Language learning in adults with sight loss: the acquisition of phonetic features

Thirty million Europeans with sight loss are challenged to access the everyday goods and services that most people takefor granted.

Our project will contribute to the implementation of more accessible services for individuals with sight loss, inparticular in the field of second language learning.

Indeed, despite the development of some language learning webapplications specially designed for learners with sight loss, most of the learning methods are still not accessible to them.

Theobjective of our project is to get a better understanding of the acquisition of a second language by learners with sight loss, inorder to provide teaching material suitable for them. Our project is original and innovative in three ways.

First, it focuses onthe acquisition of phonetic features, which, despite its importance in communication and social interactions, are oftenforgotten in second language classrooms. Second, little is known about the second language learning processes inindividuals with sight loss.

The present project constitutes the first attempt at examining the processing of second languagephonetic information by learners with sight loss.

Finally, our project will provide a framework for the development ofaccessible L2 teaching materials for learners with sight loss, which will guarantee their rights to equal access for learningforeign languages as recommended by the European Accessibility Act.