Improving Visual Access

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Improving Visual Access

• Special Education Department Blind/Visually
  Impaired

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Improving Visual Access for All Students

• The purpose of this powerpoint is to provide
  strategies to improve visual access for
• All students
• Present strategies to help all students visually
  access learning materials successfully.
• Students with a visual impairment
• Present strategies for students who meet
  eligibility criteria for special education
  blind/visually impaired services.

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• Visual Strategies for
• All Students

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Handouts/Teacher Made Materials
• Avoid dark colored paper
• Black print on white provides optimal contrast
• Bold colors are optimal for pictures other
  graphics
• Use only high quality copies with clear graphics
• Avoid visual clutter
• See following examples

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Example of cluttered page layout

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Example of uncluttered page layout

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Handouts/Teacher Made Materials continued
• Avoid fonts that are busy (script, broadway etc.)
• (Verdana and Arial are examples of preferred
  fonts)
• Use developmentally appropriate font sizes
• Kindergarten 18-24 point font
• First grade 16-24 point font
• Second grade 14-18 point font
• Third - Fifth grade 12-14 point font
• Middle and High School 10-12 point font

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Clutter
• Cluttered environments or learning materials
  often make it difficult for children to visually
  process information.
• Classroom environment
• The combination of calendar math, word walls,
  busy bulletin boards etc. placed in close
  proximity creates clutter.
• To avoid classroom clutter, create clear space
  between displayed learning materials, and display
  only materials that enhance student learning.

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Clutter (cont.)
• Cluttered learning materials can create visual
  confusion for students and be overwhelming.
• Learning materials
• Turn a cluttered one page handout into two pages.
• When unable to avoid visual clutter on a page,
  cover a portion of the page (plain book mark,
  reading window).
• Also see handouts/teacher made materials.

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Interactive Whiteboards
• Use high contrast colors (blue black preferred)
• Keep screen simple avoiding clutter
• Test ease of viewing from the back of the
  classroom
• Backgrounds should be plain not patterned

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Lighting
• Avoid glare on the whiteboard, computer screen
  interactive whiteboard
• Be aware of glare on laminated materials
• Characteristics of fluorescent lighting
  (flickering, humming, brightness) can affect many
  students adversely, such as
• Sensory overload
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Dry eyes
• Common Visual Difficulties
• Computer Access

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Visual Strategies for All Students

• Computer Access
• Use settings to adjust monitor to meet individual
  student needs
• Font size, brightness, enlarged cursor,
  resolution, accessibility features
• Avoid glare
• Consider dimming overhead lights
• Adjust position of monitor based on size of
  student

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• Students with Temporary Visual Conditions

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Students with Temporary Visual Conditions

• Common Causes of Vision Difficulties
• Eye patching
• Not wearing glasses
• Eye infections
• Light sensitivity
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Allergies
• Undiagnosed correctable eye conditions

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• Reading Difficulties

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Reading Difficulties

• When students are struggling with reading,
  determine if they have received a comprehensive
  eye examination (preferably by a pediatric
  ophthalmologist) to rule out a visual impairment.

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• Vision Therapy

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Vision Therapy

• Vision therapy is a medical intervention that is
  typically prescribed by optometrists and is not
  supported by the American Association of
  Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus or the
  American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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Vision Therapy

• Vision therapy/behavioral visual therapy is not
  conducted in the school setting and is not
  considered an educational service.

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Vision Therapy

• When discussing reading issues, parents may share
  medical information that describes visual
  characteristics such as eye teaming, convergence
  insufficiency, and/or visual processing
  difficulties that require on-going vision
  therapy.

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Vision Therapy

• See these links for further information regarding
  professional perspectives on vision therapy
• http//www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/108
• http//www.aao.org/about/policy/upload/Learning-Di
  sabilities-Dyslexia-Vision-2009.pdf

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• Criteria for Special Education Category of
  Blind/Visually Impaired

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Criteria for Special Education Category of
Blind/Visually Impaired

• In order to qualify for service, students must
  meet both medical and educational requirements.
• The first step in the eligibility process is for
  a teacher for students who are blind or visually
  impaired (TBVI) to review medical records from an
  ophthalmologist or optometrist documenting a
  diagnosed visual impairment.

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Criteria for Special Education Category of
Blind/Visually Impaired

• See the following Minnesota Department of
  Education link for criteria
• https//www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/rules/?id3525
  .1345

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• Improving Visual Access for Students with a
  Visual Impairment

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Improving Visual Access for Students with a
Visual Impairment

• There are many different types of visual
  impairments and each particular type results in
  unique visual functioning.
• Students with visual impairments require the
  expertise of a teacher for students who are blind
  or visually impaired who understands the
  functional implications of various medical eye
  conditions.

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Improving Visual Access for Students with a
Visual Impairment

• A teacher for students who are blind or visually
  impaired (TBVI) must be consulted for input on
  the impact of a visual impairment on the
  following
• accessing learning materials
• recommending necessary accommodations or
  modifications
• providing input on the impact of a visual
  impairment on both incidental and structured
  learning

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Improving Visual Access for Students with a
Visual Impairment

• Because a visual impairment impacts all areas of
  development and learning, it is necessary for a
  teacher for students who are blind or visually
  impaired to collaborate with all IEP team
  members.

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Contributing Authors

• Exsted, R. 2014
• Gullette, A. 2014
• Kochevar, J. 2014
• Ward, K. 2014