International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development

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Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of the Information Processing Model through Multisensory Cognitive Design in the Education of Visually Impaired Students in Malaysia

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Education for visually impaired students in Malaysia requires pedagogical approaches grounded in a thorough understanding of the cognitive information processing mechanisms unique to individuals who rely entirely on auditory and tactile sensory channels. This study conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA 2020 protocol to analyse and synthesise findings from 15 selected articles on the application of the Information Processing Model through multisensory cognitive design in visually impaired student education. Searches were conducted across three major databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, covering the period 2020 to 2026. Inductive thematic analysis identified three core themes: the dominance of auditory and tactile modalities as primary input channels, six elements of effective multisensory cognitive design and four key implementation challenges in the Malaysian context. The synthesis yielded a proposed five-phase Information Processing Model Based on Multisensory Cognitive Design (MPMBRKM) integrating the principles of Atkinson-Shiffrin (1968) and Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory (1988). This study carries implications for special education curriculum development, teacher professional training and more evidence-based assistive technology procurement policies in Malaysia.
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