Physical Avtivity Among Weak-Sighted Students in Elementary Schools, 1998

The primary objective of the project was to investigate the contemporary situation concerning weak-sighted students' participation in gym class in elementary school, and their level of physical activity after school, with the intention of suggesting remedies to improve their conditions for participation. The variables included were the following: Knowledge, information, planning, cooperation, the role of physical educators, individual learning plans, exercise choices, integration, resources, organizational actions and the students' attitudes towards physical education and activity. The study found that the majority of weak sighted students looked forward to gym class, but had little physical activity in their spare time. For the weakly impaired, the primary motivation for physical activity was friends. While the strongly impaired and the blind put primary importance on facilitation and follow up. More than half of the group claimed a shortage of available activities after school, while three out of four blind students claimed a complete lack of available activities. Teachers were generally found to be well educated in their field, but lacked specific knowledge concerning the weak-sighted and blind. Few had specialized learning plans, and there was a lack of cooperation and exchange of information and knowledge between teachers. The sample consisted of weak sighted students from ten counties in southern Norway. The sample was drawn by visual educators in each county.