Exploring multisensory storybooks for children with visual impairment: A scoping review

Multisensory storybooks are widely used to support shared book reading for children with a visual impairment (VI). However, little is known about the consistency in the methods used or the effectiveness of multisensory shared book reading in providing a learning experience for children with VI. Accordingly, we conducted a scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley, following PRISMA-ScR standardized reporting guidelines. Four databases were included in the literature search, and eight peer-reviewed articles, four book chapters, and five theses/research reports met the eligibility criteria. Our review indicates that multisensory storybooks are rarely developed exclusively to meet the needs of children with VI, employ a heterogeneous set of guidelines, and their effectiveness is rarely tested empirically. Given the increasing interest and potential value of using multisensory storybooks to support shared book reading by children with VI, we provide recommendations for establishing empirically tested guidelines to support their effectiveness.