An Educators Guide to Visual Disabilities and Technology Use

 

Written by: Cheryl Cheifetz

 

An Educators Guide to Visual Disabilities and Technology Use Addendum

 

Addendum Written by Tricia Hayenga, Graduate Student in

Library and Information Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

 

Introduction

 

Currently, there are approximately 94,000 blind and visually impaired children served by special education programs in the United States (American Foundation for the Blind Education webpage). 

 

Blind and visually impaired students have a wide range of special needs.  Fortunately, with today’s rapid advancements in technology, there are a variety of software and hardware programs available to assist these students in the classroom and improve accessibility.  It is important for educators to be familiar with the different types of technology available and to realize the importance of making sure the technology is appropriate in order to meet each student’s needs.

 

Types of Assistive Technology

 

Technology has opened up many doors for students with visual impairments.  Because of assistive technology, visually impaired students are now able to participate in many activities in the regular classroom along with their sighted classmates. 

 

According to the American Foundation for the Blind’s Assistive Technology webpage, the following types of assistive technology are available for the blind and visually impaired.

 

  • Software that runs on off-the-shelf computers that can speak or magnify text in word processing programs, web browsers, e-mail programs, or other applications.  One example is the ZoomText Screen Magnification System.  It is a software program that magnifies images on the computer screen
  • PDA’s and electronic book players that are designed specifically for the blind or visually impaired.  For example, Bookworm is a portable Braille reading device that is about the size of a walkman.  It can be used to read books and periodicals.
  • Optical character recognition systems that scan printed material and speak the text.  For example, the Cicero Text Reader scans printed text and turns it into speech or Braille.
  • Braille embossers that turn text files into hard-copy Braille.  An example is the ViewPlus Cub Embosser.
  • Braille displays which provide access to information on a computer screen in Braille.  For example, the Braille Wave is a Braille reader that plugs into a laptop computer.  Notes stored on the Braille Wave can be stored in Word and transferred to a personal computer.

 

While the technologies listed above must be purchased separately from a standard desktop or laptop computer, the new Mac OS X includes universal accessibility features that are built in to the operating system.  Mac OS X includes a spoken interface feature called VoiceOver, a text magnification feature, and curser magnification feature (Apple Computers, Inc.).  The accessibility features can easily be turned on and off so the computer is accessible to the visually impaired and to those with normal vision as well.

 

For more information on assistive technology and on specific assistive technology products please review the original White Paper, 2002 Addendum, and 2005 Addendum.

 

Factors in Selecting Appropriate Assistive Technology

 

It is important to remember that assistive technology is not always a one size fits all solution to providing access to students with visual impairments.  According to the Assistive Technology Training Online Project Device Selection webpage, there are several factors to consider before acquiring an assistive technology device. 

 

  • Abilities and interests of the child.
  • The environment the technology will be used in.
  • The functionality of the equipment for participating in daily tasks.
  • The availability of materials and technologies
  • The barriers to the student’s participation
  • Ongoing intervention and evaluation.

 

Factors for Successful Use of Assistive Technology

 

In order for assistive technology to benefit students with visual disabilities, teachers must work closely with students and parents.  The Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO) Device Selection webpage has identified several factors in ensuring the successful use of assistive technology.  These include the importance of identifying the educational goals and concerns of both the student and the parents.  ATTO stresses the importance of open communication between teachers, students, and parents as the assistive technology is integrated into the student’s academic program.  In addition, ATTO recommends that assistive technology that is worn out or outgrown should be replaced.  If the equipment is not meeting the student’s needs, it should be modified, replaced, or abandoned, either temporarily or permanently.

 

While assistive technology is immeasurably important in providing students with access to information, it is also important to understand its limitations.  Assistive technology does not always provide full access to information, and educators are not always sensitive to this fact.  Anne Corn and Robert Wall point this out in “Access to Multimedia Presentations for Students with Visual Impairments,” a discussion of a survey they conducted in 2000 of 410 teachers of students with visual impairments.  While a large number of the respondents indicated that using a screen reader during a multimedia presentation would provide visually impaired students with full access to the printed material in the presentation, Corn and Wall point out that this assumption was false.  For example, the screen reader does not provide access to the pictures.  “Access technology provides a ‘doorway’ to information; it can allow through the doorway only what ‘fits.’  In other words, educators should not assume that the availability of access technology provides full access to all forms of text and multimedia information.” (Corn & Wall)  The teacher must provide additional support for the visually impaired student participating in this activity in order for him or her to get the most out of the educational experience.

 

Recommended Websites

 

ABLEDATA 

A database of assistive technology products for the disabled.  Abledata does not sell any of the products listed but gives objective information about each product and provides vendor contact information.

 

American Foundation for the Blind  

This site provides information for blind and low vision people as well as parents, employers, and educators.  There is an excellent section on education that includes links for both parents and teachers.

 

The American Printing House for the Blind

The American Printing House for the Blind is a nonprofit organization that creates products for the visually impaired for use in schools, at home, and in the workplace.  The website provides information on a variety of different kinds of accessibility software.

 

Apple Vision Accessibility Page 

This site provides information on Apple products that assist the visually impaired in using the computer. 

 

The Assistive Technology Training Online Project 

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education and created by the University of Buffalo, this site is an excellent source of information on assistive technology.  It includes sections on how to purchase appropriate assistive technology and how to use assistive technology in the classroom.  It also includes a resource page with a list of links to other assistive technology sites.

 

CODI Vision Impairment Page 

This site provides links to websites dealing with visual impairments.  Links to organizational sites as well as assistive technology product sites are also included. 

 

Microsoft Resource Guide for Individuals With Visual Difficulties and Impairments

The website includes a list of assistive technologies available for users of Windows operating systems.  It also includes step-by-step tutorials for adjusting Windows operating systems for those who are blind or who have low vision.

 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

Edited by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas at Austin, this website presents guidelines for making web-based content accessible for people with a wide range of disabilities including those who are visually impaired.  The site is a work in progress and is updated regularly.

 

 

List of Works Cited

 

American Foundation for the Blind. 2006. Assistive Technology. American Foundation

for the Blind, New York, NY. 5 June 2006 http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=4&TopicID=31  

 

Apple Computers. 2006. Apple Vision Accessibility Page. Apple Computers, Inc. 6 June 2006

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/vision/

 

The Assistive Training Online Project. 2005. Device Selection. School of Public Health

            and Health Professions, University of Buffalo. 5 June 2006

http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Foundation/intro/introselection.php

 

Corn, Anne L., and Robert S. Wall. “Access to Multimedia Presentations for Students

with Visual Impairments.” Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness 96.4 (2002): 197 Academic Search Premier. 5 June 2006. http://search.epnet.com.