Inclusive pedagogical and assessment practices for visually impaired students: Shifting from a deficit to an asset based approach

Abstract

This paper examines inclusive pedagogical and assessment practices for visually impaired students, advocating a shift from a deficit to an asset-based approach. Through narrative inquiry and literature analysis, the barriers faced by students with visual disabilities and lecturers, as well as  implementation challenges and emerging best practices in South African higher education institutions, are explored. Despite progressive policy frameworks, significant gaps exist between policy intentions and classroom realities, leaving students and lecturers marginalised, with staff often feeling overwhelmed and incapacitated, and students feeling vulnerable, excluded, and disempowered in the educational process. The research reveals how traditional deficit-focused accommodations have inadvertently reinforced exclusion rather than promoting inclusion. Calling for an asset-based humanised approach that recognises students with visual disabilities as valuable contributors to educational environments rather than ‘problems requiring fixing’. This transformative approach necessitates reimagining pedagogical practices, assessment methods, and institutional support systems to harness technological innovations while centring visually impaired students’ diverse capabilities and knowledge contributions.