Scenarios

This section is intended to give you ideas about how to incorporate ICT into your teaching and provide access for those students with visual disabilities. Whilst this Unit is not the place to provide detailed technical instructions on the use of specific applications or equipment (you will need to consult the manuals for such information) we have identified a number of key skills that are required to carry out activities similar to those described below. It is assumed that you are familiar the operating system your computer uses and can manage basic tasks such as starting up programs, simple word-processing, and saving and printing work. The key skills, software and any peripherals will be listed at the end of each scenario. These will be linked to the activities found at the end of this Unit.

Scenario 1 - Visual output

Adaptations and enhancements

Information presented in text or graphical form is often inaccessible to a child with little vision. Therefore, to gain access to standard resources, adaptations have to be made to alter the appearance of the screen display. A computer screen offers a display medium with the potential to alter the colour, contrast and brightness to suit individual preferences. It also offers extensive control over the presented text size, style and colour. The mouse pointer can often be difficult to see; this provides additional problems for a visually impaired user. However, there are features available within the operating system of a computer which can be customized to the user’s preferences, such as slowing down the pointer or adding trails to its movement.

See Unit B – Organizing your resources for more information about setting up accessibility options in the operating system.

Example 1a

Tricia has a condition known as Colobomatous Microphthalmos and is registered partially sighted with good functional vision. Tricia lives as part of a family of four, with ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’ and a brother. The family computer is just that: a family computer used by all. Tricia is very able and, after a course of learning keyboard skills, navigates a standard windowed environment using a word-processing package very effectively.

Tricia has very specific needs in terms of how the computer is set up, to provide access to the computer and its software. She can see some areas of the screen, although her main mode of access is using speech via a bespoke screen reader software package: JAWS. Tricia likes to use what sight she has, so some areas of the screen have been enlarged; for example, the title bar and menus within her preferred word processor. These facilities are built in to the operating system, accessible through the Control Panel of a PC.

Having the computer set up for Tricia’s specific needs occasionally causes tensions within the family, particularly between siblings. Games and other entertainment software do not often work well with the screen reader package. The enlarged areas of the screen can be disorientating for other sighted members of the family. The screen reader software (although it can be switched off at the speakers), frequently conflicts with other software packages, whereas unloading the speech software means that the computer has to be re-started to activate it again.

The Windows operating systems provides the opportunity to configure specific environments tailored to individual needs. These individual environments can be named and saved, subsequently to be called up whenever they are needed. By configuring several working environments, it is possible to accommodate the differing needs of family members. Interestingly, each environment can be configured to include not only changes to specific aspects of the visual environment, but also specific files and software. Tricia can now load her own tailor-made environment, with speech access and modifications to specific areas of the screen. Other members of the family can load their own environment without any special enhancements and with their chosen software packages.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are the ability to:

• customize the screen appearance through the Windows operating system
• set up profiles for individual users

The key equipment is:

• standard PC (Windows 95 or later)

Screen magnification

Where there is a need for greater enlargement, screen magnification software is available. The student starts by loading up the magnification utility, which enlarges all text, icons etc. The student can then determine the level of magnification necessary, viewing the screen a portion at a time. Magnification applications offer a variety of screen presentation options including split screen, which allow the student to magnify a portion of the screen according to their visual needs.

This magnified window is moved around to enable the rest of the screen to be read as required. Normally, the screen magnification will automatically follow the focus of attention, so that the area around the cursor, mouse pointer or highlighted item is magnified. Moving the magnified window in order to view other parts of the original screen image is done using the mouse or through key strokes. The user is able to increase or decrease the magnification as necessary, for example within a Web page. There may be a need to change the magnification according to the material being viewed. Packages vary in the facilities they offer but general features include:

• continuously monitoring an area of the screen
• smoothing jagged edges of characters at larger magnifications, altering the colours of text foreground and background on the screen, changing the appearance of the mouse pointer and cursors
• changing the shape of the on-screen font
• using different sizes and shapes of magnified windows
• customizing which on-screen events are tracked by the magnified window, and which are not

Many of the magnification software packages can be tried out by obtaining a demonstration copy from the supplier. These demonstration copies have all the functions of the actual package but will run for a limited period, some will time-out after about 15 minutes but can be run again, others can be used until a given date.

For examples please see Appendix 5.

CCTVs

A simple way of producing large text, images, maps, objects etc, on-screen is to use a small TV camera attached to a visual display unit or screen; this combination is called Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). A typical CCTV system consists of a television camera mounted above a moving platform. The material to be magnified (text, diagrams, objects etc.), is placed on the platform directly below the camera and scanned by moving the platform. The magnified image is displayed on the monitor; the contrast, magnification and colour may be adjusted to the suit the user. Some CCTVs can be connected to a computer, displaying the magnified image in a split-screen format, i.e. the screen is divided into two with both the magnified image and normal computer screen being displayed together. (It is important to check the compatibility of the CCTV, monitor and magnification software to be used together.)

CCTVs can be monochrome, full-colour or semi-colour (allowing a choice of text colours); all have the ability to display a negative image. Some have additional features such as underlining or curtaining to blank out unwanted parts of the screen. These features are particularly useful for children using their peripheral vision or who have difficulty locating and focusing on text.

Colour CCTVs are the most popular type for the child with a visual impairment being taught in a mainstream group. They can be used to enlarge most educational materials including text, colour maps, diagrams, and illustrations. It can further assist inclusion if all students in the class are encouraged to make some use of the CCTV, for example to magnify biological specimens. Some models of CCTV use a hand-held camera in order to make the device more portable. However, reading with a hand-held camera, especially on a small screen, is more difficult than with larger static CCTVs.

Positioning of the CCTV is important. It should be sited where the child will be expected to gain access to print: either the form room, study room or library. Where the child will need to gain access during the day and only one CCTV is available, it can be stored on a mobile trolley and wheeled to the classroom. The school environment and the presence of lifts, stairs, cobbles etc, will determine whether this is a viable option.

Example 1b

Josh is fourteen with macular degeneration; he makes good use of his functional vision by using eccentric viewing to access print. In the past Josh has been reluctant to use technology within the mainstream classroom setting, as he has not wanted to appear different from his friends; but a deterioration in his sight has made it increasingly difficult for him to access print for his studies or leisure reading material. A CCTV has been introduced into the library which allows him to magnify print and diagrams to suit his visual needs. This has provided greater opportunity for independent work and reduces his need for constant support and teacher input, which in the past had been detrimental to Josh forming relationships with his peers.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are the ability to:

• use a CCTV effectively to gain access to print and diagrams
• training in eccentric viewing techniques

The key equipment is:

• suitable CCTV

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