Suchergebnisse

In Technikvisionen, Entwicklungsleitbildern und Zukunftsszenarien drücken sich Vorstellungen weitreichender "soziotechnischer Zukünfte" aus, die vorgestellte Technikentwicklungen in Relation zu gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen stellen. Die Technikfolgenabschätzung (TA) stellen sie vor besondere analytische Herausforderungen, die nicht nur die Bewertung der Bedeutungen und Wirkungen dieser Zukunftsvorstellungen in Innovationsprozessen, sondern ebenso die eigene wissenspolitische Positionierung der TA betreffen. Ausgehend von den Forderungen des Diskussionspapiers "Technikfolgenabschätzung von soziotechnischen Zukünften" zur Selbstverortung der TA wird ein Vorschlag gemacht, wie das Vision Assessment der TA seine eigene Rolle reflektieren kann, indem es seine Befassung mit soziotechnischen Zukünften in Forschung, Beratungen und Gestaltung als sozio-epistemische Praktiken begreift und sich wissenspolitisch ausrichtet.

In Technikvisionen, Entwicklungsleitbildern und Zukunftsszenarien drücken sich Vorstellungen weitreichender "soziotechnischer Zukünfte" aus, die vorgestellte Technikentwicklungen in Relation zu gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen stellen. Die Technikfolgenabschätzung (TA) stellen sie vor besondere analytische Herausforderungen, die nicht nur die Bewertung der Bedeutungen und Wirkungen dieser Zukunftsvorstellungen in Innovationsprozessen, sondern ebenso die eigene wissenspolitische Positionierung der TA betreffen. Ausgehend von den Forderungen des Diskussionspapiers "Technikfolgenabschätzung von soziotechnischen Zukünften" zur Selbstverortung der TA wird ein Vorschlag gemacht, wie das Vision Assessment der TA seine eigene Rolle reflektieren kann, indem es seine Befassung mit soziotechnischen Zukünften in Forschung, Beratungen und Gestaltung als sozio-epistemische Praktiken begreift und sich wissenspolitisch ausrichtet. ; Visions of technology, guiding visions, and future scenarios are imaginaries of far-reaching "sociotechnical futures" that relate imagined technological developments to changes in society. They present particular analytical challenges to technology assessment (TA), concerning both the assessment of the meanings and impacts of these imaginaries in innovation processes and the self-reflexive positioning of TA itself within the field of knowledge politics. Answering to the demands of the discussion paper on "Technology assessment of sociotechnical futures" for a self-reflexive positioning of TA in the analyzed processes, a suggestion is made as to how TA's vision assessment can reflect upon its own role by understanding its own research, consulting and design of sociotechnical futures as socio-epistemic practices, positioning itself accordingly in the field of knowledge politics.

This article presents a survey of the demographical, educational and visual functional characteristics of children attending a specialist paediatric low-vision assessment clinic at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Comprehensive data were collected retrospectively from children attending the paediatric lowvision clinic between January 2003 and August 2004 (n = 64). Data collected included clinical and demographic details and educational status. Use was made of a pre-clinic questionnaire to ascertain information regarding schooling and level of support, and child, parental or specialist teacher concerns. Visual functions assessed included distance logMAR acuity, near acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision and when feasible, visual fields. Following refraction, children were evaluated for spectacles and low-vision aids. A key finding to emerge from this study is that children attending the clinic present with a range of visual disorders and levels of visual function. The most common cause of visual impairment was albinism (20%) followed by rod cone dystrophy (10%). It is concluded that a comprehensive assessment of visual function should, when reported to other professionals, permit more relevant adaptations to be incorporated into the educational strategies adopted for the child.

Introduction: This study analyzed 39 data collection tools used by teachers of students with visual impairments when completing functional vision assessments (FVAs). Methods: In 2017, teachers of students with visual impairments submitted data collection tools used in the FVA process. These tools were then compared with the 23 FVA components suggested by two established resources, Erin and Paul and D'Andrea and Farrenkopf. Results: The most commonly assessed skills and abilities were near visual acuity, distance visual acuity, and color perception. Only five of the submitted data collection tools contained at least 80% of the FVA components identified by the established resources. Fewer than 25% of the tools incorporated an orientation and mobility (O&M) screening. Discussion: There was considerable variation in the background information, medical data, and visual skills information that was collected. Variability in the data collected during the FVA process may impact a teacher's recommendations, including referrals for specialized evaluations such as O&M and clinical low vision evaluations. Implications for practitioners: Since FVA reports are used by Individualized Education Program teams, it is essential that data collection tools used during the assessment process are complete and address key areas such as near visual acuity and color perception. Teachers should carefully review their tools to determine whether the data collected are sufficient to make informed recommendations regarding accommodations, goals, and referrals. If the data collected are not sufficient, then the tools should be revised or additional data should be collected.

Introduction: Within the field of visual impairment, there is no set of standards that guide teachers of students with visual impairments as they conduct, report, and share functional vision assessment (FVA) results with other educational team members, and university instructors vary in how they teach the assessment process to preservice teachers. Methods: In parallel, a group of teachers of students with visual impairments and a group of university instructors completed three rounds of a Delphi study. After providing background information in Round 1, they rated 84 statements about the FVA process. The level for consensus was set at 80%. Results: Of the 84 statements, consensus was reached for 45 statements regarding the level of importance by both groups. Participants rated 11 of 22 visual skills (e.g., near acuity, distance acuity) as extremely important to include in the FVA process. Discussion: There continues to be a need to build consensus on when FVAs should be conducted, what visual skills should be included when conducting them, what should be included in reports, and with whom assessment information should be shared. The importance of conducting such assessments for all students, including students under the age of 5 years and those with additional disabilities, needs to be recognized by the field of visual impairment. Implications for practitioners: University personnel need to work together to develop consistent curricula that focuses on the FVA process. Future studies that examine the FVA practices of individual teachers are necessary.

Children who are identified as visually impaired frequently have a functional vision assessment as one way to determine how their visual impairment affects their educational performance. The CVI Range is a functional vision assessment for children with cortical visual impairment. The purpose of the study presented here was to examine the reliability of the CVI Range.

AbstractThe politicisation of the future is gaining attention, especially in research on the impact of emerging technologies on modern societies. This observation has motivated technology assessment (TA) and related research in science and technology studies (STS) to involve transformative practices in their examination of existing socio-technical futures in order to adapt them to societal needs. To this end, participation processes are initiated that aim to bring together different stakeholders, from research and development and beyond, to debate existing visions of the future and to confront the different stakeholders with their own ideas and the consequences thereof. Currently, however, especially in the context of responsible research and innovation (RRI), voices are also calling for reflection on the process of participation itself. We reflect on the process of framing discussions in society based on technical visions of the future from a cultural studies perspective.Building on cultural semiotic analysis and our definition of visions of the future as cultural techniques, this paper discusses the consequences of the orientation along the future in transformative research. Cultural semiotics provides a kind of meta-reflection on the role of research in TA and STS on the politicisation of the future. We fall back on the definition of visions of the future as cultural techniques to show that visions of the future not only originate in modern culture, but also contribute to its further development.Using the example of the transformative vision assessment project on 3D printing futures conducted within the research cluster "3D Matter Made to Order (3DMM2O)", and based on the cultural semiotic approach, we reflect on the prerequisites and limitations of the politicisation of the future and the intervention of transformative vision assessment in politicisation processes. The limitation stems from the fact that vision assessment, and more generally TA, is oriented in its intervention towards visions of the future and thus itself contributes to the further politicisation of the future. To elaborate the preconditions of the dynamic and culture-changing effects of visions of the future, we turn to the concept of cultural mechanism to grasp different steps of the politicisation processes in which vision assessment practices are involved. The role of vision assessment in the politicisation process is unavoidable; however, it can be mitigated by meta-reflection on its own orientation to the future.

General knowledge of eye health and low-vision services is poorly understood by the public, particularly those in underserved and minority communities. A program, funded by the Florida Blue Foundation with leveraged funding from the Peacock Foundation, Inc. and the James Deering Charitable Trust primarily for functional assessment and intervention services, was implemented by the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MLB) over a 3-year period (2016, 2017, and 2018) with three goals: (1) educate community-dwelling seniors about low vision; (2) provide assessment and intervention services to identified seniors living with low vision; and (3) educate healthcare professionals about best practices in serving this population. In this program, community sites serving seniors were identified and educational and screening programs implemented by a low-vision-certified occupational therapist. Seniors with an identified need received low-vision intervention. Pre- and post-program evaluation determined outcomes of educational and interventional services with the seniors. Professional education workshops were implemented annually and evaluated professional learning from low-vision services. This program served 1552 community-dwelling seniors who attended educational sessions on vision health. Participants averaged 76 years and were primarily identified as Hispanic (64%). The Low Vision Independence Measure and the Visual Function Index were used to measure functional performance outcomes. All scores indicated improved performance of functional tasks following the interventions. Three years of annual "Engaging the Low Vision Community Through Education, Research, and Service" workshops (attended by 108 healthcare professionals and students) demonstrated an interest in and improved knowledge of low vision among healthcare professionals and students. The MLB community-based program demonstrated success in increasing knowledge among community-dwelling seniors and healthcare professionals about low vision and the provision of effective low-vision services.

Introduction This study analyzed survey responses from 314 teachers of students with visual impairments regarding the tools and procedures used in completing functional vision assessments (FVAs). Methods Teachers of students with visual impairments in the United States and Canada completed an online survey during spring 2016. Results The majority of participants reported that they primarily assess pre-academic and academic students in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12). More than 95% of all participants indicated that they assess near and distance visual acuity. Other commonly assessed skills and abilities were tracking ( n = 298; 95%), peripheral visual fields (n = 296; 94%), and color perception (n = 293; 93%). Approximately 50% of survey participants indicated that they use a screening tool in determining the need for an orientation and mobility (O&M) evaluation. Discussion The procedures and tools used by participants in completing FVAs varied based on the specific student being assessed. There was also considerable variation in visual skills assessed, as well as in what was included in the assessment report by the participants. Based on comments from participants, it appears that there are complex factors that influence the decision-making process regarding possible referrals for an O&M evaluation or a clinical low vision evaluation. Implications for practitioners Teachers should reflect on their own practices and procedures to determine whether they are including all pertinent information in their FVA reports, as well as explore whether they should assess additional visual skills in order to provide a rich description of how the student uses his or her vision throughout the day in a variety of environments.