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ETD Abstract Container

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How the Visually Impaired View and Experience Mathematics in School

Moore, David M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1396453258

Abstract Details

2008, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, EDU Teaching and Learning.
This study investigates how the blind need mathematics communicated to them. Considerable evidence exists that learning strategies such as discussion, group learning, and speaking in the mathematics classroom greatly aid the sighted in learning and understanding mathematics. The researcher wanted to determine whether or not these same strategies benefit the blind as much as the sighted. The researcher wanted to determine how crucial it is for the blind to have all mathematics materials in Braille and other tactile forms. The researcher also studied whether or not blind students eventually consider a mathematics related career. To conduct this study, the researcher interviewed eight adult, blind participants who took mathematics in school as a blind student. The researcher read a recruitment script to a potential subject before the interview began. Based on the information gathered from the interviews, results were established concerning what the participants believed concerning how they would have best learned and understood mathematics. In addition, conclusions were drawn concerning how the blind need mathematics communicated to them; what class environment is best; and what accommodations the blind need to best flourish in mathematics. The results show that it was important for the participants, who were blind as a child, to be taught mathematics through the eighth grade by a special education teacher for the blind in a small resource room setting. Because of the small classroom size in this setting, the strategies that help the sighted were used by the special education teacher for the blind. The participants said that when they were put into the regular high school classroom, these strategies such as working in groups, class discussion, and speaking about mathematics were no longer used in the high school classroom environment. This was when they became lost in mathematics, and they no longer enjoyed this subject. In addition, their special education teacher for the blind knew how to convert all mathematics materials into Nemeth code Braille. Participants said that they needed to be able to read and write mathematics in Braille to learn and understand this subject. In addition, the participants said that it was crucial for them to have all visual representations of figures, graphs, and tables in a raised tactile form. Most participants said that as blind students they would have appreciated mathematics more if real-life applications had been implemented into the curriculum. A few of the participants said that they would have considered a mathematics related career if experts in different fields had come into the classroom and talked about how they applied mathematics on their jobs. The conclusions of this research show that the blind will indeed benefit from the same learning strategies that help the sighted such as class discussion, group learning, and speaking in mathematics class. In addition, the blind need to have all materials in Braille in order to learn mathematics. It is important that the blind be taught mathematics through high school by a special education teacher for the blind in a small resource room setting, because these teachers can provide the time and accommodations that will prepare the blind to take more advanced mathematics.
Douglas T. Owens (Advisor)
Patricia Brosnan (Committee Member)
111 p.
Education; Mathematics Education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Moore, D. M. (2008). How the Visually Impaired View and Experience Mathematics in School [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1396453258

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Moore, David. How the Visually Impaired View and Experience Mathematics in School. 2008. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1396453258.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Moore, David. "How the Visually Impaired View and Experience Mathematics in School." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1396453258

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1396453258
224
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.