TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDY

Susanto Susanto, Deri Sis Nanda

Abstract


In this article we report an ethnographic case study of observing the teaching and learning of English at a school for visually impaired students in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia. Data collection included student and teacher interviews. It also covered class observation and used a social constructivist framework of disability. The study revealed that the students received inadequate modifications of instruction in foreign language learning. However, the students used a variety of resources with the screen reader technology such as Non Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) and Job Access with Speech (JAWS). These findings suggest that visually impaired students actually can have unique ways of learning foreign language supported by the assistive technology. These abilities should be acknowledged to obtain the perspectives of students who receive disability specific education. Moreover, the study might provide a further facet to the research especially on the importance of learning strategies in special education.

Keywords: visual impairment; language education; learning strategy; special education.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Agesa, L. (2014). Challenges faced by learners with visual impairments in inclusive setting in Trans-Nzoia County. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(29), 185-192.

Archibald, M. M. (2015). Investigator triangulation: A collaborative strategy with potential for mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(3), 228-250.

Arslantaş, T. K. (2017). Foreign language education of visually impaired individuals: A review of pervasive studies. IHEAD: Ihlara Journal of Educational Research, 2(2), 95-104.

Atkinson, P., & Hammersley, M. (1998). Ethnography and participant observation. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 110-136). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Birchler, K., & Michaelow, K. (2016). Making aid work for education in developing countries: An analysis of aid effectiveness for primary education coverage and quality. International Journal of Educational Development, 48, 37-52.

Bolt, D. (2005). From blindness to visual impairment: Terminological typology and the social model of disability. Disability & Society, 20, 539–552.

Bozic, N., & McCall, S. (2007). Microcomputer software: Developing Braille reading skills. British Journal of Special Education, 20(2), 58.

Burns, D. (2018). Deepening and scaling participatory research with the poorest and most marginalised. European Journal of Operational Research, 268(3), 865-874.

Casper, M. J., & Talley, H. L. (2005). Preface: Ethnography and disability studies. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 34(2), 115–120.

Danforth, D., & Gabel, S. L. (2006). Vital questions facing disability studies in education. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Davis, L. J. (2002). Bending over backwards: Disability, dismodernism, and other difficult positions. New York, NY: New York University Press.

Denzin, N. K. (2006). Sociological methods: A sourcebook. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

DePoy, E., & Gilson, S. F. (2011). Studying disability: Multiple theories and responses. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Florian, L. (2008). Special or inclusive education: Future trends. British Journal of Special Education, 35(4), 202-208.

Gabel, S. L. (2005). Disability studies in education: Readings in theory and method. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Goldstein, D. (2000). Music pedagogy for the blind. International Journal of Music Education, 35, 35–39.

Hersh, M. A., & Johnson, M. A. (2008). Disability and assistive technology systems. In M. A. Hersh & M. A. Johnson (Eds.), Assistive technology for visually impaired and blind people (pp. 1-50). London: Springer.

Jenks, E. B. (2005). Parents’ stories of raising children with visual impairments in a sighted world. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 34, 143–169.

Jones, C. B., Isham, L., & Taylor, J. (2018). The complexities and contradictions in participatory research with vulnerable children and young people: A qualitative systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 215, 80-91.

Masino, S., & Zarazúa, M. N. (2016). What works to improve the quality of student learning in developing countries? International Journal of Educational Development, 48, 53-65.

Nugent, M. (2018). Reframing inclusion: An exclusive–inclusive approach. British Journal of Special Education, 45(2), 141–156.

Reason, P. (1998). Three approaches to participatory inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 324-338). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Savage, J. (2013). Participative observation: Standing in the shoes of others. Qualitative Health Research, 10(3), 324-339.

Siebers, T. (2006). Disability theory. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Stake, P. (2005). Qualitative case study. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The sage handbook of qualitative research (pp. 433–466). New York, NY: Sage.

Susanto (2016). A case study of prosodic phrasal grouping and intonational prominence in language acquisition. English Review: Journal of English Education, 4(2), 289-295.

Thompson, R. G. (1997). Extraordinary bodies: Figuring physical disability in American culture and literature. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

Weber, A., Braun, B., & Crocker, M. W. (2006). Finding referents in time: Eye-tracking evidence for the role of contrastive accents. Language and Speech, 49(3), 367– 92.

Whitburn, B. (2014). Accessibility and autonomy preconditions to ‘our’ inclusion: A grounded theory study of the experiences of secondary students with vision impairment. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14(1), 3–15.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v7i1.1530

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2018 English Review: Journal of English Education