Between Dec 19, 2024 and Jan 2, 2025, datasets can be submitted to DRUM but will not be processed until after the break. Staff will not be available to answer email during this period, and will not be able to provide DOIs until after Jan 2. If you are in need of a DOI during this period, consider Dryad or OpenICPSR. Submission responses to the UDC may also be delayed during this time.
 

Exploring the Academic and Social Integration of Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired Attending a Saudi Arabian University

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Persistent link to this item

Statistics
View Statistics

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Title

Exploring the Academic and Social Integration of Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired Attending a Saudi Arabian University

Published Date

2022-08

Publisher

Type

Thesis or Dissertation

Abstract

There is a dearth of evaluation and research on academic and social integration for college students who are blind and visually impaired (BVI), not only in Saudi Arabia, but around the globe. Failure to integrate students academically and socially at the university could affect the student's self-esteem, self-determination, and sense of belonging, which may ultimately lead to attrition. This exploratory study sought to understand the academic and social experiences of college students who are BVI in a public university in Saudi Arabia, from their perspective. A qualitative method was used to collect the data for this study. 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted. 14 students who were BVI and four administrators were interviewed. The interviews were conducted in Arabic and translated to English for the analysis. The results of the study revealed that the university, through the male and female disability centers, provided a number of academic and social services to support students who are BVI. The male and female students reported different experiences at the university, with the male students experiencing greater barriers than female students. Both male and female students reported academic and social barriers that prevented them from being fully included at the university. Some of these barriers included inaccessible course materials, inaccessible lectures, inaccessible physical environment, and inaccessible social events/activities. The administrators were aware of these barriers and were working towards remedying them. The findings revealed a need to 1) raise more awareness about blindness and how it affects the individual at the university through trainings and workshops for both students and faculty, and 2) conduct more research and evaluation about blindness and how blindness affects students academically and socially. The results can be used to develop disability awareness and assessment tools for the services and accommodations provided to students who are BVI.

Description

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. August 2022. Major: Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development. Advisor: David Johnson. 1 computer file (PDF); xi, 193 pages.

Related to

Replaces

License

Collections

Series/Report Number

Funding information

Isbn identifier

Doi identifier

Previously Published Citation

Other identifiers

Suggested citation

Ajaj, Roqayah. (2022). Exploring the Academic and Social Integration of Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired Attending a Saudi Arabian University. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/243085.

Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.