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Visual impairments range from reduced field of vision, (e.g. tunnel vision), light sensitivity, partially or complete blurred field of vision to total blindness.
In some cases, the level of vision may fluctuate, remain constant or deteriorate. Each person’s vision and visual impairment is unique. There needs to be an understanding of this before requirements can be identified and met. An assessor is available through the RNZFB.
Physical access
Once room allocation is determined, an orientation and mobility instructor from the Foundation for the Blind can instruct and familiarize a student with their new surroundings.
When giving directions, use right, left, up or down in relation to where the student is. The clock method is useful as well, where 9 o’clock means their left.
If any changes are made to the environment, moving furniture or equipment, verbally warn a student in advance. It is better to try to keep a lecture room constant in terms of equipment placement and avoid change if possible.
Always ask a student how they want to be assisted when physical guidance is requested. Allow them to take your arm, just above the elbow and walk slightly ahead so that they can follow your body movements. Don’t grab them.
When a student with impaired vision arrives, it is helpful to use specific phrases in describing a new place – i.e. “to the left is an area shaped like a rectangle”.
Non verbal communication
When meeting with a student with impaired vision, identify yourself by name. Contextual change to an environment can make it difficult to place a voice.
Indicate to each student that they are being addressed by using their first name particularly if in conjunction with questions - "James Mackay - what do you think?"
A visually impaired student may be unable to see the non-verbal cues like a head nod or an extended hand or arm.
By using these inclusive practices with ALL students in the class, you will not have to remember this particularly for vision impaired students!
Printed material (This is very important)
Before commencement…Meet with the student and their advisors.
Provide course outlines, book lists, tutorial readings, hand-outs and assessment schedules well in advance to allow time for reformatting of this material into Braille or tapes.
You can consider sending this information directly to students by disk or e-mail.
(As reformatting may take considerable time, there may be a delay in course commencement for a student.)
Check with the student which format they prefer & if enlarging text, which font size.
Clarify expectations and responsibility for tasks and include support options.
Provide any administration or departmental information both orally and in the students preferred format.
Lectures
Always repeat out loud text that appears on the whiteboard, overheads, or on PowerPoint. New terminology needs to be repeated, sometimes spelt out. Clusters of numbers need to be repeated.
Being verbally descriptive is imperative. Do not say "These figures indicate ..." instead "Thirty per cent of the population ... and "twenty seven per cent of the population..."
Graphs, diagrams and charts can be formatted through transcription services.
This may take months rather than weeks so it is important that material is prepared prior to commencement of lectures.
It may be necessary to postpone commencement for a student until material is prepared.
On all campus sites, Zoom Text 2 and Zoom Text 8 with a voice back up is available. On the Timaru Campus, Read & Write Gold & Dragon Naturally Speaking are available.
Assessments, tests and assignments
Reader / writers or adaptive technology for a student can be arranged through Access Aoraki on receipt of the course timetable.
Research support can be arranged. On the world wide web, there can be problems with the interface between specialized software and the web. Transcriptions of material may be available through Access Aoraki.
Extensions to completion times may be required.
Equipment and resources
On all campus sites, Zoom Text 2 and (November 2005) Zoom Text 8 with a voice back up is available. on the Timaru Campus, a screen reader & Dragon Naturally Speaking are available.
On Ashburton, Dunedin & Christchurch sites equipment can be made available on application. Jaws and Zoom Text available (November 2005) on the Dunedin campus.
If helpful, lectures can be taped and then transcribed into Braille through transcription services. This arrangement needs to be confirmed prior to commencement.
Students who have been using Ministry owned Closed Circuit TV in other learning environments are able to use it on our campus. We do not have this equipment ourselves.
Peer tutors can be made available through the Access Aoraki Coordinator.
Guide dogs are welcome on all our sites.
Please make sure that other students are aware that this is a working dog.
We will arrange a site that is easy to clean on campus where the dog can be taken to toilet. The student or staff member can discuss this with the caretaker/maintenance manager.
Advise the student where water can be accessed for the dog.
A meeting with the student will be arranged following their first week to ensure that all their needs are being met.
This information is available on www.aoraki.ac.nz/support/access aoraki/good practice
The local Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind is at:
63 Grey Road Timaru 6844 259
website www.nzfb.org.nz
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