L'intégration d'une étudiante aveugle dans une classe de langue étrangère « traditionnelle » : défis et adaptations

Abstract

This article gives an overview of the adaptation process over a three year period following the enrolment of a blind student in the module "French as a foreign language" (FFL) at the University of the Free State (UFS). It shares the experience of the blind student and staff members involved and aims to provide guidelines to other academics and blind or visually impaired (VI) students facing the same situation. Information about this process was collected through examples of documents prepared for the blind student, homework handed in by the student, interviews with the student and staff of the Unit for Academic Support at UFS and the experience of staff members at the French Section. Based on this experience, it is clear that though it is possible to integrate a blind student successfully into a "traditional" classroom, there will be challenges to be faced and adaptations to be made by all parties involved.