Graphic Reading Performance of Students with Visual Impairments and Its Implication for Instruction and Assessment

Abstract

Introduction: The ability of students to engage with graphical materials supports learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics areas. For students with visual impairments, understanding the factors that contribute to the effective interpretation of graphics can promote meaningful access to the curricula. Methods: Forty students with visual impairments completed multiple-choice question tasks for five types of graphics presented in their medium of choice and provided difficulty ratings. The teachers of students with visual impairments rated the students on several factors. Statistical analyses investigated the relationship between performance differences and teacher-rated factors. Results: Significant differences in performance between print and tactile graphics users were found for bar graph, map, and total correct responses on all tasks. For some tasks, perceived difficulty by tactile graphic users did not align with actual performance. Teachers’ ratings of students who had Individualized Education Program goals for graphics, independence in using graphics, problem-solving ability, mathematics ability, and frequency of engaging with graphics contributed to significant differences in performance across total correct and most individual graphic results. Discussion: Although medium type was a significant contributor across graphic types, some teacher-rated variables appeared to mitigate the importance of medium on student performance. Depending on the graphic type, experience, content knowledge, skills with graphics, and confidence and motivation can all affect student performance when interpreting graphics. Implications for practitioners: Teachers should provide students with early and frequent opportunities to engage with graphics and support their problem-solving abilities regarding how to engage with different graphic types to enhance their independent use of graphics.

Graphics Out Loud: Perceptions and Strategic Actions of Students With Visual Impairments When Engaging With Graphics

“…Analysis of the think-aloud transcripts in this study connect with the quantitative findings reported elsewhere (see Zebehazy & Wilton, 2021). In Zebehazy and Wilton (2021), greater frequency of engaging with graphics and higher teacher ratings of independence with graphics were associated with higher performance on problems featuring graphics. In this study, higher performing students were more likely, during the think-aloud process, to indicate that they were relying on previous experience with a graphic type when solving a given problem as compared with lower performing students.…”

“…Higher performers were better able to articulate strategy use and reasons for selecting strategies. Discussion: Findings coincide with quantitative findings of the participants (see Zebehazy & Wilton, 2021). Transcripts provided additional confirming evidence of the interdependence of MoGI components.…”

“…Seven students of the 40 were identified as having an additional disability. More comprehensive data on participant demographics can be found in Zebehazy and Wilton (2021).…”

“…Once the students started the tasks, the researcher prompted only when necessary (e.g., reminding the student to think aloud). After each individual graphic type, before beginning the next type of graphic, the researcher asked the students to rate the difficulty of the task (see Zebehazy & Wilton, 2021) and to reflect on the following:1. Have you used similar graphics before?2.…”

Enhancing mathematical noticing of graphs through movement, voice, and metaphor: An intervention with two students with visual impairment

“…Our research extends previous research with students with visual impairments to explore whether younger students with visual impairment would benefit from a multimodal approach to understanding graphs they will later encounter formally in mathematics courses. Early and frequent engagement with graphs has been found to be a contributing factor to independence with graph reading (Zebehazy & Wilton, 2014a, in press). We hypothesize that a greater level of familiarity with these graphs and their significance may be helpful when such graphs are re-encountered later in school.…”