Educator and student views on the music education process of visually impaired students in the music teacher training institutions in Turkey

The aim of this research is to identify the problems/needs of visually impaired students who are studying music at the undergraduate level of departments of music education in Turkey and to provide solutions to these problems. Problems related to this process have been put forward based on the opinions of the visually impaired students and the music educators who had worked with these students. This research is a case study, a qualitative research pattern. All of the heads of 26 departments of music education and the academicians working in these institutions have been reached through social media, e-mail, WhatsApp and telephone in order to determine the working groups of the research. As a result of the preliminary research, it has been determined that 16 visually impaired students were studying at 8 music education departments in the 2019-2020 academic year. On the other hand, 32 music educators who had worked with the visually impaired students at 12 departments of music education were included in the study. The data has been collected through structured interview forms developed by the researcher. The data obtained has been analyzed by quoting the opinions of the participants and by using descriptive analysis. As a result of the research, it has been determined that there were problems due to the lack of Braille materials for sight-reading, solfege, writing down the music and reading the written materials at the entrance exams conducted by the departments. In addition, there was a need for an assistant to read and write questions for the students at the entrance exams. In the educational process, it has been revealed that there were obstacles because the visually impaired students could not read Braille notes. These students have had difficulties in the music theory courses because the teachers did not play the music written on the board. The teachers could also not show the techniques to the students in the instrument courses. These problems were due to the fact that the music educators did not have special training for the visually impaired students. It has been suggested that at least oneperson who specialized in the training of the visually impaired students to be provided at each department of musiceducation. Furthermore, universities should provide music technologies and materials for the visually impaired students. There were also needs for projects in the area to be developed. Online workshops should be held and methods and materials be written by the educators who are specialized in visually impaired students' training.