Developing trigonometry skills by blind studentes

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of trigonometry skills by six blind students. Historically, access to education for minorities, including students with disabilities, has evolved from exclusion to inclusive education. This phenomenon has required a different understanding of the dynamics of schooling, particularly in terms of ensuring equitable rights. In the context of mathematics classes, there are difficulties that seem to hinder the support provided to blind students. These difficulties often stem from resources that employ language and visuals inadequate to the characteristics of this population, which relies heavily on visual perception. This text aims to answer the question: How do blind students develop trigonometry-related competencies? Therefore, the objective is to explain the development of trigonometry skills by blind students. The participants responded to 28 tasks organized into 4 blocks, following elements of the clinical-piagetian method. The development and analysis of the data collection instrument, which consists of the set of tasks proposed to the six students and their analyses, were supported by the Theory of Conceptual Fields, which explains the development of competencies through the subject’s actions. The results indicated that the students seemed to have very little knowledge of the trigonometric concepts employed in the presented tasks, despite being schooled in these topics. However, the use of accessible resources with carefully planned activities, built and implemented in an environment of trust in their abilities, demonstrated that their visual impairment did not hinder the development of trigonometry-related competencies by the participating students.