• Resource Guide Home
• Legislation and Policies
  • What Laws Might Apply?
  • Other Employment Laws
  • Roles & Responsibilities
  • Resources: Legislation
• Identification of Accommodations
  • Workplace Assessment
  • Types of Accommodations
  • Implementation
  • Resources: Programs
  • Resources: Funding
• Motor Impairments
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Vision Impairments
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Communication Difficulties
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Cognitive Impairment
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Using a Computer
• Resources: Technical Assistance
• Research Findings

Module 4: Accommodations for Vision Impairments

Using a Computer

Many educators use computers to generate handouts, prepare lectures, and write reports. In addition, as discussed elsewhere, computer technology can assist with other tasks (e.g., electronic texts for reading). Using a computer involves being able to type or otherwise enter text, use a mouse or similar device, and read information from a computer screen.

However, educators with acuity problems may have difficulties with the legibility of text on the computer and information on the keyboard. Educators with visual field changes may have difficulty scanning the computer monitor and controlling the computer cursor.

Accommodation options may include:

Low Vision

• Use high contrast labels on the keyboard.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for keyboard labels.
• Adjust lighting or use a glare screen to reduce monitor glare.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for glare screens.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for screen magnifiers.
• Use a larger font size in documents.
  Keep in mind that this also changes the size for other users. The other options listed below do not change the size of the objects in the file.
• Adjust software “zoom” settings to provide low levels of magnification to text.
  Magnification up to 5x is often possible.
• Adjust operating system settings to select high contrast colors and/or provide magnification.
  For example, for pre-Vista versions of Windows, adjust the accessibility options under the Control Panel.
• Use a dedicated screen magnification program to enlarge text, icons, and graphics.
  Programs will often have options to enlarge the entire screen, just a box near the cursor, or will use a split screen with only part of the image magnified.
  Visit atwiki article on computer magnification.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for magnification software.

More Significant Vision Loss or Blind

• Use a screen reading program to convert the information on the computer screen into speech.
  Note that this software can only read text or graphical items that have been “tagged” with a text label. Thus, PDF files that were saved as an image rather than text, PowerPoint files, and school websites that were not designed to have these tags may not be compatible with screen reading technology.
  Visit atwiki article on screen reading.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for screen reading software.

Braille, for the few people who are blind who are fluent in it, offers a means to review material one character at a time. This is particularly useful when an educator must review spelling, programming code or mathematical equations.
Visit atwiki article on Braille and computers.

• Use a Braille keyboard.
  Each key represents a dot and various finger combinations are used to type each letter.
• Use a refreshable Braille display.
  Refreshable Braille displays consist retractable pins, grouped to form one or more rows of 8-dot Braille cells. The pins extend to form different Braille letters as the person reads though a document. This option provides immediate access to the information, but it is one of the more expensive computer access options for people who are blind
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for Braille displays.
• Use a Braille printer.
  A Braille conversion program will also be needed to prepare text files to be printed. A variety of printers exist, including some which can print tactile representations of images.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for Braille printers.