Scenarios

Throughout this Unit the term ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is used to mean basic specialist computer hardware and software which is relevant to pupils with a visual impairment. For pupils with a visual impairment ICT primarily embraces:

• modifications to the output medium through either visual, auditory or tactile strategies
• modifications to the input method to allow the unique needs of the pupil to be best met
• developing strategies to complement existing teaching methods whilst promoting greater independence when accessing the curriculum

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has the flexibility to respond to the uniqueness and potential impact that the visual impairment has upon learning.

ICT is widely regarded as a key element in the education of pupils and young people and within the National Curriculum, all pupils being required to become familiar with a range of technological applications and develop the necessary skills to use them within their everyday learning environment.

However, in addition to the curriculum requirements, for the pupil with a visual impairment, ICT facilitates independence by enabling them to take more control over their learning. It can allow access to areas of the curriculum from which they may previously have been excluded.

This Unit examines ways in which basic ICT can help pupils with a visual impairment to access the curriculum effectively. In most cases the pupils will be accessing exactly the same curriculum as their peers, but will need to make extra use of technology.

Because pupils with a visual impairment may need to use ICT across most areas of the curriculum, you will need to be aware of the many different ways ICT can be used across the whole curriculum. Then you will need to address the specific access issues of your pupils.

All the examples in this Unit focus on curriculum uses of the technology and show how individual pupils have been given access to that area of learning. The activities at the end of the Unit will help you to incorporate the technology into the learning outcomes your pupils need to achieve.

Pupils with a visual impairment who develop technology skills at an early age, become confident in utilizing and harnessing its capabilities to extend their learning horizons. It provides them with the following invaluable tools:

• communication – technology provides an alternative means of reading and writing and is used to process and communicate ideas.
• improved access to information – the way in which information is presented to a pupil with a visual impairment determines the level of accessibility. Information given in an electronic form can be accessed in a way most suitable to the needs of the individual.
• curriculum – technology can be used as a curriculum tool to help develop concepts in all subject areas.
• production of learning materials – only a tiny percentage of curriculum materials is currently available in alternative formats, but with the appropriate technology equipment and training, it is possible to present learning materials to pupils in a format relevant to their needs.

As well as bringing new opportunities and opening up many possibilities, technology also presents a range of challenges.

Many software packages and CD titles can simply be installed to the PC and run without much assistance. Unfortunately they are usually the pieces of software which can not be edited or adapted in any way to suit either the visual or learning needs of the child. Many concepts developed within the early learning phase are based on visual concepts; 'match these colours' or 'find all the red ones', for example. Software that relies heavily on visual concepts should be avoided as they may be outside of the pupil's direct experiences. Other applications, often called 'framework' packages allow editing and adaptations to be made so that the specific needs of the child can be tailored for. To best use them, the teacher, LSA or parent needs to feel confident in their use of technology and be able to configure the applications to suit individual needs.

The nature of the visual impairment will obviously have a major effect on the accessibility and suitability of a piece of software. Where a child has functional vision, much can be done to a standard PC to ensure that the child's visual needs can be best met. This may be as simple as changing the pointer size or test for menus or for example with a word processor, changing icon size, menu bar content, and style of font. Consideration's when evaluating the suitability of a piece of software or a CD title for a child with partial sight are:

• Can the appearance of the screen be adapted and enhanced?
• Can colours be changed?
• Can font sizes be altered?
• Can the content of the software be edited to better suit the needs of the child?

For a child with no useful vision there are more technical considerations to be made when thinking about software or CD titles. Many children who are blind use speech output systems to access software but not all applications are accessible to screen readers. Software that is highly graphical will not be read by a screen reader, as there is a need for 'test' to make sense of a screen's content. It is impossible to produce a list of accessible CD titles as development is so rapid, the list would soon be out of date. CD titles for younger learners can however be made accessible but the process is quite demanding of the teacher or parent and needs additional software.

Before purchasing software the following questions need to be asked:

• What does the child need to use a computer for?
• Is this the most appropriate tool?
• Can the software be edited to take into account the specific learning or visual needs of the learner?
• Is the software appropriate to the age of the child?
• Is there a clear understanding of what the software will achieve?
• How will their visual impairment cause difficulties seeing the screen or using the mouse?
• What software is available at school?
• Who will support the child when using the software?
• How comfortable is the teacher, LSA or parent using technology themselves?
• Will extra training be necessary?

Irrespective of rapid advancement and development, it must be acknowledged that technology still cannot overcome all difficulties. The benefits of technology can only be realized when careful consideration is given to assessment of the needs of individuals, training for staff and pupils, and appropriate selection of resources.

Scenario 1 – Learning with peers

Pupils with a visual impairment can benefit immensely from the use of basic ICT within their learning environment. Unlike paper resources, technology can present information tailored to the idiosyncratic needs of the pupil with varying levels of stimuli. It is able to adapt to changes within the individual without imposing a constraint on learning or restricting styles and opportunities. Inclusion can be supported and made a reality through the use of appropriate technology, but in isolation is not sufficient. It is not just about access but about promoting engagement in learning tasks alongside their peers. This can only be achieved where technology is fully integrated into the learning environment rather than haphazardly bolted on.

Example 1 – James

James has retinitis pigmentosa, which means he has reduced peripheral vision and therefore sees through a small tunnel. He also has great difficulty in dim light when he often appears clumsy and uncoordinated. He attends a mainstream school, which has a support unit. The class are developing positional concepts and spatial awareness skills through the use of Roamer – a programmable floor robot.

They have used the story of Little Red Hen to add meaning to Roamer’s movements and have made costumes and props to use during the activity. His teacher added large labels to the control panel to make discrimination easier. Because of his visual impairment, James finds it difficult to track moving objects, but by programming Roamer to move and to produce sound, he has developed further use of his functional vision. The whole class has enjoyed using Roamer and have had great fun programming its actions. It has provided opportunity for discussion and the sharing of ideas for the whole class, allowing everyone the chance to join in.

Key skills and equipment

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

• use a programmable floor robot
• adapt the input medium through the use of tactile or visual labels to allow James to use the control panel

The key equipment is:

• programmable floor robot

Selection of appropriate technology

The choice of appropriate technology will depend upon the level of functional vision and the most appropriate output medium and input method.

Essentially there are three methods or modes of output, which can be modified to improve accessibility for pupils with a visual impairment:

• visual
• auditory
• tactile

The input method again will depend on the abilities of the child:

Examples are –

switches
touch screen
overlay keyboard
mouse clicks
on-screen overlays or grids
QWERTY keyboard
voice recognition

Scenario 2 – Modifications to the output medium

Visual medium

Information presented on screen may often be inaccessible to a pupil 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 colour, contrast and brightness to suit individual preferences. The standard colour and size settings of the computer display can also be difficult to see, which provide additional problems for a pupil with a visual impairment. The choice of presentation font may also cause the pupil to have difficulties; it is generally accepted that in most instances sans serif fonts are easier to read and cause less confusion than ornate cursive fonts. There are, however, features available within the operating system of a computer which can be customized to the user’s preferences.

Example 2a – Ben

Ben has cone dystrophy and nystagmus; for him this has resulted in colour blindness, reduced distance acuity, and he is highly photophobic. There is a computer permanently located within his classroom which has been moved away from its original position under the window and blinds have been fitted to reduce glare.

The default contrast settings for the computer cause Ben discomfort when trying to read the screen. Often text was displayed with a bright white background so his teacher has set up a user profile with the high contrast settings turned on (found in Control Panel, Accessibility Options). This resulted in a black background with much less glare. His teacher is careful to ensure that any activities he engages in using the computer are not centred around the learning concept of colour matching or discrimination.

Key skills and equipment

The key skill for the above example is the ability to:

• adapt the visual input medium by changing the configuration of the screen

The key equipment is:

• the changes were effected within the functions and operating system of a standard computer

Where there is a need for greater enlargement, screen magnification software is available. The user determines the level of magnification necessary and views the screen a portion at a time. This magnified window is moved around to enable the rest of the screen to be read as required.

If larger sizes of magnification are required, then some magnification packages can support this with the addition of speech output. Lunar Plus and Zoomtext are two widely used applications which allow the user to configure the screens magnification, screen movement and speech output to suit their particular preferences.

Further examples of screen magnification software can be found in Appendix 5.

Where applications are predominantly graphical, and magnification is added, some functionality may be lost and only limited access may be expected – CD-ROMs and simulation applications for example may not always be fully accessible. Software designed to include highly complex graphics may present attractive and stimulating environments for sighted learners but may present an inaccessible and meaningless barrage of information to the pupil with a visual impairment.

Many pupils with a visual impairment are unable to see standard text on paper without some form of enhancement. It is possible to enlarge text with a photocopier but often this is not ideal. One solution is to use a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) magnifier. A CCTV uses a camera, either hand-held or fixed, to magnify text and display it on a monitor.

Example 2b – Gemma

Gemma is five and has macular degeneration, which for her means she has difficulty seeing fine detail and has to use eccentric viewing techniques. Gemma has loss of the central field and has a tendency to look to the left of an object, using her peripheral field of vision. This peripheral vision is however less sensitive to colour and detail than central vision, resulting therefore, in lack of clarity.

During the literacy hour she is unable to see the big book used by the rest of the class so she has her own copy which she is able to read with the help of a CCTV magnifier. The CCTV offers her independent control of the size and contrast of the image, and allows her to join in with the group reading sessions and discussion. It is important that she has access to the same reading material as her peers and is able to enjoy the colour images found in books for young readers. The rest of the class also find the CCTV magnifier useful for magnifying objects to get a closer look. Gemma also shares reading material such as comics and magazines in the reading session with her friends. They have two copies, one read under the CCTV by Gemma and the other read by her friend; this way they can enjoy and share a reading activity together.

Key skills and equipment

The key skill for the above example is the ability to:

• use a low vision aid to access printed materials independently

The key equipment is:

• CCTV

As well as the intervention of ICT, there are several very simple adaptations to consider within the working environment of a pupil with a visual impairment that can be employed to make mobility and learning more effective. Changing the crucial variables to vision to maximize their visual potential, such as light and contrast, will result in an environment which will allow the individuals to function comfortably using their available vision or other senses.

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