Blind Children 'Failed' By Education Says Report

Research revealed on Monday shows blind Irish children are not getting the support they need in school, with just one in six making it to third level education.

The report said the significant lack of Braille books and specialist technology in schools mean blind children are being disadvantaged.

Only 17% of blind and visually impaired pupils go on to university while 55% of their sighted counterparts earn a place, according to the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (Ahead).

The body is calling on the government to take action and has come up with a series of recommendations including providing DVDs and CDs with all school text books.

Executive Director of Ahead, Ann Heelan, said: "Children must wait an unacceptable length of time before receiving a Braille book and often they do not get the entire book, but a chapter at a time,"

"It seems impossible to guarantee that a small group of children, 400 to 500 at most, can easily obtain books in Braille or electronic format.

"The research shows that blind and visually impaired children are very disadvantaged at secondary level as they are not getting the basic resources like books that other children take for granted."

Ahead is unable to estimate how many blind children are in schools but visiting specialist teachers deal with around 226 in the secondary system.

The research - 'Seeing Ahead: A Study of Factors Affecting Blind and Visually Impaired Students going on to Higher Education' - also reveals that while the number of mainstream pupils going on to third level has soared, the amount of blind kids have remained the same.

A number of recommendations have been outlined in the report which will be forwarded to the Department of Education.

These include the establishment of a database for blind children, a review of the current visiting teacher service, setting up a formal programme of Braille instruction and computer training and including DVDs and CDs with all school text books.

(DW)