Social Acceptance of Mainstreamed Students with Visual Impairment at Public Education Schools

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to identify the social acceptance level of visually impaired students mainstreamed at public education schools. The randomly selected stratum sample (n=90) consisted of visually impaired students (n=30) mainstreamed in a regular classroom (n=60) at the Bishopric Catholic School in Irbid. The social acceptance scale was developed and tested for reliability and validity. Results showed that self-reported acceptance of the other was rated moderately and placed top by visually impaired students (M=3.66). Similarly, social acceptance of blind students was rated moderately by normal students and placed in the second rank (M=4.62). Finally, in the third rank of the social acceptance of visually impaired was placed (M=3.46) by normal students. Differences attributed to impairment level were found in favor partially impaired within the area of visually impaired student's acceptance of others; and no differences were found in social acceptance level of visually impaired attributed to gender. The authors recommended organzing training workshops to raise awareness and lectures to increase social acceptance of visually impaired students to facilitate their mainstreaming.