Research Studies
Conducting and supporting needs-based research on various important aspects concerning the education, training and rehabilitation of visually impaired persons in the ABU region countries has been a priority engagement of the Asian Blind Union. Identification of focus areas for research and preparation of research proposals is usually done by the ABU standing committees. These proposals are then screened by the Board of Officers and the ABU Executive. The concerned standing committees and the identified national affiliates closely coordinate the execution of the approved research projects.
In the recent years, Asian Blind Union has completed three such studies and is in the process of completing two others.
1. TEACHING COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
TO THE BLIND AND IDENTIFYING
NEW COMPUTER-RELATED JOBS FOR THEM
The above titled research study was conducted by All India Confederation of the Blind (India) supported by Asian Blind Union. Undertaken in 2002-03, the study primarily addresses three issues: 1) identification of new job avenues and opportunities for the blind and the low vision keeping in view new technology tools such as computers, screen reading softwares and note-takers; 2) Analyzing how the performance of visually impaired persons in jobs traditionally undertaken by them, can be augmented with the help of computers and related technologies; 3) Suggesting strategies and methodologies of teaching computers and related technologies to the blind and the low vision in order for them to meaningfully contribute to their chosen area of employment.
The study was conducted in three countries: namely, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan and India. Questionnaires were prepared and a wide range of professionals, stakeholders and resource persons were interviewed by investigators. Mr. Dipendra Minocha was the Principal Investigator of the Study.
Link full text of the Study
2. STATUS OF BLIND WOMEN IN ORGANISATIONS WORKING WITH
THE BLIND AND IN SOCIETY IN SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES
This study was conducted by the Women’s Committee of the Asian Blind Union in order to ascertain the condition and involvement of visually impaired women in organizations working with the blind and in their respective communities in South Asian countries. Lal Advani was the Principal investigator of the study. Two questionnaires: one for the organizations working with the Blind and the other one for individual visually impaired women were prepared. As many as 26 organizations working with the blind in Nepal, Sri Lanka and India responded to the first questionnaire. A significant number of 203 visually impaired women were personally interviewed by various investigators.
The study presents a rather dismal picture of the condition of blind and low vision women both in organizations of/for the blind as well as in society at large. It contains some useful recommendations aimed towards improving the present situation.
Link full text of the study
3. A Comparative Study of the Learning Achievements of the Visually Impaired Children Studying In Special and Inclusive Schools
Undertaken by the Committee on the Status of Blind Children in the year 2005-06, the above titled study seeks to examine the special school system and the inclusive model of education for visually impaired children from the point of view of various stakeholders rather than from an academic or a philosophical standpoint. Another purpose of this study was to develop useful research tools for similar studies in future.
The study was conducted in three countries: Nepal and India from South Asia and Jordan from the Middle East. Four categories of stakeholders: namely, visually impaired children studying in special schools in the above countries, blind and low vision children who were a part of the inclusive model of education, teachers of special schools and teachers of mainstream schools for the purposes of determining the present status in respect of legislative provisions and policies, enrolment status, infrastructural facilities in both types of schools, class room accommodation, peer group response, socio-psychological integration of visually impaired children and teacher preparedness and attitudes. A total of 120 stakeholders were personally interviewed by investigators in the three countries above named. Dr. Anil Aneja was the Principal Investigator of the Study.
The study highlights a number of distressing facts relating to the present scenario in both the special and the inclusive schools and points out many similar trends among the three countries in which this study was conducted. The study also puts forward some useful recommendations for implementation by various ABU country-governments.
Link full text of the study
Presently, the Education Committee and the women’s Committee of the Asian Blind Union are conducting two separate research studies which shall soon be completed.
