Teacher Attitudes

This dissertation addresses the general experience of foreign language learners of high school and college age who are totally blind and who study in regular classroom settings. In a qualitative study, interviews were conducted with five nearsighted students, their foreign language classroom teachers, and teachers of students with visual impairments. A case study approach was utilized in an effort to allow each participant to tell as much of his or her own story as possible. Topics discussed include foreign language theory and strategy, social skills and interaction with sighted teachers and peers, and strategies for obtaining access to adaptive technology and to materials in alternate formats that make study of a foreign language possible for students who are blind. Results of the study indicate: (1) participants believed that the ability to communicate in a written format with regular classroom teachers who have no knowledge of Braille was of paramount importance; (2) participants believed tha