Instructional leadership for transformational change, learner achievement and care

Abstract

Peer review declarationThe publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum Best Practice for Peer Review of Scholarly Books.' The manuscript was subjected to rigorous two-step peer review prior to publication, with the identities of the reviewers not revealed to the author(s). The reviewers were independent of the publisher and/or authors in question. The reviewers commented positively on the scholarly merits of the manuscript and recommended that the manuscript be published. Where the reviewers recommended revision and/or improvements to the manuscript, the authors responded adequately to such recommendations. Research JustificationThe importance of understanding the implementation of the White Paper 6 (inclusive education policy) and accommodating learners with disabilities (such as visual impairment) in all schools are continuously emphasised. Studies in this field however remain limited, requiring ongoing research. Questions regarding teachers' apparent hesitancy to implement inclusive education policy and their uncertainty about the accommodation of learners with visual impairment remain evident, thereby necessitating research in this field. Based on a broad scale research project in the field of inclusive education, learners with visual impairment, and teachers' needs and expectations in accommodating these learners in the classroom, this series of books (of which this one is the second volume) were conceptualised and written. In addition to the findings obtained from the research project undertaken by the University of Pretoria during 2017 and 2018, selected experts in the field of visual impairment were involved as authors, to make contributions based on their own research and experience on case studies gained over many years. The first volume in the series, titled 'Opening eyes: Understanding education for the visually impaired' focused on an understanding of the visually impaired learner, inclusive education policy and support provision to this group of learners in accordance with existing policy. This book, 'Volume 2: Teaching learners with visual impairment', focuses on holistic support to learners with visual impairment in and beyond the classroom and school context. Special attention is given to classroom practice, learning support, curriculum differentiation and assessment practices, to mention but a few areas of focus covered in the book. In this manner, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the implementation of inclusive education policy with learners affected by visual impairment. The scholarly contribution is emphasised by the fact that no such South African authored book is available on this specific topic, implying a ground-breaking contribution which may pave the way for follow-up research and publications.

Analysis of Curricular Adaptations and Teacher Training in the Area of Visual Disability

“…The results of the research on the usefulness of educational strategies aimed at students with visual disabilities, the majority of teachers considered that the distribution and adaptation of furniture was beneficial, which agrees with other positions and studies such as those of Carney et al (2003), Cox & Dykes (2001), Viljoen (2020b), Parween & Dheesha (2018), the Junta de Andalucí a. Department of Education andScience (2016), andReta Sabarrós (2017).…”

“…Likewise, teachers also highlight the need to implement oral evaluations as an alternative for assessing the learning of students with visual disabilities, reinforcing this result with the contributions of studies and conceptualizations formulated by various authors (Andrade Lozada & Yepes Camacho, 2020;Carney et al, 2003;Council of Europe, 2020;Mirasandi et al, 2019;Texas Education Agency, 2017;Viljoen, 2020a). Notably, they propose other evaluation alternatives such as reading tasks carried out in Braille, use of graphic material, and replacement or complement of an image or diagram with a written description (Andrade Lozada & Yepes Camacho, 2020;Viljoen, 2020b).…”

“…Orientation skills, essential for spatial awareness, can be incorporated into regular classroom activities, while mobility skills such as identifying landmarks, directionality, depth perception, and interpreting environmental cues are crucial. Due to limited visual learning for students with visual impairments, environmental symbols, object associations, clear labels, and understanding of gestures and facial expressions are emphasized (Carney et al, 2003;Viljoen, 2020b).…”

“…The teacher must provide access to adapted materials and resources, encourage independence and active participation, and cultivate an attitude of respect and support. Furthermore, collaboration with special education professionals and constant updating in inclusive practices are essential to optimize students' learning and comprehensive development with visual disabilities (Council of Europe, 2020;Mboshi, 2018;Viljoen, 2020b;Willings, 2022).…”