RNIB highlights education failings

These are the findings of a new report published by the Royal Institute for the Blind (RNIB) this week. It claims to expose 'a series of failings' after carrying out research with over 1,000 visually impaired youngsters. The report, Shaping the Future, includes charges made against the educational system, which education secretary David Blunkett has moved quickly to try to address. The study's claims included that children attending mainstream schools were often given educational materials in a format they could not read, rather than large print, audio tape or braille. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) frequently failed to get accessible handouts or worksheets, and 31 per cent received inaccessible test papers. Universities were found to be even less equipped to meet the needs of blind and partially-sighted students, with 47 per cent of college or higher education students unable to get books in their preferred reading formats. Mr Blunkett has responded by stating that the Government was committed to equality in education and that an Educational Needs and Disability Bill, making it illegal for councils to discriminate, would be introduced as soon as possible. The RNIB report also suggested that many visually impaired children were bullied, and the inaccessibility of local leisure activities further compounded experiences of isolation. A campaign backed by celebrities, Harry Hill and Lorraine Kelly, to combat the prejudice encountered by blind and partially-sighted children was launched this week by the charity.