Pharos: Self-Assessment tools for service development and improvement for schools,educational,and support services for young learners with visual impairment

Abstract

Specialised schools for the visually impaired have been in existence for a great number of years. However, in the latter half of the 20th century there began a debate, which continues today, as to their relevance in an age of inclusion. Those schools that remain may well be greatly experienced in teaching learners with little or no sight. They do not, however, have a preordained right to always exist, particularly as islands in an increasingly interconnected and accountable education system. Pharos is a self-evaluation tool, developed from an European Union (EU) funding school project, which all service providers, including special schools, can assess their progress towards being part of an interconnected model of partnership, sharing, and cooperation so that the diverse educational needs of young people with visual impairment are met.