Transforming Ableism in Physical Therapist Education One Student at a Time: A Case Report of a Student With Blindness

The prevalence of students with disabilities in physical therapist education programs in the United States is <1%. This case report explored the experiences surrounding a specific, unique individual student with blindness or visual impairment (BVI) within the context of an entry-level physical therapist program. The purpose was not merely to describe 1 student's journey but to capture the complex dynamics and shifts in perceptions of students, faculty, staff, and clinicians. This case report retrospectively explored the perceptions of these individuals before, during, and after interactions with the student and examined ableist assumptions expressed by some individuals that vision is essential for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students and clinical practice.

A recent DPT graduate (pseudonym J.M.) with BVI classified as "near total blindness," is now a licensed, full-time employee at an outpatient orthopedic clinic. We surveyed 36 individuals (20 students, 11 faculty, 2 staff, and 3 clinical instructors) who interacted with J.M. as a student, asking their perceptions about the education, clinical skills, and employment potential of a DPT student with BVI.

An increase toward more favorable perceptions of individuals with BVI was exhibited for all of 10 Likert scale questions (X2[2] = 38.00 to 59.42). Qualitative analysis revealed 3 themes: accommodations, personal qualities, and setting with an overarching theme of an approbative shift in perceptions.

The shift in perceptions about vision as essential for physical therapist practice is important and suggests that physical therapist education program applicant qualifications and essential functions regarding vision should be considered within the context of reasonable accommodations, individual characteristics, and lived experiences.

Redefining physical therapist education program applicant qualifications and essential functions regarding vision may be warranted. For clinical instructors, the benefits may outweigh the challenges of mentoring a student with accommodations for BVI.