Visual Impairments
A visual impairment is a loss of sight which is irretrievable; this may be partial or whole, and is not remediated through wearing spectacles
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Brief description of Visual Impairments
Detailed description of Visual Impairments
How Visual Impairments can impact on learning, teaching and training
Brief description of Visual Impairments
A visual impairment is a loss of sight which is irretrievable and may be partial or whole. This can be a result of disease, trauma, or a congenital or degenerative condition that cannot be corrected by conventional means, including refractive correction, medication, or surgery.
Visual impairment is the consequence of a functional loss of vision, rather than the eye disorder itself, and is often caused by brain and nerve disorders.
Detailed description of Visual Impairments
Learners may have developed their own coping strategies and techniques and so it is essential for them to be closely involved in any discussion of teaching strategies appropriate to their situation.
Blind and partially sighted people are more dependent on their hearing for information gathering. People who have been blind since birth will have missed out on informal opportunities for learning to read, for example, through the experience of seeing signs and labels in everyday life. They will also have a conceptual framework for such concepts such as distance, dimensions and scale that is not drawn from visual images. They might have missed out on gathering everyday practical information about the world around them, which sighted people take for granted, and may therefore need to be introduced to new situations in a practical experimental manner before moving on to form concepts.
How Visual Impairments can impact on learning, teaching and training
Provide sufficient time to discuss needs with the individual before their initial teaching session.
Large Print
Some people may require material to be produced in large print format. A minimum of 14 point and preferably 16-18 point is recommended for this. It can be produced by photocopy enlargement or by producing larger print directly from a PC – the latter is preferable as the quality of the print is better. However, some people can find it difficult to scan large print and may find their concentration is quickly depleted.
Note taking in Lessons
Some learners may need to use an audio recorder to record lessons/discussions. This means the individual has to rely on auditory input which requires skills of concentration and memory, and practice. Some people may also require the use of a notetaker. People should be encouraged to sit in a position where they can hear/see (for those with some residual sight). Everything written on OHPs should be stated orally. Teaching materials should be available well in advance of the session – in extra large print if required. Also, as it is more difficult to scan material, providing materials in advance allows individuals to make Braille/taped copies of the content if required and to organise the materials.
Participating in Tutorials
Learners who have visual difficulties that affect their ability to access text may be excluded when there is some reading to do in the tutorial. They may also experience difficulties with face to face communication if they are unable to read facial expressions or body language. It can take time for individuals to get used to the voices of other learners in their tutorial group and it may be helpful for speakers to say their name prior to speaking. It is helpful to provide any textual material, in an accessible format, in advance of the tutorial, even if this is not the teacher/trainer's usual practice.
Practical Classes
There are some fairly straightforward and low-tech ways of modifying or adapting equipment or activities to allow learners with various impairments to participate in practical classes. Examples include: auditory displays of visual information (such as talking thermometers), tactile displays of visual information (such as containers with raised markings), devices for holding items of equipment, and hand held, illuminated magnifiers. Examples of such innovations are likely to multiply as more employed people develop impairments and are retained and supported in their existing role.
Work Placements and Field Trips
Departments organising placements or field trips for learners with impairments will need to consider, ideally in discussion with the individual, the differences between the new context and environment and the more usual, and often more structured, context of study. Sometimes, the use of equipment, arrangements or personal assistance could, with a little planning, transfer to a different context.
Some equipment or educational support may not be so easily transferable. Recording lessons may be acceptable in a way that recording interviews with clients in a setting requiring confidentiality may not be. Portability may also be a factor to be considered for field trips. Some non-medical, personal help, such as communication support for lessons, could be regarded as obtrusive during one-to-one work involving clients. A laptop with speech synthesis linked to a data projector, however, could clearly have uses in work contexts involving presentations.
The fact that funding may need to be found to purchase additional equipment for placements or field trips underlines the necessity to plan and prepare long before the placement start date.
