Special Education in Childhood Blindness and Visual Impairment: A Review of Current Evidence
DOI: 10.54088/15/SEiCBaVI:ARoCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54088/15/SEiCBaVI:ARoCEKeywords:
Τύφλωση; Οπτική αναπηρία; Χαμηλή όραση; Ειδική αγωγή; ΕκπαίδευσηAbstract
Purpose: To review the principles, educational needs, and evidence-based methods relevant to special education for children and adolescents with blindness, visual impairment, and vision loss.
Methods: A narrative review was performed in Pubmed and Google Scholar, prioritizing systematic reviews, clinical reports, qualitative studies, and key original studies on early intervention, literacy, psychosocial development, assistive technology, cerebral visual impairment, and school participation in childhood and adolescence.
Results: We found that special education for learners with visual impairment must begin early and should not be limited to medical diagnosis. Effective support strategies primarily depend on developmental monitoring, family-centered intervention, individualized literacy planning, access to braille and low-vision tools, assistive technology, and school environments that promote participation and psychosocial well-being. Emerging evidence also shows that cerebral visual impairment is common, under-recognized in schools, and can significantly hinder education. Teacher awareness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and timely correction of treatable vision problems can lead to better access to learning and participation.
Conclusions: Special education in childhood visual impairment is most effective when it is employed early, and has an individualized, literacy-focused, and technologically enabled approach, while also being attentive to mental health and social inclusion. Important gaps remain in high-quality intervention studies, long-term educational outcomes, and implementation research across diverse school systems.
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