Abstract:

Mobility is an important aspect of independence for people with blindness and visual impairment (BVI). For students with BVI, the ability to move independently means autonomy and affects self-confidence. In addition, greater independence provides the opportunity to expand social networks and build social capital through which students with visual impairment can perform academic and daily activities more effectively.

The aim of this paper is to investigate how orientation and mobility training contributes to independence in academic and daily activities of student with BVI. In this qualitative study, a cogent and purposive sample was used. The criteria for inclusion of participants were:
(1) blindness or visual impairment;
(2) completed orientation and mobility training;
(3) students at the University of Zagreb.

5 students with BVI participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic content analysis. The results of the study highlight several key themes that speak about independent mobility as a factor for successful study. Students with BVI emphasise the motivation to study as a key aspect in their decision to train in independent mobility. In both study and training, the issue of the relationship between the immediate and wider social environment is discussed as a support during training and study. A separate topic is the attitude of students to the use of a white cane and how this is perceived by those around students with BVI. Finally, the study and mobility of students with BVI is characterised by the issue of accessibility of faculty spaces.

This is the first study in the Republic of Croatia that gives an insight into the challenges of orientation and mobility from the perspective of students with BVI. The results and conclusions of this research also reveal significant deficits in rehabilitation and access to higher education for students with BVI, who only receive real support after they have arrived at university, often resulting in a longer period of adjustment to academic and daily responsibilities.

Keywords:

Students, blindness, visual impairment, orientation and mobility.