Developing University Guidance for the Social Inclusion of Students with Vision Impairment

Dr Ifigeneia Manitsa and Dr Fiona Barlow-Brown

Wednesday 19th June, 12:25-13:10

HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) reports in the academic year 2020/21 that there were 3,450 students enrolled in UK universities whom they categorised as “blind” or as having “a serious visual impairment”.

Dr Ifigeneia Manitsa

Dr Ifigeneia Manitsa is a Teaching Fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham and a Research Fellow in the School of Psychology and the School of Education at the University of Birmingham. I am also a Visiting Lecturer and Supervisor in the Department of Psychology at Kingston University London. I have an extensive teaching and supervision record in undergraduate and postgraduate Psychology modules, as a Lecturer and Module Convenor at four UK Universities (University of Birmingham, Kingston University London, Birkbeck and London Metropolitan University) and as a Guest Lecturer at King’s College London and the University of Lincoln. I am also an independent researcher with eleven years of applied and pedagogical research experience of leading multidisciplinary research projects in the areas of educational inclusion, social emotional development and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities with an emphasis on Vision Impairment. Inclusion of people with disabilities as study participants and as consultants and salaried researchers is a key part of my work. For my research projects, I develop my own advisory groups with children, young people and adults with sensory impairments, and professionals in the field of sensory impairment and also work with people who have lived experience of mental health issues and disabilities.

Dr Fiona Barlow-Brown

Dr Fiona Barlow-Brown am a developmental psychologist at Kingston University where I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Director of Studies. Whilst my research interests cover aspects of developmental, cognitive and social psychology, my expertise primarily lies in the development of children and young people with vision impairment. I have done extensive research looking at a variety of aspects of reading development in young children, particularly the development of braille reading and braille reading difficulties, and letter reversals. More recently my research has involved collaborations with a focus on Social and Academic inclusion and Socio-emotional support in adolescents and university students with vision impairment. I am also currently supervising a number of PhD students including research surrounding transitions into university and support for students with Autism.