VISUAL DISABILITY IN INDIA: A LITERATURE REVIEW OF CHALLENGES, INTERVENTIONS, AND INCLUSIVE STRATEGIES (1990–2020)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v3.i1.2022.5768Keywords:
Visual Disability, Assistive Technology, Inclusive Education, Disability Policy, India, RehabilitationAbstract [English]
Visual disability remains a significant public health and social concern in India, impacting millions of individuals across age groups, particularly in rural and underserved regions. This literature review critically examines the evolution of challenges and interventions related to visual impairment in India between 1990 and 2020. Drawing upon 39 data sources—including 29 peer-reviewed academic studies and 10 reports from government bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—the paper synthesizes key findings across five thematic domains: public health and prevalence, education and inclusion, assistive technology, community-based rehabilitation, and policy frameworks. Despite measurable progress in reducing preventable blindness through initiatives the National Programme for Control of Blindness and the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016), significant barriers persist. These include lack of access to assistive technology, limited inclusive education, socio-economic stigma, and rural-urban disparities in service delivery. However, innovative interventions led by NGOs, emerging digital solutions, and participatory community models have shown promise in promoting inclusion. The review identifies persistent gaps in longitudinal data, regional research, and gender-disaggregated analysis. It concludes with actionable recommendations for policymakers, educators, technologists, and civil society stakeholders to foster an equitable and rights-based approach to visual disability in India.
References
Accessible India Campaign Task Force. (2015). Report on Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan implementation. Government of India.
Apte, S., & Samant, S. (2005). Special schools for children with visual impairment in India: Evolution and trends. Indian Journal of Disability Studies, 20(1), 15–24.
Blind People’s Association. (2021). Annual report on education & rehabilitation services. Pune, India.
Chakshumathi. (2020). DAISY text/Assistive technology annual report. Thiruvananthapuram, India.
Dandona, L., & Dandona, R. (2001). Review of findings of the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study: Policy implications for eye-care services. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 49(4), 215–234.
Dandona, L., Dandona, R., Naduvilath, T. J., McCarty, C. A., & Nanda, A. (1997). Design of a population-based study of visual impairment in India: The Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 45(4), 251–257.
Dandona, L., et al. (2001). Blindness in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 42(5), 908–916.
Das, A., Kuyini, A. B., & Desai, I. (2013). Inclusive education in India: Are the teachers prepared? International Journal of Special Education, 28(1), 27–36.
Gulbarga inclusive education study (2012). Inclusion of children with visual impairment in Karnataka: A qualitative approach. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 27(3), 287–299.
Gundlach, K., et al. (2013). Childhood visual impairment and its causes in school-based population: A survey in Karnataka. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 61(1), 69–71.
Jyothirgamaya Foundation. (2020). Annual report: Mobile education for the visually impaired. Trivandrum, India.
Krishnaiah, S., Srinivas, M., Khanna, R. C., Rao, G. N., & Shamanna, B. R. (2005). Population-based assessment of refractive error in India: The Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study. Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, 33(6), 493–499.
Kumar, S., & Anwar, M. (2004). Challenges in teaching visually impaired students in Indian classrooms. Indian Educational Review, 40(1), 36–49.
Milinga, M., & Possi, M. (2015). Social support for students with visual impairments in inclusive schools. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 33(2), 142–154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25159/2312-3540/21
Mitra Jyothi. (2020). Annual Report on Training and Independent Living Skills. Bangalore, India.
Mulrow, C. D., et al. (2000). Monitoring visual outcome of cataract surgery in India. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 78(4), 455–460.
Murthy, G. V. S., et al. (2001). Population-based eye survey of older adults in rural Rajasthan. II. Outcomes of cataract surgery. Ophthalmology, 108(4), 686–692. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0161-6420(00)00578-9
National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD). (2020). Assistive technology audit in blind schools. Dehradun, India.
Nayak, P., & Reddy, S. (2021). Educational inequalities and visual impairment among older adults in India. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 36(2), 271–279.
Neena, J., Rachel, J., Praveen, V., Murthy, G. V. S., & Shamanna, B. R. (2008). Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in India: A population-based survey. PLOS ONE, 3(8), e2867. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002867
Pandey, A. (2018). Comparative study of adjustment of visually impaired students in integrated and special schools. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(11), 2562–2571. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2018.061121
Raj, A. (2015). Inclusive classroom practices: Comparative study in Delhi schools. Journal of Inclusive Education, 9(1), 20–32.
Rao, G. N., Khanna, R. C., Athota, S. M., Rajshekar, V., & Rani, P. K. (2012). Integrated model of primary and secondary eye care for underserved areas: The LV Prasad Institute experience. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 60(5), 396–400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0301-4738.100533
Rao, N. R., & Vijayalakshmi, P. (2002). The evolving role of special schools in the context of inclusive education. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 22(2), 123–134.
Singh, R. (2013). Empowerment through employment: Visual disability and vocational training programs in Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 38(2), 107–116.
Thomas, A., & Bhatia, A. (2015). “I seriously wanted to opt for science…” Visual impairment and higher education in India. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(12), 1261–1276.
UNESCO (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. Paris: UNESCO.
WHO (2019). World report on vision. Geneva: World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2001). International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Geneva: WHO.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Dr. Kawal Gill
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
