HARVARD UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SCHOOL

(NOMBRE DE LA UNIVERSIDAD)

La Neurociencia del Aprendizaje: Una Introducción a la Mente, Cerebro y Educación

(Título del curso)

Título: Subtítulo

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The Heightened Senses of Visually Impaired Adolescents in Ecuador (2020-2023)

2020-2023

Visually impaired individuals often experience a heightened awareness of their other senses as

their body adapts to the lack of visual input (Pérez-Morales et al., 2021). This phenomenon has

been observed in adolescents in Ecuador, where the incidence of visual impairment has remained

a persistent challenge in recent years. Adolescents with visual impairments in this region have

demonstrated an increased reliance on their other senses, particularly hearing and touch, to

navigate their environment and gather information about the world around them.

The global crisis of visual impairment has been identified as an emerging health priority

that requires urgent action (Rizzo et al., 2020). In Ecuador, where the average prevalence of

blindness is around 1. 4%, the impact of visual impairment on quality of life for young people is

significant (Yibekal et al., 2020). Individuals with visual impairments often face difficulties in

accessing healthcare and other essential services, exacerbating the challenges they already

confront in daily life.(Cupples et al., 2012) The loss of visual information can lead to a range of

difficulties, including reduced mobility, social isolation, and diminished independence.(Rizzo et

al., 2020)

However, research has shown that visually impaired individuals can often compensate for

the loss of sight through enhanced abilities in their remaining senses. Adolescents, in particular,

have demonstrated an impressive capacity to adapt and develop heightened sensory awareness in

response to their visual deficits. This enhanced sensory perception can enable visually impaired
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individuals to navigate their environment more effectively, engage in social interactions more

confidently, and even excel in certain tasks that rely on non-visual skills.

The increased reliance on hearing and touch has been observed in various aspects of daily

life for visually impaired adolescents in Ecuador. These individuals often demonstrate an

exceptional ability to perceive and interpret auditory cues, such as the direction and distance of

sounds, the identification of specific voices or objects, and the recognition of environmental

sounds. Similarly, their sense of touch has been found to be heightened, allowing them to gather

detailed information about their surroundings through the tactile exploration of their

environment.

The adaptation of visually impaired adolescents in Ecuador to their condition has

significant implications for their overall well-being and quality of life. By harnessing their

heightened senses, these young individuals are able to maintain a greater degree of

independence, actively participate in social and recreational activities, and even excel

academically in certain areas. Early intervention and personalized support that recognize and

nurture these enhanced sensory abilities can be instrumental in empowering visually impaired

adolescents and promoting their long-term success and integration into their communities.(Fard

et al., 2023)(Kelly, 2019)(Morelli et al., 2020)(Rizzo et al., 2020)

Furthermore, visually impaired teenagers not only make up for the loss of their vision

they also develop advanced sensory perception. These heightened sensibilities indicate a

paradigm shift in resilience and ability to adapt despite setbacks. What researchers find is that,

far from just compensating for absence of sight, these teenagers also adapt the capacities of
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hearing and touch. They formulate their own cognitive strategies, enabling effective integration

and interpretation of sensory information along with critically apprising it.

This kind of mental agility helps them not only to get around day by day-- but also leads

them into the resolution of problems from a novel perspective. When teachers and families

encourage the development of these heightened sensory skills, young people can be provided

with a model of support likely to succeed. This will give them the confidence and self-assurance

needed to travel confidently in a largely sighted world.

REFERENCES
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Ghasemi Fard, F., Mirzaie, H., Hosseini, S. A., Riazi, A., & Ebadi, A. (2023). Vision-Related

tasks in children with visual impairment: a multi-method study. frontiers in psychology, 14,

1180669. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.3389/FPSYG.2023.1180669

Kelly, S. M. (2019, November 26). Special Education Transition Services for Students with Visual

Impairments. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED602075

Morelli, F., Aprile, G., Cappagli, G., Luparia, A., Decortes, F., Gori, M., & Signorini, S. (2020).

A multidimensional, multisensory and comprehensive rehabilitation intervention to improve

spatial functioning in the visually impaired child: a community case study. frontiers in

neuroscience, 14, 768. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.3389/FNINS.2020.00768

Rizzo, J. R., Beheshti, M., Hudson, T. E., Mongkolwat, P., Riewpaiboon, W., Seiple, W.,

Ogedegbe, O. G., & Vedanthan, R. (2023). The global crisis of visual impairment: an emerging

global health priority requiring urgent action. disability and rehabilitation. assistive

technology, 18(3), 240–245. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1080/17483107.2020.1854876