TVI: Teachers of Visually Impaired
Education today at The Sharp Memorial School for the Blind - the first special school for the blind in India was set up at Amritsar in 1887, named after its founder, Annie Sharp.
Caregivers viz-a-viz Teachers of the Visually Impaired
A caregiver for a person with blindness or visual impairment is a paid or unpaid member of a person's social network - parents, members of family, friends, volunteers, teachers, TVIs - who helps them with activities of daily living. Since they have no specific professional training, they are often described as informal caregivers.
In contrast a TVI is specifically trained and skilled to to meet the teaching need of a student with blindness or visual impairment.
In this page we take a look at the role of TVIs in general and the availability of such training in India in the form of Special Education. Further, we provide information on several aspects of teaching a student with blindness or visual impairment, Braille literacy, Classroom design etc.
Recommended books
Activities for the Family Caregiver: Visually and Cognitively Impaired, by Scott Silknitter, Maria Pogorelec, Dawn Worsley, Richard Oliver, 2016
Activities 101 for the Family Caregiver: Visually and Cognitively Impaired (Volume 2), by Scott Silknitter, Dawn Worsley, Sherri Shaw, Richard Oliver, 2014
Recommended reading
I for INCLUSION - A Handbook on Mainstreaming Education for Students with Blindness and Low Vision, The Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, 2014
Download I for INCLUSION Compendium v1.0, The Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, A Compendium designed by the XRCVC to complement the Capacity Building Workshop for classroom teachers of blind and low vision students
General Teaching Guidelines v1.0, The Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged,
Useful YouTube sites for TVI's and mentors
What makes a TVI, 2016
Beautiful Life, A TVI Story (Thai + Subtitles), 2016
Distance Mentorship, Perkins School for the Blind, 2012
The chapters in this webcast:
Introduction; Building the Team; The Technological Components of Distance Mentorship; How Distance Mentoring Works in Practice; Beyond the Monthly Meeting; Conclusions
Teachers of Visually Impaired (TVI)
Teaching Students with Visual Impairments needs specific skills for the TVI. The role for a TVI is explained below from the source. It may be noted that the discussion here is specific to the USA. So while the issues, approaches, and practices should be applicable globally, appropriate adaptations would be needed for India.
For India-specific skilling programs for the TVI, check Training for TVI in India: Special Education in Visual Impairment below.
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments
A Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (also called a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, a vision specialist, VI teacher, vision itinerant teacher) is typically a licensed special education teacher who has received certification and specialized training, in meeting the educational needs of students who are blind or have visual impairments ages birth through adulthood. This is an instructional position, as opposed to a related service or vision therapy.
The role of the TVI is to provide direct and/or consultative special education services specific to vision loss. The TVI provides support to students, teachers, and parents and acts as a liaison with community services. The TVI works with the educational team by advising the team about ways of enhancing the student’s learning by adapting activities and materials to the student’s abilities. Although the TVI is not an academic tutor, they may spend some time ensuring that the student understands concepts introduced in academic courses.
The TVI may help choose appropriate educational materials, and may brainstorm with teachers and therapists about effective adaptations. By working together, classroom teachers, therapists, and the TVI can create a classroom environment that encourages independence, academic success, and prepare the student to be the most productive member of society they can be.
The following is a list of what to expect from the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments.
Interpret Medical Reports: To determine a student's eligibility and the impact of the VI, the TVI needs to read and interpret medical eye reports and determine the implications for educational and home environments.
Conduct Specialized Assessments and Make Recommendations: At least once in every three years, the TVI will conduct Functional Vision Assessments to determine how much usable vision a student has to perform visual tasks. The TVI may also recommend specialized evaluations as needed, particularly in low vision, orientation and mobility, and adaptive physical education. This is conducted even if the student has no usable vision.
Actively Participate in the Individualized Education Program (IEP): The TVI will need to
provide information on the student's learning style, utilization of visual information, and other strengths unique to individual students who are visually impaired.
identify any goals and objectives in specialized areas related to the visual needs of the student.
identify instructional methods and materials for meeting goals and objectives.
recommend appropriate service delivery options, including class placement, physical education, related services, specialized equipment, adaptations in testing procedures, and time frames for implementation.
Consideration will be taken as to the current and future reading and writing media for the student based on reading distance, reading rates and accuracy, portability of reading skills, visual fatigue, and tactual sensitivity.
Recommend Educational & Instructional Strategies: The TVI will
assist in determining and procuring classroom equipment and materials necessary for the student to learn (brailler, low vision devices, AT, computer) including necessary room modifications and lighting changes.
provide the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach
assist in obtaining specialized materials, including procuring materials, providing braille, recorded/enlarged materials, and other needed materials.
Ongoing Observations: The TVI conducts ongoing observations of the student in a variety of familiar situations performing routine tasks or activities to assess how the student is using their vision to assess:
What motivates the student to look?
What does the student do? How does the student spend time?
How does the student play and with what?
Where do they go?
Who do they play or interact with?
Use of Natural Environments to Address Goals: Teaching techniques to enhance vision should not be taught in isolation. It is important to look at what the needs and activities of the student are in school and in their everyday life that are affected by their visual performance, and teach to those tasks. If the family/teachers are interested in obtaining other objects for the student to play with, then the TVI can assist the family and/or teacher in obtaining such items.
The responsibility of the TVI is to support the student with what he/she has everyday access to, where he/she is, and sharing information that matches the student’s/families/classroom priorities (watching television, playing on the computer, playing with toys or games). These activities provide multiple learning opportunities. It is easy to take in a bag of toys, but more challenging and appropriate to explore existing toys that the student will have daily access to, for continued exposure/practice. Learning takes place at all times, so it is best to use what is available/accessible to give the student more practice in using existing skills and developing new abilities. “Toy bag treatment sessions” typically do not promote functional skill use and learning in natural settings.
Some skills are best addressed outside of the regular classroom to avoid visual and auditory distractions. The goal should be to learn the skills and then begin to transfer those skills during classroom activities.
Communication with Caregivers and Classroom Teachers: The TVI will want to have ongoing communication with the caregivers and classroom teachers in order to try to develop a better understanding of the student. An itinerant teacher will not have the same rapport with the student as they do not spend as much time with them. For that reason, it is helpful to talk with parents and classroom teachers who do have this rapport about how they feel the student is doing, if they are addressing the goals and how the student is functioning. The TVI may ask to observe the teacher working with the student to observe how the student is functioning within the normal routine and with familiar adults.
Direct Instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum: The TVI will determine which areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), a unique curriculum that addresses needs a student who is blind or visually impaired may have that are not addressed within the standard curriculum. Although not all students will have needs in all areas of the ECC, the areas of the ECC include:
Compensatory, Functional and Communication Skills
Sensory Efficiency
Orientation & Mobility
Social
Independent Living
Recreation & Leisure
Use of Technology
Career & vocational
Self Determination
Program Printables
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Source
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, Carmen Willings @ Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, 2020
Recommended books
Foundations of Education: Volume I: History and Theory of Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, 3rd Edition, Edited by M. Cay Holbrook, Tessa McCarthy, Cheryl Kamei-Hannan, 2017
Foundations of Education: Volume II: Instructional Strategies for Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, 3rd Edition, Edited by M. Cay Holbrook, Cheryl Kamei-Hannan, Tessa McCarthy, 2017
Orientation and Mobility for Visually Impaired: Kindness is the only language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see, by Asha Jyothi Chaduvula, Dr D Nagaraja Kumari, 2019
The Art and Science of Teaching Orientation and Mobility to Persons with Visual Impairments, 2nd Edition, by William Henry Jacobson and Henry Jacobson William, 2012
Teaching Visually Impaired Children, 3rd Edition, by Virginia E. Bishop, 2004
Educational Achievement and Psychosocial Transition in Visually Impaired Adolescents: Studies from India, by Ranjita Dawn, 2018
In this webcast Megan Cote from the Kansas Deaf-Blind Project, Jon Harding from the National Consortium of Deaf-Blindness, and Bob Taylor from the Kansas School for the Blind present a model for distance mentorship developed in the state of Kansas. Megan, Jon and Bob demonstrate how the use of a web conferencing tool has assisted in building teams and promoting ongoing dialog amongst members of the team where distance is no longer a barrier. In addition, they share the additional benefits of this model in demonstrating student competence, supporting transition, and professional development.
Training for TVI in India: Special Education in Visual Impairment
You may get skilled in Special Education for the Visually Impaired at starting levels - through diploma, Bachelors' or even Masters degrees. There are options for distance mode learning as well as short online courses.
Rehabilitation Council of India has structured a number of programs in Special Education (Visual Impairment). The syllabus (on the link), course name, and duration of the program can be found below:
Department of Special Education and Research (DSE&R), NIEPVD
The Institute’s HRD activities comprise Degree, Diploma and Certificate level courses in Special Education, Orientation and Mobility, Refresher/Orientation Courses for Field Functionaries, Service Providers, Policy Makers and parents of the visually impaired children. Some of these courses are being conducted at the Institute’s Headquarters, Regional Centre, Chennai and CRC, Sundernagar while others are being conducted in collaboration with State Governments and reputed NGOs in the field of visual disability either with full or partial funding.
The Institute’s Department of Special Education is a shining example of academic excellence, its alumni are rendering services to the visually impaired school children and trainee teachers across the length and breadth of the country. Many are serving country’s leading Universities and have been instrumental in promoting research in various aspects of special education. Since its inception (1984), the department has contributed 6,500 teachers and 402 Mobility Instructors which comprise approximately 70% of the trained teachers for the blind available in the country.
Regular Mode
Many courses are offered in Regular Mode (face-to-face) by several colleges in India. Representative lists of colleges or NGOs offering specific diploma or degree can be found below:
Open and Distance Mode
Further, multiple Distance Mode courses, especially in B.Ed. Special Education are available from several open universities. RCI provides the Norms and Regulations for Open and Distance Mode Programs.
IGNOU also offers the B Ed Special Education in Visual Impairment (BEDSEVI) (2-5 years) course.
Online Courses
Disability Inclusion in Education: Building Systems of Support, Coursera
Teaching Children with Visual Impairment: Creating Empowering Classrooms, Coursera
Haptics: An introductory course about understanding the technology, system, different applications and the future of haptic, Udemy
Working with Children with Special Educational Needs, Alison
Pedagogy for Blindness and Low Vision
The pedagogy, the method and practice of teaching, students with blindness or low vision would different for teaching the sighted students.
Understandably, there is no 'typical' vision-impaired student: the impairment may be the result of a range of conditions and its impact will depend on the type, extent and timing of vision loss.
The impact of the impairment on learning will vary significantly according to the nature and extent of vision loss: some students will have been born without vision, others will have lost it gradually; some will have no vision at all, others will have some vision, be light-sensitive, or have limited peripheral vision. It is also possible that vision and light-sensitivity will fluctuate day-to-day.
Some students may rely on a guide dog or white cane to assist mobility while others have sufficient residual vision to get around independently. Students may require adjustments and assistive devices to facilitate access to education. An adjustment may be as simple as a seat near the front of the class, but most students use assistive technology (such as closed-circuit TV, screen-magnification or screen-reading software) to enable them to read and access the internet.
The pedagogy, accordingly, needs to be customized.
Impact of Vision Impairment and Blindness
The learning processes of students with vision impairment may be affected in the following ways:
Students with vision impairment may access information in a variety of ways, for example Braille, audio-tape, or enlarged print. Braille readers cannot skim read and may take up to three times as long as other students to read a text. Students with some vision may be large-print readers. Many will be unable to read examination questions and handouts in standard print or read their own handwriting when answering examination questions. They may also be unable to take their own notes. Extra time is needed to carry out some tasks, such as locating words in a text when shifting from one reading medium to another.
Students who need information put into alternative formats must wait, often up to six to eight weeks, for the material to be produced for them. This means that they will often fall behind other students in the class.
Students with vision impairment may feel isolated in the learning environment, which can have an impact on learning.
Headaches often result from eyestrain. This may reduce considerably the study time available to these students.
Participation and interaction in tutorials may be limited. It is difficult for students who cannot see the body language and interactions of others to feel comfortable about participating. Judging when it is appropriate to interrupt or to take a turn in discussion is particularly difficult.
Teaching Strategies
There is a range of inclusive teaching and assessment strategies that can assist all students to learn but there are some specific strategies that are useful in teaching a group which includes students with vision impairment.
We often take for granted the amount of visual information received every day. Many students with a vision impairment do not have a lifetime of visual experiences to draw upon. It may be necessary to consider the amount of assumed visual content in your subject when designing learning tasks.
Prepare as much information as possible in electronic format - this makes it much easier to provide materials in accessible formats and allows users with disabilities to adapt the information to a format which is suitable for them.
Make required book lists and course materials available early so there is sufficient time for them to be reproduced in audio or Braille, if required.
Indicate compulsory texts in your reading list, noting important chapters if possible. Specifying the order of reading within a text is helpful, as it can take many weeks to have a book reproduced into audio or Braille.
For students with vision impairment your teaching style will need to be ‘verbal’. Think about how to communicate information to students who cannot see what you are doing.
Verbalize what is written on the blackboard and on PowerPoints. Talk through any calculations as they are made or procedures as they are carried out. Read any printed information and describe any charts or graphs being used.
Academic activities which take place off-campus (such as industry visits, interviews or field work) may pose problems and on-campus alternatives may need to be considered.
Provide an individual orientation to laboratory equipment or computers in order to minimize the anxiety likely in an unfamiliar environment.
Consider supplementing laboratory practical, experiments or field trips, for example by audio taping commentaries.
Inform the student if you plan to use videos, slides or PowerPoints, and discuss alternative ways of presenting the necessary information.
Because students with vision impairment are generally slower than other students in completing reading tasks (reading is slower; considerable time is involved in getting material taped or Brailled), provide reading lists well before the start of a course so that reading can begin early. Consider tailoring reading lists and provide guidance to key texts.
Providing the student with a vision impairment with prior notice that you plan to use a film or video in class allows him/her the option to request to see it beforehand. This will enable him/her to sit very close to the screen or have someone explain the film or video. It would be helpful to 'pause' on important points when the student is viewing the resource in class with others.
A student may have difficulty finding his/her essay or assignment in a pigeonhole or amongst a pile of other students' work.
Students may not be able to read your hand-written comments. It would be helpful if you could negotiate alternative feedback mechanisms with the student.
Students are usually able to access online learning materials with the use of assistive technologies if websites follow accessible web design guidelines.
The vision of some students may be affected by the glare from fluorescent lights or sunlight so you may need to attend to some aspects of your teaching environment. This should be done unobtrusively.
Use tactile graphics where necessary
Assessment Strategies
In considering alternative forms of assessment, equal opportunity not a guaranteed outcome, is the objective. You are not expected to lower standards to accommodate students with a disability, but rather are required to give them a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned. Once you have a clear picture of how the disability impacts on learning, you can consider alternative assessment strategies:
Students with a vision impairment may need particular adjustments to assessment tasks. Once you have a clear picture of how the disability impacts on learning you can consider alternative assessment strategies.
Provide extensions to assignment deadlines if extensive reading has been set. Consider setting alternative assignments in which students have the opportunity to work intensively on a few selected texts rather than having to read widely.
Examination papers may need to be enlarged or Brailled, with tactile diagrams, maps etc. It may be necessary to provide heavy line paper, a scribe or special writing implements.
Some students may undertake examinations using a personal computer with assistive software. Some may need other assessment adjustments such as a reader/scribe, an oral examination, audio taped questions or large print papers. It may be necessary to provide extra space for equipment and specific personnel or a separate examination venue if the noise from equipment being used is likely to be distracting for other students.
Provide extra time in examinations. Some students with vision impairment will require double time for examinations so time for rest breaks will be essential. Take-home examinations or split papers are a preferred option under such circumstances.
Tactile graphics
People with a vision impairment are finding tactile graphics extremely valuable and, in some cases, vital for successful study, work and leisure. While people with a vision impairment are routinely provided with text transcribed into Braille, audio or large print, the pictures, diagrams and maps which accompany text are often omitted or only very briefly described.
Visual graphics can effectively be converted into tactile graphics, even for the highly graphical information contained in maps and scientific material. This is not simply a matter of taking a visual image and making some kind of tactile photocopy – the tactile is a considerably less sensitive sense than the visual.
Visual graphics need to be re-designed by experts, in a variety of formats such as vacuum-formed (thermoform), swell paper (microcapsule paper) and embossed (such as that produced on a Braille printer). They can also be accompanied by labels and descriptions in Braille or audio format.
Tactile graphics are useful when:
the user is print-impaired but has some tactual ability
a concept not easily described in words
a real object is unavailable for touching
the shape, form or pattern is significant
it is necessary to illustrate scale and explain maps, technology or biological relationships
a one-time reference or reminder is needed
the educational experience can be enhanced.
Tactile graphics are not, however, exact replicas of the original, nor are they good for fine detail and representing very large graphics. They should not be used without training and support materials.
Color Blindness
Color blindness (or color deficiency) is typically a genetic condition, although it can also be the result of injury, disease or ageing. It is much more common in men than in women - around one in 12 men have some kind of color perception problem. There are many different types and degrees of color blindness. It is extremely rare to have monochromacy, the complete absence of any color sensation.
Source
Further reading
How Braille Teachers can Take Advantage of Educational Technology, ThinkerBellLabs, 2020
5 Ways Learning Braille Can be Fun and Games (with Annie!), ThinkerBellLabs, 2020
Virtual Learning Tips for Visually Impaired Learners, Perkins School for the Blind, 2020
Inclusive Education for the Visually Impaired, The Bastion - Development in Depth, 2019
Students and Learning: New Methods of Learning for Students, 2014
Teaching and Communicating with Children with MDVI
Teaching and Skilling for Social Behavior and Communication
Social Skills
‘Social skills’ is an “umbrella term” that impacts on virtually every aspect of daily living. Social skills are as essential as are basic reading and writing skills.
Social skill competence is measured by how and when one use non-verbal and verbal communication skills according to the social conventions of a particular setting.
Barriers in Social Skills
When a student has a vision impairment, his or her ability to access basic information about and through the environment is affected. One of the limitations imposed by the vision impairment is on the ability to access visual models on which to base the development of social skills. Another limitation has to do with the accuracy of the input received from the senses. For example, difficulties with recognizing and interpreting the body language, gestures and facial expressions of the person with whom they are communicating can result in misunderstandings and make social nuances difficult, or in certain instances, impossible to interpret. Therefore, it is crucial that children with vision impairment are provided with social skills training to learn how to
behave in a socially acceptable manner, and
learn how to interact with others.
Learning Social Skills
Learning social skills is rather like a “catch-22” situation, since in order to develop good social skills the student first needs to have several opportunities to practice these skills within a particular context. The more opportunities the child has to practice and communicate with a variety of language models, the more flexible and sophisticated his or her social skills will become. Hence, it is important for teachers to not only focus on the student, but also, to consider the social environment. The way “others react to and interact or do not interact” with the student can directly affect the development of social skills, self concept and overall well being.
Non-verbal & Verbal Communication for Social Interactions
The non-verbal communication skills include:
Eye contact
Facial expression
Gestures
Posture
Proximity
Body language
Listening
Grooming and hygiene
Social interactions done using non-verbal communication in conjunction with verbal communication (using language) include:
Greet others
Gain attention
Ask for help
Have a conversation
Share jokes
Join a group
Work co-operatively
Cope with conflict
Make friends
Be culturally sensitive
Understand and express emotions
Negotiate
Communicate assertively
Deal with teasing, bullying and victimization
Learning how to use these skills is a life-long process that involves the continuous refining and adaptation of skills according to the expectations, people and situations that we encounter. This means that getting a head start on social skills acquisition is critically important to the students in your class.
Source:
Teaching Technology and Teaching with Technology
Recommended books
Assistive Technology For Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired: A Guide to Assessment - Illustrated Edition, by Ike Presley, Frances Mary D'Andrea, 2009
Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility - Illustrated Edition, by Siu Yue-Ting, Ike Presley, 2019
How to become an Accessibility A11y (Ally), 2019
For more information check Assistive Technology and Android & iOS Apps sections
Teaching Specific Subjects
For more information check Assistive Technology and Android & iOS Apps sections
Mathematics
English
Life Science
Computers
Arts
Games and Drama
Career Counselling
Recommended books
Skills for Success: A Career Education Handbook for Children and Adolescents With Visual Impairments, by Karen E. Wolffe, 1998
Foundations of Rehabilitation Counseling with Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, by J. Elton Moore, William H. Graves, Jeanne Boland Patterson, 1997
Self-Learning and Guidelines
Recommended books
When You Can't Believe Your Eyes: Vision Loss and Personal Recovery, by Hannah Fairbairn, 2019
My Heart Is Not Blind: On Blindness and Perception, by Michael Nye, 2019
Making Life More Livable: Simple Adaptations for Living at Home after Vision Loss, by Maureen A. Duffy, 2015
Vision Loss: Strategies for Living with Hope and Independence, by Peggy R. Wolfe, 2014
Braille Literacy
Recommended books
Braille Literacy: A Functional Approach, by Diane P. Wormsle, 2003
Guidelines and Games for Teaching Efficient Braille Reading, Braille Edition, by Myrna R. Olson, Sally S. Mangold, 1981
Instructional Strategies for Braille Literacy, by Frances Mary D'Andrea and, Diane P. Wormsley, 1997
Teaching Braille
Learning to Read Braille
Braille Grade 2
Tracking Braille
Learning to Write Braille
Assistive Technology for Learning Braille
Tactile Graphics
Recommended reading
Organizations and Resources
Demystifying MOOCs for Visually-Challenged: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, Vision-Aid USA, 2020
Applying 21st Century Learning in Amar Jyoti Charitable school, Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, 2019
Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind
Designed in alignment with Pre-Braille Curricula, the multi-sensory facility is for young children. The balcony’s spatial quality and its location adjacent to circulation route ensure its constant availability. The interactive façade is perforated with light holes, into which “learning pins” can be inserted.
Classroom Design to Support Visual Impairment
There are some considerations that you should make when arranging the classroom to accommodate for a student who is blind or visually impaired. You should not be afraid to rearrange the classroom for the purpose of improving the environment. Try to avoid changing it too frequently and keep in mind that when you do rearrange the environment, you will need to orient the student to the room.
It can be a challenge to arrange seating in the classroom to foster friendships particularly when the student needs to be positioned in certain locations in the room to allow for lighting, proximity and access to outlets. Efforts should still be made to place the student with other students, especially if other students in the classroom are positioned in clusters.
An organized classroom reduces visual clutter, promotes independence in navigation, and helps the student independently locate and clean up materials. The design of the classroom can also be viewed as a tool to modify behaviors. The next step is to help the student “learn to look” by respecting where and how the student sees the best (if the student has any usable vision), and then control the environmental conditions such as lighting, color, placement, spacing, contrast, size, detail, etc. This will help ensure that the student has adaptations necessary to be successful and as independent as possible.
The first step in arranging the classroom is sketch the classroom and include features that can't be moved (windows, doors, built in cabinets, built in counters, etc.). Also draw "x's" to indicate where outlets and computer/phone modems are located. This will generally dictate where the teacher's desk and any other electrical equipment will be located.
It is essential to have a well-organized classroom that is free of visual and physical clutter. As a rule, avoid excessive furniture, materials and equipment, but don’t go to the extreme of having your room resemble an institution. Consider the needs of your class and plan accordingly.
Arrange the furniture to provide clear traffic paths and that these routes or pathways are safe and accessible to help develop orientation and mobility skills for students that are mobile. It is also important to allow enough space for any wheelchairs, standers and other specialized equipment to be moved.
Be sure you do not stack shelves and containers higher than shoulder height. This not only obscures the view of the classroom and creates a maze effect, but it is also a safety hazard.
Have materials in a consistent location. This will not only make the materials accessible to the student, but will also help you and other team members locate needed materials. Use Labeling System to label the materials to make them easy to find and to promote literacy.
For students with low vision, provide good contrast in furnishings, walls, and floors. Sometimes this cannot be controlled due to availability, but keep in mind that a visually cluttered carpet can pose safety risks if toys are left out on the carpet and can't be readily seen by a student with low vision.
Be aware of surface changes (wood, carpet, tile, etc) and highlight edges if there is not a good contrast. Placing Duct Tape along the edge is a temporary way to highlight edges. Duct Tape is now available in a variety of colors and prints. Select a color that provides good contrast and avoid the patterned tapes. A permanent solution is to paint the edges or apply rubber grips to the edges of steps. A contrasting color of tape can be placed around the perimeter of tables and cabinets if you find the student frequently bumping into corners. You may also need to use color or contrast to outline steps, outlets, and switches.
For students with little or no functional vision, using different floor textures (differentiating between tile and carpeted areas) may be helpful to provide the student with extra tactual clues.
It is important to provide a good trailing surface if the student is mobile. This allows a student to feel along the edge of a cabinet or table to help them move throughout the room.
Tack or tape down scatter rugs or runners as well as any electrical cords.
Create landmarks to help students develop orientation and mobility skills. Carefully chosen sound, textured, scented (but only if it is a constant scent) or highly visible clues can help a student who has impaired vision to move around the classroom more confidently.
Encourage independence and orientation skills by placing student’s cubby or locker on the end or near a good landmark.
Teach all students to push their chairs under the table or desk when they get up; close or open doors fully; and pick up materials when they are done.
Seating Placement
Determine where the student’s best visual field is and their ideal position.
If the student uses an electronic magnifier or other electronic equipment, they will need to be seated near an outlet.
Keep in mind that other students will be able to view information that the student with a visual impairment is viewing on their electronic magnifier (a good point to keep in mind during any test taking!).
The student may need extra storage room for equipment.
Keep in mind appropriate table and chair heights. Student’s feet should be flat on the floor and the table at a good height so that it is neither too low nor too high in order to have proper upper body support and movement.
Accommodations for Individuals with Visual Impairments
Ensuring the student has access to the curriculum and entire educational environment is a key role of the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments.
Source
Further reading
10 Great examples of Architecture for the blind around the world, 2021
Centre for Blind Children | NSU, North South University, 2015
When You Have a Visually Impaired Student in Your Classroom: A Guide for Teachers – Teacher's Edition, by Susan Spungin, Susan Jay Spungin, Donna McNear, Iris Torres, 2002