Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Allen Huang

Date

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Committee Chair

Clif Mims

Committee Member

Craig Shepherd

Committee Member

Rachel Schles

Committee Member

Luann Ley Davis

Abstract

Students who are blind and visually impaired can use assistive technology (AT) improve their access to the educational environment. Mastering the use of AT is a crucial part of developing long-term independence and productivity in academic, vocational, and leisure settings. However, teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) report poor self-efficacy for teaching and supporting the use of AT. TVIs with low assistive technology self-efficacy (ATSE) may be less likely to use AT with their students, teach and support AT effectively, and persist through difficult experiences with students’ AT. Subsequently, students are at risk of not being exposed to AT that is useful and appropriate to them, and their AT skills may not reach mastery levels necessary for achieving desired outcomes. To date, the literature has not identified or examined any specific factors associated with TVIs’ ATSE. This study conducted such an investigation, using a quantitative, predictive correlational research design to examine the associations between 12 TVI experience factors and TVIs’ ATSE. A survey was distributed to TVIs across the United States, requesting input regarding their experiences, and a novel TVIs’ Assistive Technology Self-Efficacy Scale was developed to measure TVIs’ beliefs regarding their ATSE. The data were analyzed using a hierarchical multiple regression. Four TVI experience factors were found to be predictive of TVIs’ ATSE, and the variable categories of training experience and work experience factors were also found to be predictive of ATSE. These data, along with a variety of descriptive statistics, provide an updated examination of the state of AT in the field of visual impairments; researchers and practitioners now have specific aspects of TVIs’ experiences to design interventions around and further investigate in future research.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

Notes

Open Access

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