Tesfaye, E. K., & Hailu, B. H. (2024). Including students with visual impairments in local schools of Ethiopia: Availability of resources and support services . Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness , 118 (3), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X241234672

Specific accommodations were not examined; the focus of the study was on the availability of supports and resources for students with visual impairments. While not the focus of the study, read aloud on assessments by sighted peers or teachers was mentioned by participants when describing test administration as a major challenge.

Thirteen students with visual impairments from two primary (elementary) and four secondary (middle and high) schools in two districts in Ethiopia participated in semi-structured interviews. Of these students, nine were blind, and four had low vision, ranging from grades 5–11, with ages between 16 and 28 years. Special needs education specialists who served as inclusive education resource center coordinators at each of the six schools also participated in interviews.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information from students with visual impairments and special needs education specialists. Researchers also visited inclusive education resource centers at sampled schools and used a checklist to document available resources and support services for students with visual impairments. Triangulation of sources and member checks were used to ensure credibility of the study findings.

Examinations were not administered in braille, requiring students with visual impairments to take tests orally with sighted peers or teachers reading questions aloud and recording responses. Students reported significant challenges during examinations, including difficulty communicating responses for complex questions (particularly matching items), teachers unwilling to repeat questions or allow students to skip and return to questions, and inaccurate recording of their responses. Group examination administration (where one teacher simultaneously tested multiple students with visual impairments) was particularly problematic, with students expressing frustration over the limitations of using finger signals to indicate answers and inadequate examination environments.