Using the voice of the child who is blind as a tool for exploring spatial perception

Researchers from different disciplines have attempted to investigate the way in which people who are blind conceptualize and perceive elements of the spatial environment. Most of the studies that are reported in the literature use an experimental approach based on measurements of the performance in test situations of people who are blind or people who are sighted but who are blindfolded. The findings from these studies are important and have shed light on the process of understanding spatial relations in both small- and large-scale space. However, they have sometimes produced contrasting findings. The study the authors are currently involved in diverges from other studies in this key area in that the method used is essentially qualitative and participatory in character. This article gives an example of using the child's voice to explore spatial understanding and involves a narrative account from a 13-year-old student who was blind from birth about the strategies he uses to overcome the challenges he faces in making sense of space. The results suggest that the child's voice can provide insights into spatial understanding that can be used to help triangulate the findings and understandings achieved from the experimental approaches that dominate the literature.