The object of this study is to figure out actual condition of operating dormitories at the 12 nationwide schools for the visually impaired. 148 students from middle, high school, and also vocational training course, who are currently living in the dormitories were asked to answer a questionnaire. Variables in the questionnaire were designed by whether the participants are male or female, what school grade they are in, how is individual vision level, and when their vision had been lost.
Sub-categories for the research consist of three parts; life management, educational programs, and facilities of the dormitory. Students’ answers to a total of 11 questions from the three parts were cross analyzed to bring the results looked for and they are as follows.
First, in the life management section, all the students, regardless of whether they are middle schoolers, high schoolers, or in the vocational training course, said they decided to live in the dormitory because it was too hard to commute from their home. Also, the most number of students answered that their condition has improved now because they spent less time to commute. On the other hand, when asked how much they are satisfied with the dormitory staffs, both groups of low vision students and the blind ones all choose ‘more than normal’.
Second, at the educational programs section, both group of students with congenital and acquired visual impairments were satisfied “more than normal” with the educational programs run in the dormitories. Meanwhile, when they were asked about how many hours they daily spent for self-studying in the dormitory, both male and female in middle, high school, and vocational training classes all said “less than one hour”. About the regulations and discipline of the dormitory, both male and female, whether they have congenital or acquired visual impairments, mostly checked “more than normal” for their satisfaction level.
Third, in the facilities, most students said the best thing they liked was the bed room. Anyway, most of them said the students’ lounge didn’t meet their expectation.
Based on the findings above, precedent studies were retrieved and discussed together to come up with further study proposal.