Disability Inclusion Matters

What is Visual Impairment? Visual impairment is an umbrella term that accommodates all types and degrees of visual loss or deviation. A child who has low vision or partial sightedness: Myopia (Short sightedness), hyperopia (Long sightedness) astigmatism (blurred vision) or no light perception (total blindness) or has restricted central vision or has lost sight in one eye is considered a child with visual impairment. These instances typify some form of loss or deviation or damage of the visual apparatus and therefore are regarded as visual impairment. In this context, visual impairment is referred to both blindness and low vision. Visual impairment can be defined legally and educationally. This context adopts the educational definition of visual impairment which considers the ability or degree of a child to use visual ability educationally. Educationally, a child with low vision is the one who has some residual vision, and therefore can read enlarged prints. On the other side, an educat

          Hearing impairment is an umbrella term covering all types and degree of hearing loss, those that are considered as deaf and those regarded as hard of hearing. The U.S. Education Department defines hearing loss "a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance". While, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines hearing loss as "hearing impairment whether permanent or not, that affects a child's educational performance. This definition includes children who have the capacity to receive some auditory stimuli, including speech and language; this capacity is known as residual hearing, which can be supported by the use of a hearing aid". On other hand, "hearing loss/impairment results when the hearing apparatus is damage or limited in its function to such an extent that sou