Research Paper on:
Social Interaction and Visual Impairment

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
school. Many journal articles have suggested that while the issue of inclusion and social interaction is addressed, no one seems to be forthcoming with the solution or the steps that  would be necessary for disabled children to truly interact and mix with a peer group. Social interaction, though, is paramount and it is necessary for the emotional health of any  human being. If one were to ask any kid what being excluded meant, the answers would probably range from being ignored to being worried about their own physical safety. Quite  often, it is stated, children with disabilities have delayed or very immature communication skills and therefore their social interactions with a peer group may seem immature or inappropriate for their  age. In fact, this may also mean that they develop in a different sequential way socially than do those with normal sightedness. Consider how important non-verbal cues are for learning  social skills. Everything from a look of scorn to a dangerous warning stance are not perceived by the visually impaired person. Kekelis stated in a study of the problem that  a number of factors may cause roadblocks in social development. "Visual impairment may threaten the early attachment of parents to the infant. The parents may reject the child from disappointment  or guilt, or they may find the child unresponsive. The child cannot discern visual cues, such as gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact. When the parent smiles, the child does  not smile back. The resulting parental neglect deprives the child of much early experience in socialization"(Gourgey, 1998). This would seem to be a never ending spiraling of avoidance on the  part of the sighted because very young children prefer playmates who are responsive and therefore perceived as being friendly. "Without the active support of teachers, the visually impaired childs isolation