Perceptions of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments on the Importance of Physical Activity and its Effect on their Students' Academic Success and Social Interactions

Abstract

More than 60% of the adult population in the United States is overweight, and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in this country. Childhood obesity has more than doubled since 1990, and the health consequences are reflected in the rising cost of health care. There has also been a significant drop in physical activity across the country and physical education is no longer required in middle schools. The lack of physical activity and issues of weight can compromise the ability of the individual who is blind or visually impaired to maneuver through the environment safely and efficiently. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of itinerant teachers of students with visual impairments about the importance of physical activity for their students with visual impairments and its effect on academic success and social relationship.Data was gathered from 175 teachers of students with visual impairments concerning their perceptions regarding the importance of physical activity and obesity and their relationship with academic success and social relationships. The teachers indicated that physical activity for their students is very important. They described a multitude of barriers that account for a lack of involvement in the general physical education classes in which they were enrolled.Teachers reported on their own personal physical activity levels in relationship to the importance they placed on their students' need to be active. The teachers did not indicate that being overweight was a particular issue with their visually impaired students, but they acknowledged that being overweight and a lack of physical activity create additional barriers for academic success and appropriate social relationships.The teachers also reported that the same barriers in physical education classes and access to recreation activities in the community that have been listed in past research studies were still in existence, and these barriers were also part of their dilemma in creating positive physical activity experiences for their students who are visually impaired. This study validated the necessity of further research to find the effective intervention strategies and programs to increase physical activity of students with visual impairments.