• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.39-49
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• 2023

This research investigates the availability of information resources for visually impaired students in University libraries in Nigeria; a tool for inclusive University education. A Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and a total number of 20 University libraries took parts in the study. A self-constructed online questionnaire was designed and distributed to collect the data from respondents (librarians) using a simple random sampling technique. A total of 45 respondents filled out the online questionnaire, but 40 were valid and useful for analysis. The use of frequency count and percentages method of data analysis was adopted for this research work. The study reveals that most of the University libraries lacked information resources for visually impaired students, it was found that the inclusion of information resources for visually impaired persons will promote inclusive education and librarians' skills. The challenges hindering the availability of information resources to the visually impaired students are insufficient funds for maintenance, erratic power supply and inadequate skills by users, among others. Recommendations were made for the campaign for inclusive education and the provision of information resources for visually impaired students.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

Background: This study was conducted to prove the effects of the Schroth exercise on sagittal postural alignment to the visually impaired students. Methods: The subjects were 8 students who attend the special school in Daegu and performed the Schroth exercise 3 times per week for 3 weeks. Craniovertebral angle and pelvic alignment were measured to compare the effects of the exercise. Results: Craniovertebral angle and pelvic alignment on sagittal plane showed significant differences (p<.05). Conclusions: Schroth exercise was effective to improve postural alignment of sagittal plane to the visually impaired students and these results will have a positive impact on future study of improvement of postural alignment on sagittal plane to the visually impaired students.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.258-268
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• 2021

Online learning systems are becoming an effective educational medium for many universities. The accessibility of online learning system in universities means that every student, including the visually impaired, is able use all the site's services. This research focuses on investigating the accessibility of online learning systems for visually impaired users. The paper purpose is to understand the perception of visually impaired undergraduate students towards Blackboard's accessibility and to make recommendations for a new Blackboard design with accessible features that support their needs. Impact of a new Blackboard design with accessible features on visually impaired students, using Taif University students as a case study is evaluated in this paper, as it is similar to most learning systems used by Saudi universities. A study on Taif University's utilization of Blackboard was conducted using mixed method approaches (an automatic tool and a user study). In the first phase, Taif's use of Blackboard was evaluated by the web accessibility tool called AChecker. In the second phase, we conducted a user study to verify previously discovered accessibility challenges to fully assess them according to the accessibility and usability guidelines. In this study, the accessibility of Taif University's Blackboard was evaluated by thirteen visually impaired undergraduate students. The results of the study show that Blackboard has accessibility issues, which are confusing navigation, incompatibility with assistive technologies, untitled pages or parts, unclear identification for visual elements, and inaccessible PDF files. This paper also introduces a set of recommendations that aim to improve the accessibility of Blackboard and other educational websites developed for this population. It also highlights the serious need for universities to enhance web accessibility for online learning systems for students with disabilities.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.277-285
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspective of pre-service chemistry teachers on the learning situations of visually impaired students through scientific inquiry in a darkroom and to propose a teaching and learning method for students with visual impairments. Twenty-one pre-service chemistry teachers from college of education in Gyeongbuk were encouraged to explore individually hands-on model for the molecular structure of ice freely, and had a discussion with a one of the researchers during the activity. All the conversation and discussion were audio-taped and transcribed for analysis. As a result, pre-service chemistry teachers realized that learning situation of the visually impaired students was quite different with their perception while exploring and figuring out hands-on model of the molecular structure of ice in the darkroom. They already learned and could see this model by themselves but also recognized that visually impaired students had inconvenience and difficulty in learning science concepts. Based on these reflections, some pre-service chemistry teachers suggested directions for modification to fit visually impaired students' needs more.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.609-618
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of science educators on the learning situations of visually impaired students through scientific inquiry in a darkroom. Twenty-four science educators who came to the annual conference of the Korean Association for Science Education volunteered to participate in 'the scientific inquiry in the darkroom' activities. They were encouraged to touch models of 'the molecular structure of ice' and 'the structure of eyes' and to discuss with participants during the activities. Surveys were done before and after darkroom activities, and the discussions during and after the activities were recorded and analyzed. As a result, participants recognized that science education for visually impaired students is both very feasible and necessary. Also, some of them, who have had an experience of teaching blind students and thought that they fully understood the learning situation of the visually impaired, were especially surprised by the fact that they did not actually understand how it was like to be a visually impaired and responded that they were able to more deeply comprehend the learning situation of visually impaired students through these activities. Through this experience, participants also became resolute to try more deeply to understand not only the visually impaired students, but also sighted students with learning disabilities. Based on these results, educational implications of scientific inquiry in the darkroom were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.95-109
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• 2016

The process of making fashion accessories brings many benefits to visually impaired people. It helps the development of their tactile sensation, improves their aesthetic attitude, creativity, and imagination, and brings energy to their life. The current accessory making education in Korea is targeted to people with normal vision, and does not reflect the specific needs of the visually impaired. This causes a lot of trouble in educating the visually impaired. Therefore, this study aims to increase the efficiency of accessory making education by selecting curriculum and material that are appropriate and systematic for the visually impaired. In order to understand visual impairment, literature review was conducted to examine the definition and classifications of the impairment. Research was also done regarding material types and production method of fashion accessory. The study also designed an education program, including teaching guidelines, by referring to literature related to fashion accessory design, teaching guideline. The study conducted 12 experiments based on the results from April to June 2014. After revising and supplementing the teaching method, 2nd set of experiments were conducted from July to September 2014. Each class lasted for one and a half hour every week, and the class was composed of 6 students, 1 instructor and 1 volunteer. After each class, interviews were done to collect student opinions about the curriculum and material. Total experiment results and interview were reflected in constructing the final education program. The result of the experiments and interviews showed that selecting the accessory materials for class must be selected carefully. The visually-impaired students were very sensitive to the size, texture, shape, hole size of beads and length of material. After the experiments, all the students were able to distinguish the size and shape of the beads well, and finished the accessories using the given materials. The study verified that there is a need for another approach when educating the visually impaired about fashion accessory design. Many factors need to be considered from selecting materials to class contents. This study will contribute as a reference to fashion accessory making education as well as other design education for the visually impaired.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.515-530
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• 2016

Recently an extensive study of the mathematicians who have overcome the visually impaired and contribute to the academic in math was published. In the case of Korea, we can find there are mathematicians who have overcome physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and polio. However there is no example of blind person who majored mathematics to become a mathematic's teacher or professor and have entered any mathematics related professions. This let us to study the reasons that caused difficulties to visually impaired students majoring in mathematics. We also suggest ways that may help blind students to have access to mathematics intuitively. In this study, we propose a tactile mathematics textbooks and teaching manuals utilizing 3D printing which the visually impaired students can touch and feel. We can supply such materials to visually impaired youth, special education teachers and parents in Korea. As a result, visually impaired students will be able to access mathematics easily and can build their confidence in mathematics. We hope that some blind students with mathematical talent do not hesitate to major mathematics and choose career in mathematical professions.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2023

This article is a spinoff of a doctoral study that was completed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in 2018 on provision of information services to persons with visual and physical impairments in public university libraries in Kenya. The article examined how ICTs such as internet, e-resources and e-databases, word processing, websites and more were being used in public university libraries to provide access to information by visually and physically impaired persons. Data were collected from the visually and physically impaired students, University Librarians, Systems librarians, staff from disability departments and library staff who provided services to visually and physically impaired persons. The findings revealed that the visually and physically impaired persons in most of the libraries could not access information owing to lack of the necessary assistive and adaptive technologies and weak institutional support and framework. The study recommend that the libraries improve assistive technology infrastructure, embrace new assistive technologies such as telepresence robots, virtual realities and more, and put in place enabling policies and capacity building programmes for library staff to enable them to provide services to persons with impairments.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.186-200
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• 2023

This study aims to improve the usability of the white cane, which is walking equipment that most local visually impaired people use and carry when going out, and to contribute to the prevention of safety accidents and the walking rights of visually impaired people by providing improvement and resolution measures for the problems identified. Also, this study is a study on the visually impaired, primarily targeting the 1st to 2nd degree visually impaired people, who cannot go out on their own without walking equipment such as a white cane, corresponding to 20% among approximately 250,000 blind and low vision people in the Korean population. In the study process, the concept has been developed from the user's point of view in order that the white cane becomes a real help in the walking step of the visually impaired and the improvement of usability of the white cane, the main walking equipment for the visually impaired, are done by problem identification through the Double Diamond Model of Design Thinking (Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test (verify)). As a result of the investigation in the process of Empathy, a total of five issues was synthesized, including an increase in the proportion of the visually impaired people, an insufficient workforce situation to help all the visually impaired, an improvement and advancement of assistive devices essential for the visually impaired, problems of damage, illegal occupation, demolition, maintenance about braille blocks, making braille block paradigms for the visually impaired and for everyone. In Ideate and Prototype steps, situations derived from brainstorming were grouped and the relationship were made through the KJ method, and specific situations and major causes were organized to establish the direction of the concept. The derived solutions and major functions are defined in four categories, and representative situations requiring solutions and major functions are organized into two user scenarios. Ideas were visualized by arranging the virtual Persona and Customer Journey Map according to the situation and producing a prototype through 3D modeling. Finally, in the evaluation, the final concept derived is a device such a smart cane for guidance for the visually impaired as ① a smart cane emphasizing portability + ② compatibility with other electronic devices + ③ a product with safety and convenience.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Interior Design Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.83-86
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to make interior environment which can support the education effectively through acceptance of the requirements of users about the environmental factors of learning spaces for the visually impaired students. For them, researcher investigated the literature cited and did the field survey. And also, this researcher analyzed user's satisfaction extent for structure, design, and technical environment factors by the evaluation elements. On the basis of the result of analysis, Two rooms which had big problems for physical environment were selected. And then the design recommendations focusing on environmental factors - circulation, furniture arrangement, colour, lighting etc. - were proposed by this researcher on the basis of space user's requriement.