Barriers and Challenges for Visually Impaired Students in PE—An Interview Study with Students in Austria, Germany, and the USA

Sebastian Ruin (), Justin A. Haegele, Martin Giese and Jana Baumgärtner
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Sebastian Ruin: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Justin A. Haegele: Center of Movement, Health, & Disability, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
Martin Giese: Department of Natural and Human Sciences, Heidelberg University of Education, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Jana Baumgärtner: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: Physical education (PE) is an important part of school education worldwide, and at the same time, almost the only subject that explicitly deals with body and movement. PE is therefore of elementary importance in the upbringing of young people. This also applies to children with visual impairments. However, existing findings on participation and belonging in PE as well as on physical and motor development reveal that this group of children and adolescents is noticeably disadvantaged in this respect. Against this background, this paper aims to explore fundamental barriers and challenges across different types of schools, types of schooling, and countries from the perspective of visually impaired children. The qualitative interview study with 22 children with visual impairments at different types of schools in three countries (Austria, Germany, USA) reveals that none of the respondents could escape the power of social distinctions and related problematic and existing hierarchies. Hence, ideas of normality and associated values remain the main challenge for all of them. However, the type-forming analysis provides important insight across settings on how visually impaired children differ on this, allowing for greater sensitivity to the concerns of children with visual impairments.

Keywords: children with visual impairments; physical education; qualitative study; international; barriers; challenges; ideas of normality; typology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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