of NCBIIreland’s Blind Charity, has issued a series of recommendations to the government to improve the educational experience for blind or visually impaired students.

their report entitled equitable educationdraws on the experiences faced by students and their families and presents solutions to help young people with visual impairments transition to higher education.

Prior to the report, NCBI said that according to a recent AHEAD report, only 282 blind or visually impaired students were enrolled in Disability Assistance Services at colleges in 2020/2021, and that only 282 students were employed in Ireland. Only 24% said they were blind or visually impaired.

Among their recommendations was the need to establish a database of the availability or delays of textbooks in accessible formats, and to designate their distribution as a key performance indicator for the Ministry of Education. It is

They are also reviewing SUSI’s eligibility criteria to include blind or visually impaired students studying part-time, addressing assistive technology shortages, developing transition plans for schools, and improving mobility across the country. We encourage you to raise funds for your support.

Lorna Fitzpatrick One NCBI said: on your own learning.

“This report highlights the variability that exists in the student experience in accessing support, high-quality data on the number of visually impaired students in the education system, or whether current support is enabling these students to thrive. It clearly shows a serious lack of evidence to support

Eisne Walsh Faesch, The Organization for Parents of Children with Low Vision added: A problem highlighted in the report is the lack of equal access to education for students with low vision, which ultimately affects all aspects of their lives.

“No problem is insurmountable and we can take practical solutions that have a profound impact on educational outcomes.”

The Irish National Council for the Blind, established in 1931, was the first voluntary organization to deal with disability issues in Ireland.

Each year we serve over 7,000 blind people and currently serve as an advocate for around 55,000 blind people in Ireland.