L4 - Vision Impairment

Question 1

Vision Impairment

Answer 1

A person with a visual impairment (after correction) is often referred to as:
- low vision
- educationally blind
The incidence in WA is 0.2% and most students attend regular schools unless they have other disabilities.
Orientation and mobility will be important factors.

Question 2

Signs that a student may have a vision impairment

Answer 2

• Red or watery eyes
• Squinting (even in indirect light)
• Irritation of the eyelids
• Crossed eyes or other obvious muscle problems
• Lack of attention to visual stimuli
• Holding text to close or far away from eyes
• Inability to see board or objects

Question 3

Terminology

Answer 3

• Congenital: present at birth

- Adventitious: blindness after the development of visual memory

Question 4

Facts

Answer 4

• The time of onset will have a large impact on how you will cater for the student
• May deteriorate or improve
• 20/200 considered legally blind

Question 5

Vision problems which interfere with learning

Answer 5

• Refraction: difficulties with focus. (Long sighted, short sighted, astigmatism - blurred). Most have this problem.
• Binocular vision difficulties - eyes not working together
• Congenital: cataract, ptosis, optic nerve disorder, retinal disorder
• Diseases & trauma: retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma.

Question 6

Strategies

Answer 6

• Increased font size
• Computer programs such as Zoomtext
• Darkened lines on paper
• Taped lessons for review
• Voice output devices/programs
• Large cursors & desktop view
• Rules & routines
• More time
• Verbal cues
• State your name when approaching
• Vary activities to give eyes a rest
• Place in centre front of class

Question 7

Devices

Answer 7

• Magnifying Devices
• Braille books
• Recorded Books
• Talking calculator
• OCR Scanning
• CCTV
• Braille writers
• Speech synthesisers
• Mobile phone magnification & screen reading software
• Tablet computers designed for people who are blind
• Video magnifiers
• Screen magnification software
• Screen reading software

Question 8

Areas to address

Answer 8

• Orientation & mobility
• Listening skills
• Maximum advantage of any vision ability (80% of learning is visual)

Question 9

In a classroom consider

Answer 9

• Contrast
• Colour
• Shape
• Time
• Space
• Writing Materials

Question 10

School Support

Answer 10

• Braille as a subject
• Visiting teachers from Vision Impairment Services (VIS):
  
  • provide equipment,
  • resources &
  • strategies
• VisAbility
  
  • provide adaptive technology,
  • mobility & orientation training,
  • liaison with teachers & families,
  • Braille support.