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VIDBE-Q Volume 63 Issue 2
being taught to elementary students with visual impairment, hearing loss and
deafblindness and the barriers they face when teaching those skills.
Methodology
Participants
We recruited and interviewed seven educators of students with visual impairment
(teachers of the visually impaired and/or orientation and mobility specialists) and four
teachers of the deaf. These professionals met the following inclusionary criteria: (a)
currently teaching or have taught at least one elementary student who has sensory loss
in the last five years (b) have at least two years' experience working with elementary age
students. Ten of the participants were from westerns states and one was from Canada.
Two were male, and nine were female. All participants had experience working with
students of a varied age range, mostly 3-21.
Data Collection
The primary source of data was phone interviews. All phone interviews were
recorded and followed a semi-structured interview protocol. We interviewed participants
one time, and the interviews averaged between twenty to forty-five minutes. Follow-up
was necessary to clarify some of the data, but second interviews were not required or
scheduled. We provided participants details concerning the nature and purpose of the
study and interview protocol in advance. Participants were given the opportunity to review
their transcripts and will be offered a copy of the completed research report once it's
complete.
Data Analysis
We derived themes from the interview data. We transcribed each recorded
interview verbatim, and analyzed the data using a sequential three-step qualitative
