ABSTRACT
Visually impaired students, including blind students, often reflect about having unfavourable experiences in physical education, oftentimes characterised by marginalisation and exclusion from activities. The aim of this chapter is to critique strategies that are recommended for teaching and supporting visually impaired students in physical education. Specific focus is cast on the use of learning support assistants, at times referred to as paraeducators or teacher aids in the academic literature, peer tutoring, tactile modelling and physical guidance and activity modifications. While there is some published literature suggesting the use of these strategies, little empirical data exists that supports their utility. Conflictingly, the value of most strategies presented has been undermined by visually impaired individuals when reflecting on their experiences. This chapter ends by encouraging scholars to strengthen research and soften language when promoting these activities, and for teachers to engage in meaningful and ongoing conversations with visually impaired students when attempting to support them educationally with these strategies.
