Describe the concept of the expanded core curriculum and areas of ...

[crobinson2013]

Describe the concept of the expanded core curriculum and areas of potential modification to curricula for students with visual impairments.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How might a visual impairment affect a child in one of the following areas: cognitive, physical, or language development?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[akudia]

Answer to Question 1

The expanded core curriculum is the existing core curriculum plus the additional areas of learning needed by students who are visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities. Additional areas may include compensatory academic skills, including communication modes; orientation and mobility; social interaction skills; independent living skills; recreation and leisure skills; career education; use of assistive technology, and visual efficiency skills.
Issues addressed by inclusion also apply hereincluding students with visual impairments in all class activities, using texts and other content materials that describe students with visual impairments, and so on. Additional elements of the curriculum might include orientation and mobility training and development of listening skills. Further resources might include Braille books, audio resources and books on tape, and low-vision aids.

Answer to Question 2

Cognitive development: Children may have difficulty developing associations between words and actual objects if they are unable to touch or physically feel the object. Blindness may also affect cognitive development by limiting one type of experiential encounter with the world (for example, colors).

 Physical: Motoric development may be impeded due to lack of feedback from the environment for establishing spatial relations and perception (for example, depth, visual figure ground).
 Social: Reading interpersonal messages from body language (stance, proximity, facial expression) is difficult without visual feedback.