This study was conducted to find out the characteristics of students with retinitis
pigmentosa visual impairment and their needs for education support. To that end,
in-depth interviews were done on 5 students enrolled in a visually impaired school
located in Chungbuk province, and the collected contents were analyzed. From the
analysis, the following results were summed up:
First, as for the characteristics of the visual environment of students with
retinitis pigmentosa visual impairment, the responses indicated that the symptom
occurs in diverse age scope from juvenile to middle age, with some progressing
slowly, and others quickly, and all the study subjects maintained residual visual acuity.
Initial symptoms included night blindness, dazzling and decrease in visual field. As for
visual acuity for reading, the respondents answered that since general correction
methods are not that effective, they read large characters or regular print by using
video magnifier.
Second, as for the education support for students with retinitis pigmentosa visual
impairment, the respondents remarked that classrooms require non-optical aids like
curtain to prevent direct influx of bright sunlight, and wide desk and power supply
devices to use assistive technology. In reading material, the study subjects preferred
to reading bold large characters or regular prints by using video magnifier.