TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL

WHAT IS A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT? LEVELS OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

A range of visual losses that require adaptations for learning in a variety of • Normal vision
environments. • Moderate visual
impairment
The level of a student’s disability is influenced by environmental factors, other • Severe visual impairment
disabilities, and the type or degree of visual impairment. • Blindness

Vision impairment can affect each individual differently and the degree of sight
among visually impaired students may vary greatly.
IMPAIRMENTS EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

• Low self-esteem and motivation

• May feel disconnected from peers
• Unable to read gestures and body language
• Concept development
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Life skills
• Orientation and mobility skills
• Academic development

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• Constant eye rubbing or chronic eye redness

• Extreme light sensitivity
• Squiniting, closing one eye, or misaligned eyes
• Poor focusing or trouble following objects
• Inability to see objects at a distance
• Inability to read a whiteboard or blackboard

TEACHING STRATEGIES SPECIALIZED MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT

AND TECHNOLOGY
Personal delivery
• Identify yourself • Braille – an embossed symbolic
• Introduce others or ask fellow students to identify themselves prior to system that is read tactually
speaking • Large print text
• Speak naturally, don’t avoid language you would normally sue such as • Low vision aids e.g. magnifying
‘look’ and ‘see’ devices
• Use accurate and specific language when giving instructions • Audiocassettes and cassette
• Altering teaching environment, e.g. ensure no glare on whiteboard recorder
• Screen reader/speech
Presentation synthesizer
• Ensure teaching style is verbal – don’t rush through information • Voice access – allows users to
• Verbalise what is written on PowerPoints or whiteboards interact with the computer
• Talk through any procedures or calculations that you may take screen by using voice commands
• Describe any graphs or charts and read any written information out loud instead of the keyboard
• Offer to record any sessions on a device so the student is able to refer to • Scanner
them later and take notes they may have missed • Print-to-braille software
• Have student sit close to the front.

Visual aids
• Give students a hardcopy of any materials prior to starting the class,
whether that is a hardcopy of slides