Vision is not required for developing number sense and math skills in BVI learners¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Blind children build number understanding through number words first rather than finger-based exploration. → Steinbach 2022

Evidence¶

Steinbach 2022¶

Steinbach, S. (2022). Looking beyond vision: Supports for students who are blind or visually impaired in mathematics. NWEA. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/looking-beyond-vision-supports-for-students-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired-in-mathematics/

q2 · i? · qualitative · r?

The review attributes to Ahlberg & Csocsán (1999), a study of 25 Hungarian children aged 5 to 9 born blind, the finding that BVI children "start their understanding by knowing numbers as words first" rather than using fingers for number exploration.

"Ahlberg & Csocsán (1999) discovered that BVIs do not use their fingers to explore numbers like children with sight generally do, but rather, start their understanding by knowing numbers as words first; their fingers are primarily used for exploration of the world around them."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Access — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
• Number Sense — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Math achievement of BVI students lags sighted peers and the gap widens with age — reports the opposite
• A multisensory tablet with tonal and vibration feedback produced no significant difference in graphics-comprehension accuracy compared with tactile graphics — related
• Extra adult handling increases exploratory behavior in blind infants — related
• Auditory math access works best when the technology is familiar: Math Speak aided expression identification, and BVI students performed similarly to or slightly better than traditional methods with familiar apps — related
• BVI students in schools with more academic supports outperform on standardized math tests — related