Skip to content
e‑ISSN 2148-905X Open Access · CC BY 4.0
Vol. 13 · Issue 2 · 2026 Jun 15, 2026 Research Article

Understanding Visually Impaired Individuals: Primary School Students’ Experiences of Movement Education with Empathy Track

FM
Fatih Mirze Muş Alparslan University Varto Giyasettin Bingol Vocational School, Muş, Türkiye Turkey
AY
Atike Yılmaz Muş Alparslan University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Muş, Türkiye Turkey
SA
Sevval Akaydin Corresponding Muş Alparslan University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Muş, Türkiye sevvalakydn@gmail.com Turkey
KK
Kazim Kucuker Ministry of National Education, Şehit Kuddusi Demli Primary School, Ankara, Türkiye Turkey
Pages194-215 PublishedJun 15, 2026 LicenseOpen Access
PDF
VOL 13 · ISS 2 · 2026 Sportive Perspective: Journal of Sports and Educational Sciences View issue

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the empathy track and movement education experiences of primary school students. The study group consisted of 89 students who continued their education at a primary school affiliated to the Balıkesir Provincial Directorate of National Education and participated in the study voluntarily. The study research design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Data were collected using four semi-structured interview questions and a personal information form prepared by the researchers, and interviews were taken from the students about their experiences before and after the application. Content analysis technique was used in the study. In the findings obtained, two main themes and seven sub-themes were determined before the activity, and two main themes and three sub-themes were determined in the findings after the activity. While positive expressions were determined in three sub-themes in the pre-activity data, it was determined that the expressions used in four sub-themes were negative. In the post-activity data, it was determined that three sub-themes connected to one main theme contained two negative expressions, while the expressions used in one main theme were negative. As a result, it was determined that the participants’ experiences after the activity were positive, but the experiences were negative in some participants. It was concluded that the applied movement training course was more effective in students’ empathy towards disabled individuals than learning by doing and experiencing.

Keywords

#Empathy track #experience #pimary school #visually impaired

References

  1. Agarwal, M., & Agarwal, R. N. (2023). Tactile abstraction of the visually ımpaired-An empathetic approach. In International Conference on Research into Design Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 12(342), 199-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0264-4_18
  2. Akaydın, Ş., & Yılmaz, A. (2023). Empathy and awareness studies in sport sciences: How aware of ınadequacies are we?. Journal of Sports and Science, 1(2), 1-12 https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/sporvebilim/issue/80433/1312134
  3. Akbulut İnan, S., & İlhan, E. L. (2021). Engellilerde beden eğitimi ve spor dersine yönelik lisansüstü tezlerin incelenmesi. Beden Egitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 15(2), 214-226. https://izlik.org/JA28KE85AR
  4. Aktan, O., Budak, Y., & Botabekovna, A. B. (2019). Determination of social acceptance levels of primary school students towards ınclusive students: A mixed method study. Elementary Education Online, 18(4), 1520-1538 https://doi.org/ 10.17051/ilkonline.2019.632374
  5. Alkan, İ., & Selvi, H. (2022). Investigation of empatic tendencies of students praticipating in the educational game for the visually ımpaired. Journal of Physical Education Sports Health and Effort, 1(2), 1-9
  6. Allen-Collinson, J., Hall, D. L., & Jackman, P. C. (2024). Intercorporeality in visually impaired running-together: Auditory attunement and somatic empathy. The Sociological Review, 72(1), 175-193. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261231163431
  7. Barbieri, M. C., Broekman, G. V. D. Z., Souza, R. O. D. D., Lima, R. A. G. D., Wernet, M., & Dupas, G. (2016). Support network for families of children and adolescents with visual impairment: Strengths and weaknesses. Ciencia & Saude Coletiva, 21(10), 3213-3223. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320152110.19562016
  8. Bebetsos, E., Derri, V., Zafeiriadis, S., & Kyrgiridis, P. (2013). Relationship among students’ attitudes, intentions and behaviors towards the inclusion of peers with disabilities, in mainstream physical education classes. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 5(3), 233-248. https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/24
  9. Belay, M. A., & Yihun, S. G. (2020). The challenges and opportunities of visually impaired students in inclusive education: The case of bedlu. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(2), 112-124. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2020060437
  10. Block, M. E., Haegele, J., Kelly, L., & Obrusnikova, I. (2021). Exploring future research in adapted physical education. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 92(3), 429-442. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2020.1741500
  11. Brunes, A., Hansen, M. B., & Heir, T. (2021). General self-efficacy in individuals with visual impairment compared with the general population. PLoS One, 16(7), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254043
  12. Brydges, C., & Mkandawire, P. (2017). Perceptions and concerns about inclusive education among students with visual impairments in Lagos, Nigeria. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 64(2), 211-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2016.1183768
  13. Burton, M. J., Ramke, J., Marques, A. P., Bourne, R. R., Congdon, N., Jones, I., ... & Faal, H. B. (2021). The lancet global health commission on global eye health: Vision beyond 2020. The Lancet Global Health, 9(4), 489-551. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30488-5
  14. Byrne, B. (2022). How inclusive is the right to inclusive education? An assessment of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities’ concluding observations. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(3), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1651411
  15. Coşkun, M. K., & Şimşek, U. (2021). Evaluation of social studies course activities developed for students with visually ımpaired. Turkish Studies Education, 16(3), 1453-1472. https://dx.doi.org/10.47423/TurkishStudies.49818
  16. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th Ed.). SAGE Publications.
  17. Demmin, D. L., & Silverstein, S. M. (2020). Visual ımpairment and mental health: Unmet needs and treatment options. Clinical Ophthalmology, 2020(14), 4229-4251. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S258783
  18. Fraser, M. W., & Galinsky, M. J. (2010). Steps in intervention research: Designing and developing social programs. Research on Social Work Practice, 20(5), 459-466. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731509358424
  19. Furrer, V., Valkanover, S., Eckhart, M., & Nagel, S. (2020). The role of teaching strategies in social acceptance and interactions; Considering students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive physical education. Frontiers in Education, 5(586960), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.586960
  20. Giese, M., Ruin, S., Baumgärtner, J., & Haegele, J. A. (2021). “… and after That Came Me”. Subjective constructions of social hierarchy in physical education classes among youth with visual ımpairments in Germany. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010946
  21. Haegele, J. A. (2019). Inclusion ıllusion: Questioning the ınclusiveness of ıntegrated physical education. Quest, 71(4), 387-397. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2019.1602547
  22. Haegele, J. A., & Porretta, D. (2015). Physical activity and school-age individuals with visual impairments: A literature review. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 32(1), 68-82. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2013-0110
  23. Haegele, J. A., & Zhu, X. (2017). Experiences of individuals with visual impairments in integrated physical education: A retrospective study. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 88(4), 425-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2017.1346781
  24. İlhan Ildız, G., & Tezel, D. (2018). Engelli bireylere yönelik tutumlara ilişkin Türkiye’de gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların incelenmesi. Uluslararası Bilimsel Araştırmalar Dergisi (Ibad), 3(2), 599-609. https://doi.org/10.21733/ibad.428743
  25. Jessup, G., Bundy, A. C., Broom, A., & Hancock, N. (2017). The social experiences of high school students with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 111(1), 5-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X17111001
  26. Kart, A., & Kart, M. (2021). Academic and social effects of inclusion on students without disabilities: A review of the literature. Education Sciences, 11(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010016
  27. Kendi, I. X. (2020). How to raise an antiracist. Random House Publishing Group.
  28. Knafo, A., Zahn‐Waxler, C., Davidov, M., van Hulle, C., Robinson, J. L., & Rhee, S. H. (2009). Empathy in early childhood: Genetic, environmental, and affective contributions. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1167(1), 103-114. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04540.x
  29. Krösl, K., Medeiros, M. L., Huber, M., Feiner, S., & Elvezio, C. (2023). Exploring the educational value and ımpact of vision-ımpairment simulations on sympathy and empathy with XREye. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 7(7), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti7070070
  30. Lieberman, L. J., Lepore, M., Lepore-Stevens, M., & Ball, L. (2019). Physical education for children with visual impairment or blindness. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 90(1), 30-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2018.1535340
  31. Lievense, P., Vacaru, V. S., Kruithof, Y., Bronzewijker, N., Doeve, M., & Sterkenburg, P. S. (2021). Effectiveness of a serious game on the self-concept of children with visual impairments: A randomized controlled trial. Disability and Health Journal, 14(2), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2020.101017
  32. Manitsa, I., & Doikou, M. (2022). Social support for students with visual impairments in educational institutions: An integrative literature review. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 40(1), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0264619620941885
  33. Matsuguma, S., Kawashima, M., Negishi, K., Sano, F., Mimura, M., & Tsubota, K. (2018). Strengths use as a secret of happiness: Another dimension of visually impaired individuals’ psychological state. PloS one, 13(2), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192323
  34. MEB (2024, Şubat 26). General directorate of special education and guidance services. National Action Plan for Educational Practices through Mainstreaming/Integration 2022-2026. https://orgm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2023_05/12081236_Ulusal_Eylem_PlanY_MayYs_2023.pdf
  35. Mesas, D. C., Víllora, S. G., & Jordán, O. C. (2017). The design and efficiency of a physical education program to promote attitudinal changes towards people with visual impairments. Specialusis Ugdymas, 2(37), 79-132. https://doi.org/10.15388/SE.2017.2
  36. Metatla, O., Bardot, S., Cullen, C., Serrano, M., & Jouffrais, C. (2020, April). Robots for inclusive play: Co-designing an educational game with visually impaired and sighted children. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Hawai/USA. https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376270
  37. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: A sourcebook of new methods. SAGE Publications.
  38. Miyauchi, H. (2020). A systematic review on inclusive education of students with visual impairment. Education Sciences, 10(11), 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110346
  39. Miyauchi, H., & Paul, P. V. (2020). Perceptions of students with visual ımpairment on ınclusive education: A narrative meta-analysis. Human. Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies, 10(2), 4-25. https://doi.org/10.21554/hrr.092001
  40. Morley, D., Banks, T., Haslingden, C., Kirk, B., Parkinson, S., van Rossum, T., & Maher, A. (2021). Including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in mainstream secondary physical education: A revisit study. European Physical Education Review, 27(2), 401-418. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X20953872
  41. Paterson, M. (2014). Blindness, empathy, and ‘feeling seeing’: Literary and insider accounts of blind experience. Emotion, Space and Society, 10, 95-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2013.07.003
  42. Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th Ed.). SAGE Publications.
  43. Qi, J., & Ha, A. S. (2012). Inclusion in physical education: A review of literature. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 59(3), 257-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2012.697737
  44. Qiu, S., An, P., Hu, J., Han, T., & Rauterberg, M. (2020). Understanding visually impaired people’s experiences of social signal perception in face-to-face communication. Universal Access in the Information Society, 19, 873-890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-019-00698-3
  45. Reina, R., López, V., Jiménez, M., García-Calvo, T., & Hutzler, Y. (2011). Effects of awareness interventions on children’s attitudes toward peers with a visual impairment. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 34(3), 243-248. https://doi.org/10.1097/MRR.0b013e3283487f49
  46. Ruin, S., Giese, M., & Haegele, J. A. (2021). Fear or freedom? Visually impaired students’ ambivalent perspectives on physical education. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 39(1), 20-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0264619620961813
  47. Sidani, S., & Braden, C. J. (2011). Design, evaluation, and translation of nursing interventions. Wiley-Blackwell.
  48. Symeonidou, S., & Loizou, E. (2018). Disability studies as a framework to design disability awareness programs: no need for ‘magic’to facilitate children’s understanding. Disability & Society, 33(8), 1234-1258 https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2018.1488677
  49. Şahin, F., Kızılaslan, A., & Şimşek, Ö. (2024). Factors influencing the acceptance of assistive technology by teacher candidates in the context of inclusive education and special needs students. Education and Information Technologies, 29(10), 12263-12288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12383-3
  50. UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education (2024, Mayıs 29). Available online. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/
  51. Yıldırım, A. & Şimşek, H. (2013). Qualitative research methods in the social sciences (9th Ed). Seckin Publishing.
  52. Zaki, J. (2019). The war for kindness: Building empathy in a fractured world. Crown Publishing Group.
  53. Zhang, J., Ray Miranda, D., & Xin, Y. P. (2022). Disability Awareness Program for young children: A community service-learning program at preschool and elementary school. Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement, 9(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284317393

License

CCBY 4.0
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

This work is openly licensed — share and adapt freely with attribution to the authors and the journal. View license terms ↗

Copyright (c) 2026 Sportif Bakış: Spor ve Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi

§ 06 — Related

Similar articles in this journal

Related peer-reviewed studies published in this journal.
View all issues