Psychosocial Challenges of Students with Visual Impairment in Inclusive Education Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study from Delhi NCR

Abstract

Students with visual impairment (VI) in inclusive educational settings encounter a distinctive constellation of psychosocial challenges that frequently remain invisible within policy-driven discourses of inclusive education. This study examines the nature, extent, and underlying mechanisms of these challenges as experienced by visually impaired students, their teachers, and special educators across inclusive schools in Delhi NCR. Employing a mixed-methods case study design, the research collected data from 49 visually impaired students, 7 special education teachers, and 35 regular teachers through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and observation checklists. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed five interconnected themes: teacher attitudes and low academic expectations, communication barriers in instructional delivery, pedagogical skill deficits in inclusive classrooms, discrimination and stigmatization, and systemic infrastructural inadequacies. Findings indicate that while policy frameworks such as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provide robust legislative mandates for inclusion, implementation remains fragmented, with less than one-third of schools meeting basic accessibility standards and fewer than 35% of teachers receiving inclusive education training . The study concludes that meaningful inclusion requires moving beyond compliance-oriented practices toward systematic investment in teacher professional development, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches, accessible infrastructure, and school-based psychosocial support systems.