Objective: This study reviewed past and new models of reading and compared development of reading skills between blind, those who are starting learning to read through touching (Braille) and normal readers. Method: valid and scientific books and articles relevant to the objective published from 1970 to 2009 were reviewed, based on their findings and results the processes of learning to read in visually impaired children was conceptualized, compared and analyzed. Regarding to which Se, Ne Chall's model of reading has been supported by different studies in this study also comparison has been done in perspective of Chall's model of reading. Results: Processes of learning to read among visually impaired people is comparable to the processes of learning to read print in normal readers but visually impaired people have to learn Braille symbols, abbreviations and the others characteristics of Braille. Processes of learning to read are based on having phonological awareness skills and orthographic skills which are prerequisite for reading in normal and blind readers. Conclusion: according to which there is no experimental research that had been investigated learning to read in visually impaired Persian readers(Persian Braille Writing system) in perspective of universal models of reading , doing empirical studies with Persian visually impaired readers would be useful to develop new model or extend current models of reading.
Ahmadpanah M. The processes of learning to read in normal and visually impaired children. JOEC 2010; 10 (2) :185-198 URL: http://joec.ir/article-1-287-en.html