Bring in the light?

Shawnee Shane Caley Erin

ACTIVITY #1
Visual Impairment
-Not just about the blind.
-Includes any student whose visual
acuity is not sufficient to “participate
with ease in everyday activities” and
whose impairment “can result in a
substantial educational
disadvantage, unless adaptations
are made” (Hutchinson 2017)

-Fair differentiation is YOUR

responsibility as teachers!
What situations?
Categories of Visual Impairment
Three Types of Vision Impairments
- Low Vision: Between 20/70 and 20/400

- Blindness: 20/400 or worse

- Legal Blindness: 20/200 or worse

Examples of some of the specific issues that fall within

these

Categories are . . .
 Other Types of visual Impairment
- Loss of Central vision: This creates a blur or
blindspot in the centre of one’s vision
- Loss of peripheral vision: The opposite of the
above, the sides of one’s vision is unclear, while
the centre remains clear
- Blurred Vision: Both near and far are out of
focus
- Generalized Haze: A film or glare that extends
over one’s vision
- Extreme Light Sensitivity: Regular levels of
lighting are overwhelming, producing a
washed-out image or glare
- Night Blindness: Inability to see
outside at night or in dimly lit situations
indoors, such as theatres or restaurants
or dimmed classrooms
- Color Blindness: Colors are still seen,
but perception of them is limited and
inaccurate
- Issues With Depth Perception: Causes
blurry vision particularly in one eye
making it difficult to gauge distance of
object
https://www.coavision.org/m/pages.cfm?pageid=3625
 CASE STUDY
Trevor*
(name changed for confidentiality purposes)
Discussion
ACTIVITY #2
Discussion
 Classroom Strategies
- Read student’s IPP BEFORE they enter your
classroom.
- Give low vision students preference for seating in
the classroom. A place that best meets their needs.

- Keep classroom simply organized and make sure

the student knows where to find everything they
may need.
- Reduce glare from windows and and lights as much
as possible for low vision.
- Keep common areas predictable such as pathways,
desk orientation, book shelves.
- Provide multi-sensory experiences; learn by doing.
 Classroom Strategies
- Understand that students will usually require more time to
complete tasks.

- Allow the student to explain their visual issues to you in their

own words (builds relationship) and have check-ins on a regular
basis.
- Always call on the student by their name.

- Expect same quality of work, rather than same quantity of work.

- It’s important to remember, the emotional needs of a visually

impaired student are the same as any other student.

- Encourage other students to be friends, not helpers.

 Resources
Real World
- Be My Eyes
- Instagram Alternative Text
- LookTel: Money Identifier
App
- KNFB Reader App
- TapTapSee: Object
Identifier
- Color ID Free
- Alarmed: Reminders and
Timers
Classroom Resources
- Physical Learning Kits
- Audiobooks
- Descriptive Video
- Adaptive Technology
- Speech to Text
- Screen Readers
- Screen Magnifiers
- Word Processors
- Braille Watches
- Braille Printers
 Resources
- Alberta: www.education.alberta.ca/teacher/resources/prb/ssvi

- Atlantic Provinces: www.apsea.ca

- British Columbia: www.prcvi.org

- Manitoba: www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/specedu/blind

- Ontario: www.psbnet.ca/eng/schools/wross/index.html

- Quebec: www.mabmackay.ca/?langue=en

- Saskatchewan: www.education.gov.sk.ca/Vision