Division on Visual Impairments

DVI Quarterly Volume 59(2)

A quarterly newsletter from the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Visual Impairments containing practitioner tips for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and other professionals.

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Concept development: Concepts generated by children who are visually impaired without ade- quate information can be seriously wrong and sometimes even bizarre (Foulke, 1974). For ex- ample, "the vagina is located under a woman's right breast" (Foulke, 1974, p. 196) and "masturbation causes physical or mental dam- age" (Foulke, 1974, p. 198). Methods and content of sex education programs should address this predisposition of children with visual impairments to generate seriously wrong theories about topics that are private in nature such as the function and anatomy of sex (Foulke, 1974). Greater knowl- edge of the facts is essential (Holmes, 1974). Awareness of the stereotypes: Among the many stereotypes of blindness, people who are blind "are expected to be impotent and uninter- ested in sex" (Foulke, 1974, p. 199). Belief in this mythological perspective can result in serious complications for the individual who is visually im- paired, including lacking confidence in sexual adequacy and neglecting contraception (Foulke). Without proper education, the individuals who are visually impaired may conform to the expecta- tions that are implicit in these stereotypes (Foulke). High quality accommodations: Overcome re- sistance to using the tactile and auditory senses as these particular senses are necessary learning commodities for students who are visually im- paired (Torbett, 1974). Include the use of explicit or "frank" talk accompanied by tactile objects that are as realistic as possible (Scholl, 1974; Torbett). Meaningful materials: The use of anatomically correct models plays an important part in building understanding (Holmes, 1974). The use of the models should not be restrictive in nature. Pro- vide students who are visually impaired with the opportunity to preview models before and revisit with the models after whole group instruction (Holmes). Accompany the model examination 9

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