Color Brightness Recognition of Extremely Severe Amblyopia Children in an Indoor Environment

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors

Colour Brightness Recognition of Extremely Severe Amblyopia 2 Children in Indoor Environment 

- this is the biggest problem

your own work is only 9 %

Percent match: 91%

 

 

Author Response

We apologize for not providing specific suggestions due to the reason of our preprint. We have deeply reflected on the process of writing this paper and have made significant revisions based on the feedback from other reviewers.

 

The revisions are as follows:

1. Revision of the Introduction: We have summarized the research contributions of this paper at the end of the introduction. You can see the revised content in lines 94-101.

 

2. Revision of Participant Information: We have provided further explanations regarding the participants, addressing why only 10 children with amblyopia were included and why a control group was not used. You can find the revised content in lines 118-152.

 

3. Revision of Color Samples: We have further explained why red, yellow, blue, green, and purple were chosen as the experimental colors. Additionally, we have clarified why the study focuses solely on lightness and how the levels of lightness were categorized. You can see the revised content in lines 167-198.

 

4. Revision of the Experimental Setting: We have explained why the experiments were conducted in a regular classroom rather than in a more specialized visual laboratory. The revised content can be found in lines 220-228.

 

5. Revision of Distance Conditions: We have further explained the rationale for selecting 3 meters and 5 meters as the basic distances. You can see the revised content in lines 246-255.

 

6. Revision of Results: We have revised the writing style of the results section, added explanatory legends, and simplified and refined the content. The revisions can be found in sections 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.1.7, and 3.2.7.

 

7. Revision of the Discussion: At the end of the discussion, we compared our findings with previous studies and highlighted our new discoveries. The revised content is available in lines 546-564.

 

8. Revision of the Conclusion: We have rewritten the conclusion to summarize the research findings, and we have discussed the limitations and future directions of the work. The revised content can be found in lines 566-588.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to read our article. Your feedback is a driving force for our continuous growth. We will certainly reflect on the issues caused by this submission in our future work.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper studies the effect of illumination and distance on color recognition by children with profound visual impairment. The paper focuses on experiments with 10 children with advanced visual impairment and statistical evaluation of the results. In order to rise the quality of the work some remarks are made:

- some editing error need to be removed(e.g.in the abstract,...)

- row 100 "Color is composed ..."? 

- all employed acronyms need to be explained

-- please specify the reason to select these 5 colors chap2

-chap.3 Results : I think the results must be compressed and presented in a way easier to follow; to every color is used 1.5 pag. x5 ! if is possible to present results  in a comprehensible  manner e.g. all even figs (4,6...) presented on the same page, also 5,7,..

- please specify the differences (legend) in fig 5 ,7,9...also a,b ??

-what you mean by: 

- in chap. 3.6 and 3.7 please highlight important observations avoiding a difficult to follow narrative style to extract meaningful results

- also chap. 4 need an improvement focusing on paper contributions.

In conclusion, I recommend a major revision of the article.

 

Author Response

1.- some editing error need to be removed(e.g.in the abstract,...)

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. We have reformatted our manuscript according to the MDPI template, and all editorial errors have been corrected.

 

 

2.- row 100 "Color is composed ..."? 

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments, which provided us with new perspectives. The original meaning of the sentence was, "Color is composed of hue, lightness, and saturation. Hue refers to the tone of the color, lightness refers to the brightness of the color, and saturation refers to the intensity of the color, with more vivid colors having higher saturation. The purpose of this content was to explain why this study focuses solely on lightness." We have removed this passage from the introduction, revised it, and placed it in Section 2.4.1. You can see the revised content in lines 167-184.

 

3.- all employed acronyms need to be explained

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. Our English abbreviations are concentrated in Section 2.5. We have provided explanations for the abbreviations "LED (Light Emitting Diode)," "W (Watt)," "Lux (luminance)," and "K (Color temperature)." You can see the revised content in lines 229-253.

 

4.- please specify the reason to select these 5 colors chap2

 

Answer：

Thank you for pointing that out; we completely agree with your comment. Therefore, we explained why we used red, yellow, blue, green, and purple as the colors for our experimental samples, and further elaborated on why we focused solely on studying color brightness.

 

The revisions are as follows:

These five colors —red, yellow, green, blue, and purple— hold pervasive applications across various facets of daily life. Red, with its high contrast and attention-grabbing properties, is a universal choice for signaling emergencies, danger, or prohibition, evident in traffic lights and stop signs. Yellow, recognized for its visibility under low-light conditions, is a prevalent choice for warnings or alerts, as seen in cautionary signage. Green, often linked with safety or permission to proceed, is commonly utilized in green traffic lights and evacuation routes, and is generally regarded as a calming and reassuring color, minimizing the likelihood of misinterpretation. Blue, while less frequently employed, can be found in informational prompts or directional guidance, such as in specific traffic signs. Purple, a composite color derived from red and blue, is less commonly utilized in daily life but is included in China’s color blindness tests alongside the aforementioned colors. The selection of lower-brightness shades of purple by visually impaired children may suggest a diminished sensitivity to composite colors, which could indicate a potential risk of latent color vision deficiency and potentially exclude them from the experiment. The significance of these five colors in the daily lives of visually impaired children is underscored by the fact that ambiguous hues, such as orange and pink, are less appropriate for them. Given that color purity significantly influences hue perception, this study focuses exclusively on brightness in its examination of color.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 167-184 for detailed modifications.

 

 

5.-chap.3 Results : I think the results must be compressed and presented in a way easier to follow; to every color is used 1.5 pag. x5 ! if is possible to present results  in a comprehensible  manner e.g. all even figs (4,6...) presented on the same page, also 5,7,..

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments; your suggestions have been extremely helpful to our research. We have carefully considered comments 6, 7, and 8 and have identified areas for improvement in our work. We realized that our explanation of the experimental charts was unclear, and there seems to be a better way to present them. We have revised the results and titled them "Recognition Results under Different Lighting and Distance Conditions" and "Comparative Analysis of Differences in Lighting and Distance." In these sections, we analyze the data for five different colors and have added explanations in the legend.

 

The revisions are as follows:

3.1. Recognition Results under Different Lighting and Distance Conditions

3.1.1 Legend Explanation

The experimental results are designed to demonstrate the variations in different brightness levels under various lighting and distance conditions. Line graphs are employed to effectively illustrate the trends in brightness levels. In Figures A and B, the respective conditions of lighting and distance conditions are represented, with solid lines representing the natural light and a 3-meter distance, and dashed lines indicating the artificial light and a 5-meter distance. This graphical depiction affords a clear illustration of the changes in brightness levels. Additionally, the significance differences marked by letters further emphasize statistically significant results.

We conducted a comparative analysis across six levels of brightness, examining variations within specific lighting and distance conditions — namely, the natural light, artificial light, at 3 meter, and at 5 meter — as well as between these conditions, such as natural versus artificial light and the 3-meter versus 5-meter distances. For more details, please refer to Figures 4 to 8.

Thank you for your comment. You can see it on lines259-271.

 

3.1.2 Red Recognition

3.1.3 Yellow Recognition

…

3.1.7 Experimental Summary

The study’s findings within the natural light group revealed no significant differences among the six brightness levels of red and purple (P>0.05), whereas notable variations were observed for yellow, blue, and green. In the artificial light group, all six brightness levels of red, yellow, blue, and green exhibited significant differences, mirroring the patterns seen with purple in the natural light group. In the natural light group, lower brightness levels of red, yellow, blue, and green were associated with higher scores, whereas higher brightness levels received lower scores. Purple displayed a unique pattern in the natural light group, with brightness level 5 attaining the maximum score and brightness level 6 the minimum score. No significant differences were found in the weighted scores when comparing the natural light and artificial light groups. Collectively, these findings suggest that indoor lighting conditions exert a negligible influence on the visually impaired children’s capacity to discern color brightness.

In general, there were significant differences in brightness levels among the red, yellow, blue, and green hues for both the 3m and 5m groups. As the scores for the low-brightness group increased, the scores for the high-brightness group decreased, with this trend being particularly enhanced in the 5m group. The purple hue did not exhibit significant differences in the 3m group, but it did in the 5m group. This suggests that the observation distance has a considerable impact on brightness recognition in children with visual impairments.

This revision has been made in accordance with your comment 8. We have refined the key information in sections 3.6 and 3.7. You can find these changes on lines 397-415.

 

The revisions are as follows:

3.2. Comparative Analysis of Differences between Lighting and Distance

3.2.1 Legend Explanation

The experimental results aim to present the weighted scores of six brightness levels under different conditions of lighting and distance, with the objective of identifying which brightness levels are more suitable for visually impaired children. To convey these results, a bar chart has been employed for visual representations. The chart is organized such that each brightness level is associated with four groups of data, which are represented from left to right as follows: natural light&3m, natural light&5m, artificial light&3m, and artificial light&5m. The letters on the chart denote significant differences, thereby highlighting the results that have achieved statistical significance. For more details, please refer to Figures 9–13.

Thank you again for your comment. Please see the revised content in lines 418-426.

 

3.2.2 Red Recognition

3.2.3 Yellow Recognition

…

 

3.2.7 Experimental Summary

Overall, the low-lightness group maintained a high level of recognizability in both lighting and distance conditions, with colors 5 and 6 achieving higher scores. A certain pattern was seen in the sequence of selection for the red, yellow, blue, and green color groups. However, the purple color group displayed a different distribution, with significant weight assigned to scores in the low-lightness, standard, and high-lightness groups.

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. You can see the revised content on lines 488-492.

 

6.- please specify the differences (legend) in fig 5 ,7,9...also a,b ??

 

Answer：

Your comment has been incredibly helpful to us and has provided new insights. We have revised the explanation of the legend, and the updated content can be seen in your comment number 4.

 

7.-what you mean by: 

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comment. We have revised the description of the legend to clarify the meanings of 'natural light & 3m,'natural light & 5m,'artificial light & 3m,' and 'artificial light & 5m.' You can see the revised content in comment 4."

 

8.- in chap. 3.6 and 3.7 please highlight important observations avoiding a difficult to follow narrative style to extract meaningful results

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comment. Based on your suggestions, we have revised the presentation of the results by extracting the key information from sections 3.6 and 3.7. You can see the revised content in comment 4.

 

9.- also chap. 4 need an improvement focusing on paper contributions.

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comment. Adding the contributions of the paper helps readers better understand the research content. We have added a section on the paper's contributions in Chapter 4, explaining the differences between our findings and previous research, as well as the new discoveries made in this study.

 

The revisions are as follows:

The findings of this study exhibit both similarities and differences when compared to previous research. We attribute these discrepancies primarily to the differences in experimental settings and the selection of colors for identification. We conducted our experiment in a special education school, a long-term residence for children with visual impairments. We also identified standard hues commonly used in daily life, limiting the range of color samples to the attribute of lightness. In earlier studies, however, the experimental conditions did not replicate the typical living environments of visually impaired children, and the identified colors encompassed not only lightness but also chroma.

In China, the architectural design of special education schools is governed by national standards, as stipulated by the industry code JGJ76-2003. These regulations for various conditions, including classroom dimensions, facilities, lighting, and window arrangements, are all tailored to meet the needs of visually impaired children. Therefore, our conclusions are applicable to special education schools that operate within these standardized conditions. The experimental findings of this study indicate that in indoor settings, distance is the primary factor influencing color recognition for visually impaired children, surpassing the effects of lighting. Future research should focus on the impact of color area, contrast, and shape. Furthermore, it is imperative that the academic community expand its investigative scope to the application of colors in long-term residential environments for visually impaired children.

Thank you again for your comment. Please see the revised content in lines 546-564.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors address the very important topic of color adaptation to people with sensory disabilities in the area of ​​vision. The description of the methods used is very detailed, but the authors drew conclusions based on 10 people examined, which is a very small group.

 

1. Why did the authors limit themselves to such a small group?

 

2. Why was a control group not used? The authors did not present studies on color perception, whether the results obtained are characteristic of people with disabilities or for everyone - why were children without visual impairments not examined?

3. Table 1 presents data of the children studied, however, the units for the term "Left vision Right eye vision" are not described - what do the values ​​0 mean; 0.15......

4. In the methodology, the authors described the applied color palette (line 139-145) and presented it in Fig.1, however, the numerical values ​​for individual colors are not consistent. In addition, Fig. 1 has no reference in the text.

 

5. The age range used is incorrect, children aged 6 do not always perceive colors correctly, they are only learning them - especially in the range of shades, while 13-year-olds are more educated in this respect. The differences in development between 6-8 year-olds and 12-13 year-olds are incomparable and they cannot be classified into one group.

The work requires improvement

Author Response

1. Why did the authors limit themselves to such a small group?

 

Answer：

       Thank you very much for your comments. Your concerns highlight an area in our paper that requires clarification. Indeed, a sample size of 10 is relatively small; however, in section 2.2, we have explained the rationale for selecting only 10 children with severe amblyopia.

 

The revisions are as follows:

In this experiment, we enrolled over 60 children with amblyopia from a special education school. With this group, 11 children were diagnosed with a visual impairment to be categorized as severe amblyopia, while the remaining children exhibited milder forms of the condition. The objective of our study is to identify luminance levels of colors that are more recognizable in an indoor setting. Consequently, if colors are recognized by children with severe amblyopia, they should also be more easily identifiable by those with less severe vision impairments. The inclusion of all children in the experiment could potentially compromise the validity of the results.

Among the 11 children with severe amblyopia, one was found to have a color vision deficiency, leading to an experimental sample of 10 participants. However, a sample size of 10 is relatively modest, which is acknowledged as one of the limitations of our study.

Thank you again for your comment. Please see the revised content in lines 131-141.

 

 

2. Why was a control group not used? The authors did not present studies on color perception, whether the results obtained are characteristic of people with disabilities or for everyone - why were children without visual impairments not examined?

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. We agree with your concerns, and we believe that addressing this in the article will help readers better understand our research. In section 2.2, we have explained the reasons for not using a control group.

 

The revisions are as follows:

       In the design of this experiment, we intentionally excluded a control group and did not engage children with normal vision. This decision was informed by Chinese educational policy that necessitates children with disabilities to undertake a 9 to 12 year residential education within specialized schools. These institutions are equipped with distinct facilities, each meticulously tailored to address the unique requirements of various disabled student populations, including dedicated buildings for the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, and others. Given this context, our experiment was conducted within the building specifically designated for visually impaired students, an environment where all facilities are thoughtfully designed to meet the specific needs of children with amblyopia. Therefore, the scope of our data collection was limited to this particular group, as they represent the target population for our research.

Thank you again for your comment. Please see the revised content in lines 142-152.

 

 

 

3. Table 1 presents data of the children studied, however, the units for the term "Left vision Right eye vision" are not described - what do the values 0 mean; 0.15......

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. We completely agree with your concerns. In section 2.2, we have further explained the significance of the residual visual acuity values in children with profound amblyopia.

 

The revisions are as follows:

    Table 1 presents the visual acuity range for the 10 participants. Visual acuity values are expressed in the "Decimal Visual Acuity," a format commonly used in China and Japan. A visual acuity of 1.0 corresponds to 20/20 or 6/6 on the LogMAR chart, indicating normal vision. Visual acuity values between 0.8 and 0.5 represent subnormal vision, with descending values reflecting a degradation in visual acuity. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, individuals with a visual acuity below 0.3 in Decimal Visual Acuity are classified as having severe visual impairment.

Thank you again for your comment. Please see the revised content in lines 124-130.

 

4. In the methodology, the authors described the applied color palette (line 139-145) and presented it in Fig.1, however, the numerical values for individual colors are not consistent. In addition, Fig. 1 has no reference in the text.

 

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. In Section 2.4.1, we further explain the selection of color samples, the rationale for choosing these five colors, and the method for distinguishing different luminance levels. In Section 2.4.2, the colors selected from the palette correspond to Figure 1, with the numbered color values matching the RGB values shown in Figure 1.

 

The revisions are as follows:

These five colors —red, yellow, green, blue, and purple— hold pervasive applications across various facets of daily life. Red, with its high contrast and attention-grabbing properties, is a universal choice for signaling emergencies, danger, or prohibition, evident in traffic lights and stop signs. Yellow, recognized for its visibility under low-light conditions, is a prevalent choice for warnings or alerts, as seen in cautionary signage. Green, often linked with safety or permission to proceed, is commonly utilized in green traffic lights and evacuation routes, and is generally regarded as a calming and reassuring color, minimizing the likelihood of misinterpretation. Blue, while less frequently employed, can be found in informational prompts or directional guidance, such as in specific traffic signs. Purple, a composite color derived from red and blue, is less commonly utilized in daily life but is included in China’s color blindness tests alongside the aforementioned colors. The selection of lower-brightness shades of purple by visually impaired children may suggest a diminished sensitivity to composite colors, which could indicate a potential risk of latent color vision deficiency and potentially exclude them from the experiment. The significance of these five colors in the daily lives of visually impaired children is underscored by the fact that ambiguous hues, such as orange and pink, are less appropriate for them. Given that color purity significantly influences hue perception, this study focuses exclusively on brightness in its examination of color.

The authors categorized the 11 levels of brightness for the 5 colors into 6 color numbers based on the RGB color attributes, as illustrated in Figure 1. The colors labeled as No. 1 are the standard red (255,0,0), medium yellow (255,217,0), standard blue (0,0255), standard green (0,255,0), and standard purple (128, 0, 128). The choice of medium yellow over standard yellow (255, 255, 0) was deliberate, given the prevalence of medium yellow in China’s blind lanes and vehicle turn signals. These five colors were specifically selected for color blindness testing in China and hold practical significance in everyday life.

The author categorized colors based on brightness into six groups. Group 1 and Group 4 are designated as the standard-color group, characterized by strong hue properties and distinct color tendencies. Groups 2 and Group 3 constitute the high-brightness group, where the standard colors have been adjusted with the white attribute. Groups 5 and Group 6 form the low-brightness group, with the standard colors modified by adjusting the black attributes. This grouping of brightness levels will facilitate the analysis of the specific effects of lighting and distance on color recognition in future experiments.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 167-198 for detailed modifications.

 

5. The age range used is incorrect, children aged 6 do not always perceive colors correctly, they are only learning them - especially in the range of shades, while 13-year-olds are more educated in this respect. The differences in development between 6-8 year-olds and 12-13 year-olds are incomparable and they cannot be classified into one group.

Answer：

We fully agree with your comments. We realize that the issue of color recognition in children with amblyopia was not clearly explained. In section 2.2, we have addressed the relevant issues regarding color recognition in children with amblyopia.

 

The revisions are as follows:

The participants, ranging in age from 6 to 13 years, exhibited variability in their perception of color hues. The experimental criterion for color recognition was not to ‘select the color that most closely resembles a specific hue,’ but rather to ‘identify the three most attention-catching luminance levels’. Therefore, we designed the data analysis to identify the luminance levels that are most easily recognized by children aged 6 to 13, emphasizing their sensitivity to luminance rather than their understanding of color hues.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 118-123 for detailed modifications.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper investigates the impact of lighting and distance on color recognition among children with profound visual impairment. Results show that lighting has  a negligible impact on color recognition, with no significant distinction between natural and artificial light.

 

In my opinion the paper is not suitable for this journal. It doesn’t contain a theoretical proposal or an improvement method with an ablation study showing better results compared with other existing ones. It is only a pilot testing without showing improvement results.

Author Response

In my opinion the paper is not suitable for this journal. It doesn’t contain a theoretical proposal or an improvement method with an ablation study showing better results compared with other existing ones. It is only a pilot testing without showing improvement results.

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. We have deeply reflected on the process of writing this paper and made significant revisions based on your feedback as well as the input from other reviewers.

 

 

The revisions are as follows:

1. Revision of the Introduction: We have summarized the research contributions of this paper at the end of the introduction. You can see the revised content in lines 94-101.

 

2. Revision of Participant Information: We have provided further explanations regarding the participants, addressing why only 10 children with amblyopia were included and why a control group was not used. You can find the revised content in lines 118-152.

 

3. Revision of Color Samples: We have further explained why red, yellow, blue, green, and purple were chosen as the experimental colors. Additionally, we have clarified why the study focuses solely on lightness and how the levels of lightness were categorized. You can see the revised content in lines 167-198.

 

4. Revision of the Experimental Setting: We have explained why the experiments were conducted in a regular classroom rather than in a more specialized visual laboratory. The revised content can be found in lines 220-228.

 

5. Revision of Distance Conditions: We have further explained the rationale for selecting 3 meters and 5 meters as the basic distances. You can see the revised content in lines 246-255.

 

6. Revision of Results: We have revised the writing style of the results section, added explanatory legends, and simplified and refined the content. The revisions can be found in sections 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.1.7, and 3.2.7.

 

7. Revision of the Discussion: At the end of the discussion, we compared our findings with previous studies and highlighted our new discoveries. The revised content is available in lines 546-564.

 

8. Revision of the Conclusion: We have rewritten the conclusion to summarize the research findings, and we have discussed the limitations and future directions of the work. The revised content can be found in lines 566-588.

 

Thank you once again for taking the time to read our paper. Your suggestions are a driving force for our continuous growth. Regardless of the outcome, we will maintain a humble attitude and strive to do what needs to be done.

Reviewer 5 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper focused on conducting an experiment with ten visually impaired children to investigate how indoor lighting (natural and artificial) and distances (3m and 5m) affect color recognition. The results seem promising; however, there is room for improvements such as:

 

- Format the manuscript according to the template at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/instructions.

- Present the related studies/literature review section to provide a better understanding of previous works in the field of color recognition. 

- Consider including a table summarizing previous works and comparing them with your current study to better present the contributions of your work.

- Explain the rationale behind using 3 and 5 meters as distances, and support this choice with references to previous work whenever possible.

- Clearly outline the applied methods used in the study that warrant the publication of the research article, as the new contribution is the dataset used.

- Include limitations and future work at the conclusion section.

- Summarize the contribution at the end of the introduction section.

- Proofread the English, correcting any errors such as "reconition" -> "recognition," etc.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Proofread the English

Author Response

1.- Format the manuscript according to the template at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/instructions.

 

Answer：

Thank you for your suggestion. We have formatted the manuscript according to the MDPI template, and it has now been uploaded to the system.

 

2.- Present the related studies/literature review section to provide a better understanding of previous works in the field of color recognition. 

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. Your suggestions have provided us with new insights. In conjunction with Comment 7, we have described the main contributions of previous research and our study's contributions in the final paragraph of the introduction.

 

The revisions are as follows:

       Previous studies have primarily focused on the strategic use of color to enhance the living conditions of individuals with visual impairments. These studies have applied color in a variety of contexts, including signage design, electronic texts, and VR games, with a particular focus on the interplay between visual impairment and color contrast. Building upon this prior research, the present study delves deeper into the influence of indoor environmental factors on the color recognition capabilities of children with low vision, with a focus on variables such as lighting and distance. This research enriches the corpus of literature about color studies within the context of visually impaired communities.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 94-101 for detailed modifications.

 

      

3.- Consider including a table summarizing previous works and comparing them with your current study to better present the contributions of your work.

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. At the end of Chapter 4, we have explained the differences between our research findings and previous studies, as well as the new discoveries made.

The revisions are as follows:

The findings of this study exhibit both similarities and differences when compared to previous research. We attribute these discrepancies primarily to the differences in experimental settings and the selection of colors for identification. We conducted our experiment in a special education school, a long-term residence for children with visual impairments. We also identified standard hues commonly used in daily life, limiting the range of color samples to the attribute of lightness. In earlier studies, however, the experimental conditions did not replicate the typical living environments of visually impaired children, and the identified colors encompassed not only lightness but also chroma

In China, the architectural design of special education schools is governed by national standards, as stipulated by the industry code JGJ76-2003. These regulations for various conditions, including classroom dimensions, facilities, lighting, and window arrangements, are all tailored to meet the needs of visually impaired children. Therefore, our conclusions are applicable to special education schools that operate within these standardized conditions. The experimental findings of this study indicate that in indoor settings, distance is the primary factor influencing color recognition for visually impaired children, surpassing the effects of lighting. Future research should focus on the impact of color area, contrast, and shape. Furthermore, it is imperative that the academic community expand its investigative scope to the application of colors in long-term residential environments for visually impaired children.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 546-564 for detailed modifications.

 

 

4.- Explain the rationale behind using 3 and 5 meters as distances, and support this choice with references to previous work whenever possible.

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. Explaining the basic principles of distance conditions will help readers better understand the research. We have further clarified the principles of distance in section 2.5.2.

 

The revisions are as follows:

In China, the benchmark distance for visual acuity testing is conventionally established at 5 meters, a standard that also informs the calibration of the eye chart. This 5-meter standard serves dual purposes: it is easily adopted in most indoor settings, including hospitals and schools, and it is a widely used distance not only in China but also in other countries like Japan and Germany, thereby enhancing the comparability of visual assessment outcomes.

In pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the impact of various distance on color recognition, we introduced an additional testing distance of 3 meters. This decision was motivated by the observation that the visual field of individuals with visual impairments is considerably reduced at distances exceeding 5 meters.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 246-255 for detailed modifications.

 

 

5.- Clearly outline the applied methods used in the study that warrant the publication of the research article, as the new contribution is the dataset used.

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. We have carefully revised the methodology. First, we provided a more detailed explanation of the participants. Next, we clarified the selection of color samples. Finally, we explained the experimental setting.

 

       The revised content for the participants is as follows:

The participants, ranging in age from 6 to 13 years, exhibited variability in their perception of color hues. The experimental criterion for color recognition was not to ‘select the color that most closely resembles a specific hue,’ but rather to ‘identify the three most attention-catching luminance levels’. Therefore, we designed the data analysis to identify the luminance levels that are most easily recognized by children aged 6 to 13, emphasizing their sensitivity to luminance rather than their understanding of color hues.

Table 1 presents the visual acuity range for the 10 participants. Visual acuity values are expressed in the "Decimal Visual Acuity," a format commonly used in China and Japan. A visual acuity of 1.0 corresponds to 20/20 or 6/6 on the LogMAR chart, indicating normal vision. Visual acuity values between 0.8 and 0.5 represent subnormal vision, with descending values reflecting a degradation in visual acuity. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, individuals with a visual acuity below 0.3 in Decimal Visual Acuity are classified as having severe visual impairment.

In this experiment, we enrolled over 60 children with amblyopia from a special education school. With this group, 11 children were diagnosed with a visual impairment to be categorized as severe amblyopia, while the remaining children exhibited milder forms of the condition. The objective of our study is to identify luminance levels of colors that are more recognizable in an indoor setting. Consequently, if colors are recognized by children with severe amblyopia, they should also be more easily identifiable by those with less severe vision impairments. The inclusion of all children in the experiment could potentially compromise the validity of the results.

Among the 11 children with severe amblyopia, one was found to have a color vision deficiency, leading to an experimental sample of 10 participants. However, a sample size of 10 is relatively modest, which is acknowledged as one of the limitations of our study.

In the design of this experiment, we intentionally excluded a control group and did not engage children with normal vision. This decision was informed by Chinese educational policy that necessitates children with disabilities to undertake a 9 to 12 year residential education within specialized schools. These institutions are equipped with distinct facilities, each meticulously tailored to address the unique requirements of various disabled student populations, including dedicated buildings for the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, and others. Given this context, our experiment was conducted within the building specifically designated for visually impaired students, an environment where all facilities are thoughtfully designed to meet the specific needs of children with amblyopia. Therefore, the scope of our data collection was limited to this particular group, as they represent the target population for our research.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 118-152 for detailed modifications.

 

The revised content for the color samples is as follows:

These five colors —red, yellow, green, blue, and purple— hold pervasive applications across various facets of daily life. Red, with its high contrast and attention-grabbing properties, is a universal choice for signaling emergencies, danger, or prohibition, evident in traffic lights and stop signs. Yellow, recognized for its visibility under low-light conditions, is a prevalent choice for warnings or alerts, as seen in cautionary signage. Green, often linked with safety or permission to proceed, is commonly utilized in green traffic lights and evacuation routes, and is generally regarded as a calming and reassuring color, minimizing the likelihood of misinterpretation. Blue, while less frequently employed, can be found in informational prompts or directional guidance, such as in specific traffic signs. Purple, a composite color derived from red and blue, is less commonly utilized in daily life but is included in China’s color blindness tests alongside the aforementioned colors. The selection of lower-brightness shades of purple by visually impaired children may suggest a diminished sensitivity to composite colors, which could indicate a potential risk of latent color vision deficiency and potentially exclude them from the experiment. The significance of these five colors in the daily lives of visually impaired children is underscored by the fact that ambiguous hues, such as orange and pink, are less appropriate for them. Given that color purity significantly influences hue perception, this study focuses exclusively on brightness in its examination of color.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 167-184 for detailed modifications.

 

The revised content for the experimental site is as follows:

      Rather than using a dedicated visual function training room for our experimental location, we decided to carry out the investigation in a regular classroom setting. This decision was informed by the consideration that visual function training rooms are equipped with an array of specialized equipment, including lighting, curtains, and furniture, all calibrated to facilitate visual training. Although such an environment, is ideal for its intended function, it may not accurately represent the ambient conditions encountered in everyday settings. The colors appropriate for children with low vision should meet the needs of their daily living environments and not be strictly tailored for a specific indoor context.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 220-228 for detailed modifications.

 

6.- Include limitations and future work at the conclusion section.

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. We have added a discussion on the limitations and future work in the conclusion section.

 

The revisions are as follows:

This study examined the effects of lighting and distance on color recognition among children with profound visual impairments. The results indicate that lighting has a relatively minor impact on color recognition, and no significant difference was observed between natural and artificial light. The only notable difference appeared as a slight increase in scores within the low luminance group. Notably, the low luminance group exhibited superior performance under various lighting situations, with some colors showing overlapping characteristics between the high luminance and standard color groups. Conversely, distance had a more substantial effect on color recognition. Specifically, the scores of the low luminance group increased further, revealing a significant difference compared to the results of the high luminance group. Equally noteworthy is the absence of any significant differences in the identification of the color green over varying distances.

One constraint of our study is the limited sample size, consisting of only 10 children with low vision, which may influence the generalizability of our findings. However, our findings highlight the importance of considering these factors when addressing the visual needs of children with visual impairments. Considering the crucial role of special education schools for these children, we advocate for the establishment of a specialized color application system within these institutions, separate from general areas. Our analysis indicates that color attributes such as hue, luminance, saturation, area, and shape should adhere to standardized guidelines, based on the observed variations in distance. Furthermore, it is important to establish interior lighting requirements, such as illumination levels, color temperature, and color rendering index, in coordination with these color standards. This will guarantee that these requirements correctly correspond to the visual needs of children with visual impairments.

Thank you again for your comment. Please refer to lines 566-588 for detailed modifications.

 

 

7.- Summarize the contribution at the end of the introduction section.

 

Answer：

Thank you very much for your comments. In response to your second comment, we have summarized our contributions in the introduction.Please refer to lines 94-101 for detailed modifications.

 

8.- Proofread the English, correcting any errors such as "reconition" -> "recognition," etc.

 

Answer：

Thank you for your comments. We have re-evaluated the English text and removed any grammatical errors.

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors: 

Percent match: 20%
iThenticate report 

it is accepted.

Aim:  

This study aims to investigate how indoor lighting (natural and artificial) and distances (3 8 m and 5 m) affect color recognition in visually impaired children. Ten participants from a special 9 education school were selected to identify the brightness of five colors at varying lighting and distance circumstances. 

2. WELL STRUCTURED ARTICLE 

3. no problems with tabs, references, conclusion 

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your recognition of our work. As an exploratory study, your positive feedback has greatly motivated us. We have further enriched the content in the introduction, and we will be sure to carefully address the issue of similarity rates in our subsequent revisions.

 

We have incorporated the second round of revisions into the manuscript, with the revised content highlighted in blue text. The revisions are as follows:

Many scholars have a misunderstanding regarding the visual capabilities of the visually impaired population, often conflating individuals with visual impairments with those who are completely blind, thereby assuming they have entirely lost their vision. As a result, early research predominantly focused on Braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with very limited attention given to the study of color. Over time, research specifically targeting individuals with low vision has gradually emerged, including studies on ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies primarily aimed at improving vision through instruments, and their conclusions were not specifically centered on color.We have identified the critical role of special education schools for children with visual impairments and noted a significant lack of research on the use of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired. We believe that indoor color can assist in visual recognition for this population, which serves as the foundational motivation for our study.

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. You can see the revised content on lines 55-74.

 

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to addressing any further concerns you may have.

 

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In the V2 manuscript some improvements were made, based on previous remarks from the review. However, if possible to the results part an improved  presentation may be considered (a more synthetic one).

Also, please pay more attention to paper format and font size.

Author Response

In the V2 manuscript some improvements were made, based on previous remarks from the review. However, if possible to the results part an improved  presentation may be considered (a more synthetic one).

Also, please pay more attention to paper format and font size.

 

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your comments. Our paper is a preliminary exploration, and to make the results easier to understand, we have revised parts of the introduction. We believe that a clearer introduction will aid in better understanding the results. Additionally, we have adjusted the text size and spacing issues within the paper.

 

We have incorporated the second round of revisions into the manuscript, with the revised content highlighted in blue text. The revisions are as follows:

Many scholars have a misunderstanding regarding the visual capabilities of the visually impaired population, often conflating individuals with visual impairments with those who are completely blind, thereby assuming they have entirely lost their vision. As a result, early research predominantly focused on Braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with very limited attention given to the study of color. Over time, research specifically targeting individuals with low vision has gradually emerged, including studies on ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies primarily aimed at improving vision through instruments, and their conclusions were not specifically centered on color.We have identified the critical role of special education schools for children with visual impairments and noted a significant lack of research on the use of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired. We believe that indoor color can assist in visual recognition for this population, which serves as the foundational motivation for our study.

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. You can see the revised content on lines 55-74.

 

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to addressing any further concerns you may have.

 

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors partially responded to my comments. They explained why they decided to include such a small and age-diverse group in the study group. However, this explanation is not entirely justified. A control group is needed to assess the results obtained. There are no studies similar to those described by the authors on such a group, and therefore it is not clear whether the results are characteristic only for the group of children with very poor eyesight or generally correspond to this age group. To what normative values ​​did the authors compare the obtained results? The work requires indicating normative values ​​on the basis of which the authors show that something is better or worse.

Author Response

The authors partially responded to my comments. They explained why they decided to include such a small and age-diverse group in the study group. However, this explanation is not entirely justified. A control group is needed to assess the results obtained. There are no studies similar to those described by the authors on such a group, and therefore it is not clear whether the results are characteristic only for the group of children with very poor eyesight or generally correspond to this age group. To what normative values ​​did the authors compare the obtained results? The work requires indicating normative values ​​on the basis of which the authors show that something is better or worse.

 

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your insightful comments. We sincerely apologize for not being able to include a control group or provide standardized values. However, before we explain the reasons for these limitations, we kindly ask for your understanding as we provide some background on our research.

 

Many scholars have a misunderstanding regarding the visual capabilities of the visually impaired population, often conflating individuals with visual impairments with those who are completely blind, thereby assuming they have entirely lost their vision. As a result, early research predominantly focused on Braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with very limited attention given to the study of color. Over time, research specifically targeting individuals with low vision has gradually emerged, including studies on ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies primarily aimed at improving vision through instruments, and their conclusions were not specifically centered on color.We have identified the critical role of special education schools for children with visual impairments and noted a significant lack of research on the use of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired. We believe that indoor color can assist in visual recognition for this population, which serves as the foundational motivation for our study.

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

1. Why a Control Group Was Not Included——Different Research Objectives

 

Among the 52 references cited in our paper, only 6 studies (27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) have conducted experiments on color and indoor environments for the visually impaired community. Of these, 5 studies (27, 30, 31, 32, 33) did not include a control group of individuals with normal vision. These studies focused on specific issues such as the recognition of background colors by visually impaired individuals, their shopping needs, accessible hotel services, map color design, and spatial cognition. The research was specifically tailored to the visually impaired population and did not consider normal-sighted individuals.

 

Only one study (29) included a control group, titled “Effects of Color and Background Luminance on Minimum Legible Size of Dynamic Chinese Characters Displayed on an LCD Monitor for Low Vision and Normal Vision Users.” The inclusion of a control group in that study was necessary because the research aimed to serve both low vision and normal vision users.

 

Our study focuses on the color recognition abilities of a special population (visually impaired children) within a unique environment (special education schools). The constraints of our study are not only related to the population but also to the environment. Therefore, we believe that adding a control group is unnecessary. Even if we were to include a control group and highlight the differences in color recognition between visually impaired and normal children, the unique environment of special education schools, where normal children are not typically present, means that in practice, we would still need to rely on the data from the experimental group.

 

2. Why Standardized Values Cannot Be Provided—Limited Related Literature

 

Due to the scarcity of literature on indoor color for the visually impaired, our paper is a preliminary exploratory study. Among the references we cited, none provide experimental data on indoor color. The other related studies vary in their experimental settings and color samples, making them unsuitable as a reference for standardized values. Our experimental criterion is "color recognizability." Our results indicate the luminance levels (colors in the low-luminance group) that are more easily recognizable in indoor environments and identify factors (such as distance) that affect recognition. Although these results may not serve as "standardized values," they are supported by some prior research. In practical terms, if severely visually impaired children can efficiently recognize certain colors, our research objective is achieved.

 

We believe that as more scholars focus on indoor color for the visually impaired community, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly standardized. Our paper is an initial attempt, and we hope that our research can provide some new avenues of thought for future scholars.

 

We have incorporated the second round of revisions into the manuscript, with the revised content highlighted in blue text. The revisions are as follows:

 

Many scholars have a misunderstanding regarding the visual capabilities of the visually impaired population, often conflating individuals with visual impairments with those who are completely blind, thereby assuming they have entirely lost their vision. As a result, early research predominantly focused on Braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with very limited attention given to the study of color. Over time, research specifically targeting individuals with low vision has gradually emerged, including studies on ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies primarily aimed at improving vision through instruments, and their conclusions were not specifically centered on color.We have identified the critical role of special education schools for children with visual impairments and noted a significant lack of research on the use of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired. We believe that indoor color can assist in visual recognition for this population, which serves as the foundational motivation for our study.

 

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. You can see the revised content on lines 55-74.

 

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to addressing any further concerns you may have.

 

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Even the paper was improved, it doesn't propose any research method.  No proposed method is presented.

It presents only a study with 10 participants. It is not justified why are selected all the analysed metrics. What other studies are relevant to this one to correlate with obtained results.

Author Response

Even the paper was improved, it doesn't propose any research method.  No proposed method is presented.

It presents only a study with 10 participants. It is not justified why are selected all the analysed metrics. What other studies are relevant to this one to correlate with obtained results.

 

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We hope that our response can change your perspective on our paper.

Many scholars harbor a common misconception regarding the visually impaired community, often conflating visual impairment with total blindness and assuming a complete loss of vision. As a result, early research primarily focused on areas such as braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with minimal attention given to color. Over time, some studies began to emerge focusing on low vision, such as those involving ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies were predominantly aimed at improving vision through technological means rather than focusing on color itself. Our paper represents an exploratory attempt to fill this gap in the literature.

 

1. Regarding the value of our research

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

2. Regarding Our Research Methodology
   Our experiment does not follow the conventional approach typically seen in material science or chemistry, where specific experimental environments and equipment are necessary to achieve particular effects. Such studies require precise and rigorous processes to enable replication by other scholars. In contrast, our research aims to enable a special group of participants (visually impaired children) to effectively recognize colors commonly found in their daily environment within their habitual setting (special education schools). Therefore, our experimental method does not need to be replicated in the same manner. To our knowledge, no other scholars have attempted this research direction before. Our findings highlight the luminance levels (colors in the low-luminance group) that are more easily recognizable in indoor environments, as well as factors such as distance that affect recognition. While there are similarities with previous studies, our methodology is distinct.

In comparing our research with related studies, we found that all experimental designs differed in their environment and color samples, leading to varying results. However, we also recognized the critical role that special education schools play for visually impaired children and identified a significant gap in research on color in indoor environments for this population. We believe that indoor color can assist in their visual recognition, which is the primary motivation for our study.

 

3. Literature Related to This Study
   Regrettably, no previous studies have combined the elements of the visually impaired community, indoor environments, and color recognition. Prior research has focused on environments such as supermarkets and hotels, which are not permanent settings for the visually impaired community. Our study specifically targets visually impaired children and emphasizes the importance of their permanent settings. Our paper aims to draw the attention of the scholarly community to these environments. We believe that as more scholars focus on indoor color for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly standardized. Our paper is an initial attempt, and we hope that our research can inspire new avenues of thought for future scholars.

Once again, we sincerely thank you for your comments, which have provided us with valuable insights. We have incorporated parts of our response into the paper to help future readers better understand our study.

 

We have incorporated the second round of revisions into the manuscript, with the revised content highlighted in blue text. The revisions are as follows:

 

Many scholars have a misunderstanding regarding the visual capabilities of the visually impaired population, often conflating individuals with visual impairments with those who are completely blind, thereby assuming they have entirely lost their vision. As a result, early research predominantly focused on Braille, sensory compensation, and obstacle avoidance devices, with very limited attention given to the study of color. Over time, research specifically targeting individuals with low vision has gradually emerged, including studies on ocular devices and VR games, where color was used as a tool within other research contexts. However, these studies primarily aimed at improving vision through instruments, and their conclusions were not specifically centered on color.We have identified the critical role of special education schools for children with visual impairments and noted a significant lack of research on the use of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired. We believe that indoor color can assist in visual recognition for this population, which serves as the foundational motivation for our study.

 

There is a scarcity of research that connects the visually impaired population, indoor environments, and color. Our study represents foundational research on indoor color recognition for the visually impaired, with all our references drawn from indirect studies. However, we are confident that as more scholars focus on the role of color in indoor environments for the visually impaired, the standards for indoor color design will become increasingly refined. Our study is an exploratory attempt, and we hope that our research will provide new insights and research directions for future scholars in this field.

 

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. You can see the revised content on lines 55-74.

 

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to addressing any further concerns you may have.

 

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu

Round 3

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors try to explain two extreme situations that are mutually exclusive. If I do not want to use a control group, I have to use standardized values ​​to show how the experimental group differs or does not differ from the accepted norms. These are two ways to make my research reliable. I perfectly understand the specifics of a special school because I conducted a research project in a group of children attending such a school for the visually impaired and partially sighted, and therefore I believe that having the opportunity to assess children at school in their natural environment, the authors should not limit themselves to such a small group. In each such school there are children with different levels of visual impairment or blindness, therefore I believe that a control group, selected even from children attending the same school, but with a lesser range of visual impairment, should make the results credible. Looking only at the group presented by the authors with a very large age range and in terms of motor skills, the work does not give full results, because it is not known whether such color vision is characteristic only for this group of children and in the future, having a research project, I can only take into account such a profound disability, or can I conduct it for a larger group? Additionally, special schools are not created only for children with profound disabilities like the group studied, the authors themselves wrote that there are much more children - so it is worth checking how other children perceive these colors and maybe use the research results in practice at school. The work still requires a control group

Author Response

The authors try to explain two extreme situations that are mutually exclusive. If I do not want to use a control group, I have to use standardized values ​​to show how the experimental group differs or does not differ from the accepted norms. These are two ways to make my research reliable. I perfectly understand the specifics of a special school because I conducted a research project in a group of children attending such a school for the visually impaired and partially sighted, and therefore I believe that having the opportunity to assess children at school in their natural environment, the authors should not limit themselves to such a small group. In each such school there are children with different levels of visual impairment or blindness, therefore I believe that a control group, selected even from children attending the same school, but with a lesser range of visual impairment, should make the results credible. Looking only at the group presented by the authors with a very large age range and in terms of motor skills, the work does not give full results, because it is not known whether such color vision is characteristic only for this group of children and in the future, having a research project, I can only take into account such a profound disability, or can I conduct it for a larger group? Additionally, special schools are not created only for children with profound disabilities like the group studied, the authors themselves wrote that there are much more children - so it is worth checking how other children perceive these colors and maybe use the research results in practice at school. The work still requires a control group

 

Dear Reviewer,

 

We sincerely appreciate your detailed evaluation and insightful feedback on our research. Your suggestions are extremely valuable, and we take them seriously, fully understanding your concerns regarding the research design, sample selection, and the broader applicability of our findings.

In our study, we indeed faced the challenge of balancing limited resources with specific research objectives. We chose to focus on color perception in children with severe visual impairments to deeply explore the unique characteristics of this group. We understand your recommendations to expand the sample size and include a control group, which would undoubtedly enhance the generalizability and credibility of the findings. However, as an exploratory study, and based on existing literature, as well as the specific goals and resource constraints of our research, we opted for the current study design.

Regarding the inclusion of a control group, we agree that this would be an important method to enhance the interpretability of the results. We also fully acknowledge your point that in certain cases, the inclusion of a control group could further strengthen the credibility and explanatory power of the study. In future research, we plan to incorporate a control group to further validate our findings and explore broader applications.

Additionally, the diversity of students in special schools and the practical application of our research results in education are critical areas that we need to explore further in our future work. We also recognize that the external validity and practicality of the study are key to increasing its value.

We understand that any research aims for perfection, and your suggestions have provided us with highly constructive insights. We agree with and appreciate your suggestions. Your feedback will significantly influence our future research improvements and methodological choices. Besides presenting new research methods and conclusions, it is equally important to draw attention to specific issues, and your suggestions highlight the limitations of our study. We have included your comments as part of the revisions in the paper's conclusion.

Thank you once again for your attention and support of our work. We believe your comments will inspire greater scholarly attention to special populations. We look forward to continuing to draw on your valuable insights in our future research to enhance the quality and applicability of our studies.

 

Thank you again for your comments. We have incorporated your feedback as part of the study's limitations in the conclusion section, with the revisions highlighted in yellow. The revised content is as follows:

Our study has several additional limitations. Firstly, the study did not use a control group, which limits our ability to compare the results of the experimental group with those of individuals with lesser visual impairments or normal vision. While we used standardized values to demonstrate differences or similarities with accepted norms, the absence of a control group may affect the overall reliability and interpretability of the findings.

Additionally, the sample size is relatively small and includes a broad age range, which may introduce variability in motor skills and developmental stages. This raises the question of whether the observed color perception characteristics are specific to the studied group or if they can be generalized to a broader population with varying degrees of visual impairment. Special schools, including the one studied, typically serve a diverse student body with varying levels of visual impairment, and our focus on a more severely impaired group may not fully capture this diversity.

Finally, the practical significance of our findings is somewhat constrained by the scope of the study. Although special schools are designed to accommodate a wide range of disabilities, the results of this study may not be applicable to all students within such schools. Future research should consider a larger, more diverse sample and include a control group to enhance the generalizability and practical relevance of the findings.

Thank you again for your expertise. You can see this revised content in lines 609–626.

 

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Since all my comments were addressed I recommend to publish the paper.

Author Response

Since all my comments were addressed I recommend to publish the paper.

 

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for your support and understanding of our article. Your feedback is our motivation to keep moving forward. In our future research, we will continue to contribute to the special populations around the world.

Sincerely,
Yuhang Li

Yan Gu

XiaoDong Zhu