Socio-Emotional Challenges faced by the Students with Visual Impairment in Mainstream Educational Settings

The study aimed to explore the impact of socio-emotional challenges faced by student with visual impairment in mainstream educational settings. The research was descriptive in nature. Survey design was used in the study to approach the participants and collect data for the research. The population of this study consisted of all the students with visual impairment currently studying in public mainstream educational institutions of the district Faisalabad. Convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample. A sample of 50 students with visual impairment was chosen to collect the data for the study from mainstream educational institutes of district Faisalabad. In the present study, a questionnaire containing 38 questions was framed for the students with visual impairment. All the questions were close ended. Researchers visited University of Education Lahore Faisalabad Campus, Government College University Faisalabad, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and approached the students with visual impairment. The data was collected by hand. The analysis of the data was made though SPSS in term of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The results of the study showed that socio-emotional challenges faced by the student with visual impairment included the lack of caring attitude disturbs their feelings, and avoid to share ideas with them by normal peers. The socio-emotional challenges of students with visual impairment were moderately impacting the mental health of the students with visual impairment in terms of negative remarks of others making them sad, and feel anxious about the future education and employment, and harsh attitude of peers was making them feel angered. Students with visual impairment have good self-concept. Students with visual impairment were considering them a good learner, able to complete their studies, as well as able to understand the lessons quite easily. The impact of socio-emotional challenges on academic performance of the students was not very significant. Although students were feeling bored at the school, refuse and avoid to take part in learning activities, and negative behavior of others urge to dropout from the school.