망막색소변성 시각장애학생의 시각환경 특성과 교육지원 요구

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the characteristics of students with retinitis pigmentosa visual impairment and their needs for education support. To that end, in-depth interviews were done on 5 students enrolled in a visually impaired school located in Chungbuk province, and the collected contents were analyzed. From the analysis, the following results were summed up: First, as for the characteristics of the visual environment of students with retinitis pigmentosa visual impairment, the responses indicated that the symptom occurs in diverse age scope from juvenile to middle age, with some progressing slowly, and others quickly, and all the study subjects maintained residual visual acuity. Initial symptoms included night blindness, dazzling and decrease in visual field. As for visual acuity for reading, the respondents answered that since general correction methods are not that effective, they read large characters or regular print by using video magnifier. Second, as for the education support for students with retinitis pigmentosa visual impairment, the respondents remarked that classrooms require non-optical aids like curtain to prevent direct influx of bright sunlight, and wide desk and power supply devices to use assistive technology. In reading material, the study subjects preferred to reading bold large characters or regular prints by using video magnifier.