Blind and Low Vision - Differential Skills Based Curriculum

Sensory Impairments

Differential Skills Based Curriculum-Primary, Junior, Secondary

Blind and Low Vision

“Blindness and low vision are defined by the Ministry of Education follows:

            *a condition of partial or total impairment of sight or vision that even with affects educational performance adversely.

Orientation and Mobility

O&M is taught by an individual specifically trained to access and teach independent travel. This type of training is designed to teach students with visual impairments about using their other senses. It should be a part of the student's IEP.

Examples of what students will learn through O&M training are different. Preschoolers are taught about space at home and at school. Elementary school students may learn how to cross the street safely.   Secondary students may learn to locate stores in large areas.

O&M training provides students with visual impairments with tools to make transitions from different places and settings simpler.

Depending on the degree of impairment there are many different types of alternatives for teachers and educational assistants to use.

Suggested Tools:

-Braille-writers, Braille display computer systems or portable electronic Braille note takers such as Braille Mate, Type’n’Speak, or Braille Lite 40

-Enlarge and print graphic materials.

-Magnifying devices, used to enhance the size of print on a page or blackboard.

-Audiotapes, used to provide students with an alternative learning mode when Braille is not available.

-Closed-circuit TV (CCTV), which electronically enlarges print material on a TV screen Magnification, contrast, and illumination can be adjusted as needed to view various sizes of print and handwriting.

-Screen-reader/speech-synthesis software (ASAP for DOS, JAWS for Windows), which provides auditory feedback to students with limited or no reading vision when they are using the keyboard, as well as auditory access to information displayed on the monitor when using such hardware as Doubletalk, Dectalk or Accent Speech

-Screen-enlarging software, such as Zoomtext, MAGic, and Mac inLARGE1, which display information on a computer screen in a variety of magnifications.

-Electronic reading systems, which allow printed material to be scanned and, with the use of a voice synthesizer, the scanned text to be spoken aloud.

-Braille translation and printing software, such as Duxbury or Mega Dots, which allow for the production of Braille documents from print or electronic data

-Alternative devices for note taking, such as Braille Lite Refreshable Braille display

-Tilt-top desks and book stands, which brings work closer to the eyes for optimum reading angles and lighting

-Enhanced lighting, set up on the student's desk.