| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this paper was to determine the following research questions:
(1A) What is the frequency and perception of collaboration between English as a second language (ESL) teachers and teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs)?
(1B) Does the frequency and perception of collaboration differ for professionals based on their students’ visual impairments (i.e., having low vision compared to blindness)?
(2) Does the frequency and perception of collaboration vary for teachers based on individual demographics, such as their perceived preparedness from their teacher education programs or in- service training? Survey results from 81 ESL teachers and 72 TVIs were analyzed. Participants reported about their collaboration regarding 105 students, 61 of which had low vision and 44 of which were blind. The average total collaboration score was 71.95 out of a possible total score of 110. ESL teachers collaboration with a TVI was more frequent when the student was blind compared to when a student had low vision. TVI collaboration with ESL teachers collaborated at the same frequency regardless of if the student was low vision or blind. No statistically significant relationship was found between a participant’s perception and frequency of collaboration and the student’s visual impairment. These results have implications for both professional practice and teacher preparation programs. | en_US |
