Does the type of educational setting (mainstream or specialist schools) and degree of impairment (low vision or blindness) have any influence on self-concept?

This study investigated the self-concept of students with vision impairments who were placed in mainstream and specialist schools in South Australia. Self-Concept was studied across six dimensions, namely Physical, Moral, Personal, Family, Social and Academic Self-Concepts and the Total Self-Concept. The ‘Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: Second Edition’ was administered to 25 students with vision impairments (including low vision and blind students) who attended mainstream or specialist schools. Although most of the students with vision impairments obtained low scores on all dimensions of self-concept, namely physical, moral, personal, family, social and academic, there were some students who attended specialist schools and are blind that obtained normal scores in family, social and academic self-concepts. There were no significant differences between students with vision impairments that attended mainstream or specialist schools and between students with low vision and those who are blind across the six dimensions of self-concept and thus total self-concept. These findings have implications for mainstream teachers, special educators, support staff and a range of professionals in the education and special education sector in enabling a greater understanding of the self-concept achievement of the students with vision impairments that attended mainstream or specialist schools.