Assistive Technology for Teaching Visually Impaired Agricultural Science Students in Secondary Schools

Abstract

The paper aimed at exploring the assistive technology for teaching visually impaired agricultural science student. Assistive technology is a technology used by individuals with visual impairment in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technologies like the use of braille device, electronic magnifiers, screen reader and white canes has been made to assist person with visual impairment. Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Visual deficiency (VD), also referred to as vision impairment or loss of vision, is a diminished capacity to see to a degree that creates complications that are not normally fixable, such as glasses. It is believed that when an individual is visually impaired his learning, social interaction, locomotion, general operation and adjustment are bound to be adversely affected. According to the CDC and the World Health Organization (2022) the classification of visual acuity and impairment includes: Low visual acuity means vision between 20/70 and 20/400 with the best possible correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less;  The roles of teachers in teacher visual impaired students are evident in assessment and evaluation; Educational and instructional strategies and learning environment. It was recommended that increased funding of the teaching and learning  among visual impaired and curriculum content of agricultural education should be enrich to meet the demand of visual impaired student.