Promoting Equitable Access to Education for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment A Route-Map for a Balanced Curriculum

Promoting Equitable Access to Education for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment offers a suitable vocabulary and developmental route map to examine the changing influences on promoting equitable access to education for learners with vision impairment in different contexts and settings, throughout a given educational pathway. Bringing together a wide range of perspectives, this book argues that inclusive educational systems and teaching approaches should focus upon promoting and sustaining a balanced curriculum. It provides an analysis of how a suitable curriculum balance can be promoted and sustained through the stages of a given educational pathway to ensure equitable access and progression for all learners with vision impairment. The authors draw on the United Kingdom as a country study to illustrate the complex ecosystem within which learners with vision impairment are educated. Structured around a framework which provides a conceptually coherent and practical balance between universal and specialist approaches, this book is a relevant read for educators, academics, and researchers involved in vision impairment education as well as officials in government and non-government organisations engaged in developing education policy relating to inclusive education and disability.

Acknowledgements Dedication About the authors Foreword: Dr Frances Gentle Introduction PART I Mapping the educational landscape 1 An introduction to vision impairment education 2 Exploring curriculum access for learners with vision impairment 3 Developing the parameters of a conceptual framework and the role of the specialist practitioner PART 2 Applying the conceptual framework to vision impairment education 4 Early childhood care and education in home and informal learning settings 5 Early childhood education in more formal learning settings 6 The primary years 7 The secondary years 8 Post-compulsory education PART 3 Future policy and research directions 9 Future policy directions – Reaffirming ‘What Matters’ 10 What works in vision impairment education? 11 Concluding thoughts References Index Appendix 1 – UK Country Study (Definitions) Appendix 2 – UK Country Study (Population) Appendix 3 – Case Study (Articulating ‘What Matters’ through a policy response)

Mike McLinden is Emeritus Professor at the University of Birmingham Graeme Douglas is Professor of Disability and Special Educational Needs in the School of Education at the University of Birmingham. Rachel Hewett is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Birmingham. Rory Cobb is a QTVI who worked as part of RNIB’s children’s team for 35 years until his retirement in 2017. Sue Keil is a trustee and member of the executive committee for VIEW, the professional association for the vision impairment education workforce. Paul Lynch is a Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education in the School of Education, University of Glasgow, and is an honorary member of VICTAR. Joao Roe is a teacher of children with vision impairment and the Head of Sensory Support Service based in Bristol. Jane Stewart Thistlethwaite is an academic, consultant and practitioner in vision impairment education.