Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine what perceptions preservice mathematics teachers have about visually impaired persons and their environments. Seventy volunteer preservice mathematics teachers participated in the study. In this qualitative research, data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and “Draw a Visually Impaired Person and his/her Environment-DAVIPE” test. The results showed that perceptions of preservice mathematics teachers on visually impaired persons are in five different categories as outdoor environment, indoor environment, abstract environment, dark environment and aid-available environment. Besides, it was also determined that perceptions of preservice mathematics teachers on visually impaired persons have six different sources such as physical, emotional, sensorial, environmental, educational and mental. According to this, visually impaired persons are generally the people who can move freely with white canes, wear glasses, are happy, have improved auditory and tactual senses, and have easy lives with proper environmental arrangements, however, suffer from difficulties from insensitivities of other people, for whom accessible educational environments should be provided, and who have a rich dream world.

Keywords: