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Introduction The present study was undertaken to develop a valid and reliable scale for measuring a feeling of alienation in students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision). Methods In this study, a pool of 60 items was generated to develop an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI) based on a review of the literature and discussions with colleagues and experts in the field. The items were organized into six dimensions of alienation, namely powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, social isolation, self-estrangement, and cultural estrangement, and were rated on the five-point Likert scale. The standardization of the scale was completed with 118 students with visual impairments in the age group of 10 to 25 years, selected randomly from specialized and inclusive schools in the state of Haryana, India. Results The item analysis was done by calculating t- and r-values; seven items were deleted, and a final 45 items were retained. The calculated value of Cronbach's alpha and split-half correlation came out to be 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. The construct validity was determined by computing the coefficient of correlation between scores of this scale and the scores obtained by using the Student Alienation scale (SAS) of R. R. Sharma (Sharma, 2012). The percentile norm for the scale was determined after verifying normality of the scores by using a Q-Q plot. Discussion The findings of the present study suggest that the AL-VI may serve as a useful tool in future research to assess alienation in persons with visual impairments in India. The findings further demonstrate that the AL-VI produced scores that are reliable and valid. The AL-VI can be used outside India after determining its reliability and validity in context-specific conditions. Implications for practitioners The AL-VI scale is applicable to students with visual impairments, teachers of students with visual impairments, principals, social workers, psychologists, and rehabilitation professionals. Practitioners could use this tool for assessing and understanding the level of alienation among students with visual impairments, thereby helping them in planning and executing strategies for remediating alienation.

Faculty attitude is an important aspect in determining their readiness for online education. This study seeks to understand the attitude of teachers in higher education regarding online teaching and learning. There were 759 participants from different colleges and universities in India (92 professors, 73 associate professors, and 594 assistant professors). This study was completed during the lockdown owing to Covid-19 outbreak. After reviewing relevant literature, data was initially gathered using Google forms based on the "Attitude Scale towards Online Teaching and Learning for Higher Education Teachers". Scale reliability was verified with the Cronbach Alpha and split-half reliability. Interrelationships between the constructs of attitude were examined using PLS-SEM. The study also revealed the existence of parallel and serial mediations between the constructs. It was established that knowledge could lead to responsiveness only in the presence of appreciation and proficiency. Hence, appreciation and proficiency are important constructs for teachers' responsiveness towards online education.

The purpose of this article is to examine the influence of the school organizational climate on teacher enthusiasm. A sample of 600 teachers was drawn using a multi-stage random sampling method. The study variables were assessed using two main instruments: the organizational climate scale and teacher’s enthusiasm scale. A two-staged structural equation modelling and artificial neural network approach was used for the analysis. The study has unveiled the importance of the school’s organizational climate in determining the enthusiasm level of teachers. All the dimensions of organizational climate acted as significant predictors in the model. The study encourages periodic examination of the school climate and teachers’ enthusiasm to take any decisions or initiatives necessary to address deficiencies in schools.

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