VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 3
likely to achieve vocational stability than those who are not (Okrent & Burke,
2021).
Hands-on learning is an effective approach for teaching STEM content to
students with visual impairments (Hilson et al., 2016; Koehler et al., 2018;
Rosenblum et al., 2024; Rule et al., 2011). However, students with visual
impairments often do not receive the same opportunities for hands-on learning as
their nondisabled peers. One contributing factor is that many STEM teachers lack
training in providing accommodations and adapting content for learners with visual
impairments. While teachers of students with visual impairments understand their
students' unique learning needs, they often lack expertise in STEM instruction
(Wild et al., 2022). Additionally, adapting highly visual and complex materials
used in mathematics and science remains a significant challenge. These systemic
barriers limit students' access to STEM learning opportunities.
Beyond these systemic barriers, students with visual impairments may also
face challenges related to the skills they themselves must develop. For example, to
fully engage with hands-on STEM learning, students must not only be proficient in
reading braille and/or print but also develop spatial reasoning skills and systematic
scanning techniques to interpret complex graphics (Kamei-Hannan, 2009;
Rosenblum & Herzberg, 2015; Smith, 2017). Students must also have a strong
conceptual foundation and be able to problem-solve when they encounter
