Tips for visual access for children and young people with complex needs
General
Read the advice given by the Advisory Teacher for Vision Impairment (ATVI) regarding working distance, working environment, text size and distance viewing. Share the latest report with all staff who support the learner.
Children and young people wearing their glasses (if prescribed) for all activities, especially visual.
Children and young people with vision impairment may have reduced access to incidental learning. Pre and post teaching of concepts may be required.
Use consistent routines and repetition to promote development of anticipation, communication and interaction by the child or young person (CYP). Use cues and prompts to help.
Consider making all learning activities cross curricular. This will help CYP to generalise concepts and skills.
Be aware that CYP may not be able to use a visual skill in a different context. Practise skills in different rooms, scenarios etc.
Consider the staff that work with children and young people. Initially this may need to be one or two keyworkers to promote building secure relationships. How does a CYP respond to different adults?
Match the pace of the activity/interaction to the CYP’s visual needs. CYP with vision impairment will need far longer to understand, interpret and respond to visual and auditory information.
Regularly consider the physical and social environment to minimise distractions e.g. background noise, positioning near a corridor etc.
Be responsive to communicative attempts for visual tasks. For CYP with complex needs, these may be atypical, such as face expressions, stilling, eye gazing or movement toward an object
Know the child’s interests to help plan activities that will visually motivate. Plan learning that uses CYP’s own experiences to promote relevance and success.
Keep language simple.
Many CYP with complex needs cannot attend to an item if other sights or sounds compete. Consider using a familiar, quiet environment such as a sensory room to introduce new people or objects.
In a sensory/light/dark room ensure the equipment can be easily controlled and monitored. Don’t have all the lights/bubbles on at once! This is essential to avoid overstimulation.
Child or young person
Consider the child or young person’s position in the class, where can they use their best vision? When can they use their best vision e.g. morning, afternoon? How do they use their vision? Do they have a head tilt? Look away before looking again? Upper or lower vision fields? Does their vision fluctuate? Note these reactions and share with ATVI.
For opportunities like circle time, can they see their peers to interact with?
Know the child or young person’s preferences e.g. textures, colours, smells etc.
At what distance do they respond to visual stimuli e.g. faces or resources?
Be aware of CYP’s personal preferences regarding touch.
Teaching position
Avoid standing in front of windows – this can reduce you to a silhouette and make it difficult for all learners to see you properly
Make sure you pass object around the class, rather than just holding them for the learners to see
Ensure that practical demonstrations are visually accessible to learners with a vision impairment – this may mean support staff replicating what you are doing.
Whiteboard
Look at the board from various positions in your classroom – are there areas where the board is inaccessible through reflective glare from windows? Avoid using these areas for the learner with impaired vision
If you are writing on the board, use a clearly contrasting pen (e.g. black on white), and set the pen nib width to wide.
If you are showing a video, be aware that learners with vision impairment would benefit from viewing the content closely on a separate monitor to reduce visual complexity (e.g., use the teacher’s laptop screen / monitor)
Teaching and learning resources
Printed resources should be in an appropriate format (print size, font, and contrast). If laminated, ensure you have used matt laminate to avoid unnecessary reflection
When learners are using technology (e.g. for cause and effect), avoid using the class white board, as its size will be visually inaccessible. A smaller screen area will allow the child or young person to focus on what is visually relevant.
Make use of a quiet space for highly visual work. Those with CVI will have difficulty using more than one sense at a time.
Ensure that you have a good supply of black or dark blue dry marker pens for white boards, and keep the white board clean to maximise contrast
Use real objects and artefacts to support your teaching, enabling the learners to have hands on experience wherever possible
Be aware of the sequence for introducing objects of reference e.g. start with a concrete object such as a plate that is used regularly will be more meaningful and easier to understand. Over time and with consistency this could be replaced with a visual image such as a photo.
Ensure that objects contrast well against the table or learner’s chair tray. Use a Dycem (non-slip) mat, sheet of plain coloured paper or cloth to enhance contrast if needed
Use Dycem mats or Blutac to help keep resources in place on tables or trays
Learners should have their own copy of resources e.g. phonics flashcards, bespoke to the learner, laminated in matt laminate, and in a suitable size of font
Ensure there is planned time to modify materials before the lesson. All staff should be aware of the lesson outcome
Give extra time, for learners to process information and complete tasks. This may be longer than you think.
Keep learning resources clear and uncluttered
PE equipment should be clean and create a good contrast with the surface. If you are unsure, try different coloured resources against the background, and look at them through your eyelashes. Which stands out clearest?
School trips: Plan and risk assess. Ensure the learner can access resources/activity e.g. can they handle objects etc or are they behind glass? Remember that children and young people may be able to move confidently in school but are likely to be less confident moving in an unfamiliar place.
Classroom accessibility
Lighting
Classroom to have good ambient lighting
Windows to have blinds to reduce glare
Physical accessibility
Walkways to be clear, especially around coat pegs and doorways
Ensure classroom storage does not create obstacles