NUIM Staff
Supporting Students with Visual Impairments
Students who are visually impaired are expected to participate fully in class activities. To record notes, some use such devices as laptop computers or computerised braillers. Students may confront limitations in laboratory sessions, field trips and internships, but with planning and adaptive equipment, their difficulties can be minimised.
Before or early in the course:
- Provide reading lists or syllabi to allow time forconversion to alternative formats.
- Assist the student in finding readers, note-takers or team the student with a sighted classmate or laboratory assistant.
- Reserve front seats for low-vision students. If a guide dog is used, it will be highly disciplined and require little space.
During the course:
- Face class when speaking
- Convey in speech whatever you put on board and whatever other visual cues or graphic cues you may use.
- Permit lectures to be recorded and/or provide copies of lecture notes where appropriate.
- Provide large print copies of lecture materials.
- Be flexible with assignment deadlines
- Plan field trips and internships well in advance and alert field supervisors to whatever adaptations may be needed.
- If a specific task is impossible for the student to carry out, consider an alternative assignment.
Examinations and Evaluations
Alternative means of assessing visually impaired students' course achievements may be necessary. They may suggest testing and evaluation strategies like the use of print enlargers, specialised computer programmes or tape recorders.
People with a Vision Impairment - General Guidelines
Contrary to popular belief, most blind or partially sighted people can see something. Just how much someone can see will vary from person to person. A minority of blind people can distinguish light but nothing else. Some people have no central vision, others have no side vision. Some people see everything as a vague blur; others see a patchwork of blanks and defined areas. There are a number of different eye conditions that can cause sight problems.
Some people are born with no vision or significantly reduced vision. Others lose vision due to accidents or the natural aging process. The actual effect of the vision impairment varies widely, depending on the condition, its progress and the person's coping skills. Therefore it is important to speak to the person about the effect of their visual impairment and how they cope, so that their individual needs can be met.
- Greet a person by saying your name in case the person does not recognise your voice.
- Talk directly to the person rather than through a third party and there's no need to shout!
- Don't be afraid to use terms like "see you later" or "do you see what I mean?" Blind and visually impaired people use them too.
- Always ask the person if they would like your assistance, and if so, allow them to take your arm.
- When assisting, it is helpful to give a commentary on what is around the person.
- If you are giving directions, don't point! Give clear verbal directions.
- Don't assume that because a person can see one thing that they can see everything. If necessary ask them.
- Similarly, don't assume that a person using a white cane or guide dog is totally blind. Many partially sighted people use these.
- Always let a person know when you are entering or leaving a room, so that they are not left talking to themselves.
- Don't leave a blind person standing in space - let them have contact with some object such as a chair, desk or a wall.
- Never distract a guide dog when working (i.e. in harness).
- A person using a white cane with a red stripe has a hearing impairment as well as a visual impairment.
