TY - JOUR
T1 - Spatial Coding of Individuals With Visual Impairments
AU - Papadopoulos, Konstantinos
AU - Koustriava, Eleni
AU - Kartasidou, Lefkothea
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - The aim of this study is to examine the ability of children and adolescents with visual impairments to code and represent near space. Moreover, it examines the impact of the strategies they use and individual differences in their performance. A total of 30 individuals with visual impairments up to the age of 18 were given eight different object patterns in different arrays and were asked to code and represent each of them. The results revealed better performances by those who use an allocentric approach during spatial coding and those with residual vision. In fact, allocentric strategies were more prevalent in coding near space than egocentric ones. Moreover, the ability of participants to move independently was positively correlated with their ability to use the most effective haptic strategies. These findings suggest that children and adolescents with visual impairments are capable of using allocentric reference and providing a different perspective to the currently dominant one.
AB - The aim of this study is to examine the ability of children and adolescents with visual impairments to code and represent near space. Moreover, it examines the impact of the strategies they use and individual differences in their performance. A total of 30 individuals with visual impairments up to the age of 18 were given eight different object patterns in different arrays and were asked to code and represent each of them. The results revealed better performances by those who use an allocentric approach during spatial coding and those with residual vision. In fact, allocentric strategies were more prevalent in coding near space than egocentric ones. Moreover, the ability of participants to move independently was positively correlated with their ability to use the most effective haptic strategies. These findings suggest that children and adolescents with visual impairments are capable of using allocentric reference and providing a different perspective to the currently dominant one.
KW - near space
KW - spatial coding
KW - spatial representation
KW - visual impairments
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866639302&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0022466910383016
DO - 10.1177/0022466910383016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84866639302
SN - 0022-4669
VL - 46
SP - 180
EP - 190
JO - Journal of Special Education
JF - Journal of Special Education
IS - 3
ER -