Improving Student Self-Efficacy: The Role of Inclusive and Innovative Out of School Programming for Students with Blindness and Visual Impairments Abstract

摘要

A subgroup of 10 students participating in a national program in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, based in science museums across the country, participated in self-efficacy research to determine how participation in regional STEM programs, specifically designed for students who are blind or visually impaired, influences a students’ perceived academic self-efficacy beliefs. Data was collected using the Morgan-Jinks Student Efficacy Scale (MJSES) (Jinks & Morgan, 1999) along with additional questions regarding demographics of the students and disability specific questions. Self-efficacy beliefs were consistently high for all of the context items, 13 statements, about participant beliefs about teachers, grades, and the importance of school. The effort items also remained high pre and post participation in the regional programming and consisted of four statements about their individual beliefs about their effort in academics and grades.