Stop Fearing Blindness! The Ethics of Simulating Visual Impairment According to Visually Impaired People

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Diverse and Critical Perspectives in Physical Education

Abstract

The aim of our paper is to explore the ethics of simulating visual impairment for pedagogical purposes from the perspective of visually impaired people. Participants were nine visually impaired adults who (1) read vignettes narrating the simulation experiences of prospective physical education teachers in a university setting; and (2) were interviewed about their views on what they had read. Interviews were conducted via telephone, and were recorded, transcribed, and subjected to thematic analysis. The themes that we shall discuss relate to the ethics of (1) involving visually impaired people in simulated experiences; (2) reinforcing negative attitudes about visually impaired people; (3) using touch for pedagogical purposes; and (4) adapting activities and grouping pupils in relation to ‘ability’.

Authors

• Anthony John Maher, Leeds Metropolitan University

• Justin Haegele, Old Dominion University