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Abstract: Seven adolescents who are blind and seven of with this feedback discuss how teachers can help ensure
their parents were interviewed about the adolescents’ positive social relationships for students who are blind.
social lives. Adolescent and parent perspectives are re-
viewed, followed by implications for teachers to support We first explain the study background and then ex-
the social connections of students who are blind. plore what participants said about socialization strate-
gies. Parents and adolescents noted similar strategies
Keywords: adolescents, blind parents, socialization that support social networks, and these strategies are
good information for teachers. The article concludes
with a discussion about how teachers can support the
Katrina Arndt is at St. John Fisher College, Inclusive Education, Rochester, NY.
Lauren Lieberman and Alisa James are at The College at Brockport, State University
of New York, Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education,
Brockport, NY.
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70 The Clearing House 87(2) 2014
just hanging just a little too close, because when you like with, even though it’s on the computer, because I think
someone you just want a little alone time. . . . So don’t that would make a big difference for him.
hover over someone if they’re just having fun with one
Accessing peers through technology at home and at
of their friends.”
school is vital for adolescents. With so many options
To summarize, all adolescents asked that they be pro-
available through assistive technology, adolescents who
vided with equipment that gives them access to games
are blind can stay in touch with friends as easily as their
and academics, that they be taught skills that allow them
sighted peers.
independence from adults, and that they be allowed
A final strategy parents used was to facilitate interac-
time with other teens without adults around. These
tions with peers at home and at school. Grace’s mother
themes can be incorporated into transition planning
describes how she arranged play dates when Grace was
by teachers and individual education plan (IEP) teams.
in elementary school:
Parents’ Strategies
The problem is, other kids are fast and they get away and
Parents identified three effective strategies that they outside of their range of contact. So we always made sure
or teachers used to support their adolescents’ social life: when she had play dates in the house. . . that there would
be an enclosed space, like in a play house. We would take
avoiding overprotection, teaching social norms, and cre-
kids on outings with us with a long car ride, because then
ating opportunities for socialization. The first strategy, they’re sitting next to each other and they can talk. Or like
avoiding overprotection, was used primarily by parents [in] a boat, canoeing.
but also has implications for teachers. Juan’s mother,
who has two sons with glaucoma, was explicit about These strategies were effective when Grace was relatively
not wanting to shelter Juan and his brother: young. For adolescents, arranging activities that ask stu-
dents to work together on a project can support the
I try not to protect my kids too much. I know a lot of same goal of the students spending time in proximity
people are scared when they have a kid with disabilities.
to each other. Teachers can support this strategy with
Because it’s hard. But for my two, they are normal. I never
protected them too much. I never do that to my kids. group assignments and time to work together.
Provide access to equipment for games and Gather materials that are tactile and auditory. Examples: Consistently
academics describe the environment, read aloud what is written on the board, require
that everyone say their name before speaking.
For math: cranmer abacus, talking calculator.
For literacy: braille or large print materials.
For science: manipulative representations.
For the environment: small-scale tactile maps.
For sports: balls and backboards with bells or beepers, rope taped to the floor
on boundaries, high-contrast equipment, high-contrast boundaries.
Teach skills that allow independence Explain and provide practice time for skills such as opening a locker, using the
restroom, getting lunch, navigating throughout the classroom and school.
Explain and provide practice time for all new units in physical education.
Provide pre-teaching in physical education (Conroy 2012).
Provide time with other teens without adults Assign group projects, schedule study-hall periods, train relevant staff,
encourage club membership, encourage sports participation.
Teach after-school coordinators (such as theater directors, coaches, band
directors, and club advisors) how to work with and support teens who are
blind and visually impaired.
Avoid overprotection Communicate with parents about the skills the student is learning in school,
the opportunities that sighted peers have, and ways to support independence
at home and in the community.
Teach social norms Communicate with parents about the student’s social life at school.
Group and regroup students in class regularly so that everyone has
opportunities to work together.
Teach social norms to the whole class explicitly (e.g., how to greet someone,
how to interject, how to begin and end a conversation politely).
Create opportunities for socialization Provide accurate, clear information about visual impairment and blindness
and provide opportunities for students who are blind to share their strengths
and expertise.
Utilize resources such as NICHCY’s “Checklist for IEP Teams: Considering
Blindness and Visual Impairment” (National Dissemination Center for
Children with Disabilities 2010).
Finally, create opportunities for students to share their There are several areas for future research. All of the
expertise. This includes getting to know students as in- adolescents in this study were relatively young teens;
dividuals so that you know their strengths. Then, de- conducting a similar study with older adolescents would
liberately place students in small groups that change provide useful information about the perspectives of
over the course of the semester. Doing so gives all stu- young adults who are blind about friendships, dating,
dents the chance to interact with one another without and relationships. Future studies that consider assistive
the pressure of choosing groups on their own. Once technologies would be useful in determining what tech-
in small groups, include ice-breaker and community- nologies are accessible and useful for adolescents who
building activities as part of instruction. Then, educate are blind. Investigating how adolescents feel about the
yourself about resources that will help facilitate social- strategies their parents use would be useful. Finally, a
ization for adolescents who are blind, such as Finding study including the peers of adolescents who are blind
Wheels (Corn and Rosenblum 2000) and Looking Good related to friendships and socialization would also bring
(Corn, Bina, and Sacks 2009). to light additional findings.
Acknowledgments
Limitations and Directions for Future Research
Thank you to Sharon Sacks and Erin Weaver for their
The purpose of this study was to explore what seven
assistance in the development of this article.
adolescents and their parents say about the adolescents’
social lives and review how teachers can help ensure
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