Visually handicapped students in higher education: the position in eastern Europe

Carrington‐Porter, D. M., Patton, B. and Roy, A. W.N. (1994) Visually handicapped students in higher education: the position in eastern Europe. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 9(1), pp. 40-51. (doi: 10.1080/0885625940090104)

Abstract

This article is based on findings made by members of the Student Support Service of the Royal National Institute for the Blind during study visits to Hungary, Poland and Czecho‐Slovakia in June and September 1991 and during attendance at a conference in Prague in November 1991. All these visits were funded by the EC under the Tempus scheme ‐ Trans European Mobility Programme for University Students. The present position of students who have a significant visual disability was assessed against a background of the services available to such students in Britain and Ireland. Information was sought on students’ studies, the support services available from universities, local societies for the blind and other sources. Interviews showed that a significant number of visually handicapped students were studying in higher education, aided generally by supportive friends and staff. However, a considerable lack of specialist material and equipment was revealed and, in certain cases also, a lack of awareness of special needs. There appeared to be little knowledge of the numbers of students with high partial sight, or of their particular requirements. Recommendations for change are made and discussed in relation to personal, financial, vocational and technical requirements, in the short‐, medium‐ and long‐term, bearing in mind economic constraints within the countries concerned.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Roy, Dr Archie
• Authors: Carrington‐Porter, D. M., Patton, B., and Roy, A. W.N.
• College/School: University Services > Student and Academic Services > Student Services
• Journal Name: European Journal of Special Needs Education
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0885-6257
• ISSN (Online): 1469-591X
• Published Online: 09 July 2006