Qualitative Inquiry

My Qualitative Inquiry project was centered on the question of what it means to be “literate.” I focused my observation time on a group of people in a breakfast area of a hotel. I sat for an hour and a half and observed and recorded the things they were participating in that required them to be literate. I detected eight different categories or situations in which literacy skills were necessary. ..
        1. Reading the newspaper
        2. Having discussions with one or more people (speaking and listening)
        3. Using a computer for: social networking, e-mail, weather, news
        4. Watching television for: weather, news
        5. Reading a book
        6. Reading instructions: Ex. microwave use
        7. Reading signs: Ex. Heimlich maneuver, cpr
        8. Listening to, interpreting language: Ex. foreign languages, accents, dialects
The texts and images seemed accessible to mostly everyone. The countertops were low, doorways were wide enough, handicap accessible bathrooms were available, etc.
People with visual disabilities may be disadvantaged by some of these particular literary practices because they would not be able to participate in: reading the newspaper, using the computer, watching television, reading a book, or reading the instructions or signs.