VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 4
identified factors such as social stigma and limited activity options as deterrents to
physical activity among children with visual impairments. Nowland et al. (2024)
found that children with visual impairments felt undervalued when physical
education teachers did not accommodate for their needs.
Motor Competence
Children with visual impairments demonstrate lower motor competence than
sighted peers with severity of vision loss being the strongest factor influencing
gross motor performance. (Haibach et al., 2014). Specifically, children who are
blind show poorer motor competence than those with low vision. Additionally,
children with visual impairments experience lower perceived motor competence
compared to their sighted peers (Brian et al., 2018a).
For the last 40 years, many of the barriers that face persons with visual
impairments have not changed; there continue to be societal beliefs,
overprotectiveness, lack of access to adapted physical, and lack of knowledge on
the part of physical educators (Lieberman et al., 2025). The purpose of this
research was to to understand the perceived barriers, opportunities, and
motivations to participate in physical activity by youth with visual impairments, as
well as to understand the physical activity interests of youth with visual
impairments.
Methods
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