of
toys and play activities—such as origami, the art of paper folding—are suggested
to support the development of spatial awareness and foundational mathematical
concepts (Pinho et al. 2016; Wong, 2022). This raises the possibility that some
types of play or toys may be more influential in fostering spatial and other skills
relevant to STEM learning.
However, to the authors' knowledge, no research to date has examined toys
and play activities among individuals with visual impairment specifically from the
perspectives of STEM learning. Moreover, much of the existing research relies on
observations or interviews with parents and teachers, rather than focusing on the
perspectives and experiences of individuals with visual impairments themselves.
Amplifying the perspectives of these individuals is essential—primarily because
