Introduction |
| Anchor Video |
| Concept Map |
| Project Calendar |
| Lesson Plans |
Letter to Parents |
| Assessments |
| Resources |
Modifications |
| Grant |
General Strategies
If the functional limitation involves the lack of arm use then the use of Dragon-Dictate may be extremely useful. It may be used for such things as computer aided drafting and design(CADD) and other computer applications.
Consider accessibility factor to classroom so that student is able to get to class on time.
Be familiar with the building's emergency evacuation plan to assure that it is manageable for the students.
Teacher Presentation
If breaks between classes are short (10 minutes or less), the student who has a mobility impairment may frequently be a few minutes late. Students and instructors may want to plan for these occasions, so students don't miss important material.
Observe potential obstacles so you can be aware of what is accessible and what is not accessible to students in wheelchairs.
Students may need to tape lectures (difficulty with writing or unable to write).
Table-type desks, with adequate leg space, which have enough clearance for wheelchairs can be moved into classrooms.
Laboratory
Adaptations such as: latching devices, keylocks, headmaster, and light talkers that simplify access to computers can greatly help the motor/orthopedic science student.
Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.
Allow more time for the student to complete the lab activities. Alter the height of tables to "fit" the students (e.g., a small ramp to a flat platform for high desks).
Anticipate areas of difficulty in access and involve the student with disability in doing the same. Together, work out alternate procedures while trying not to disengage the student from the activity.
Assign a lab partner who can help to reach or manipulate objects as needed.
If appropriate, provide assistance, but also provide positive reinforcement when the student shows the ability to do something unaided.
In the laboratory, place water, gas, and electric facilities in accessible locations.
Increase size of wheels, dials, handles, and buttons on lab equipment.
Select non-manual types of laboratory teaching techniques (e.g., electronic probes vs. pipette bulbs).
Use modified lids on the tops of containers (wider and bigger).
Group Interaction and Discussion
Include student in open discussions.
Allow more time for the student to complete activities.
Field Experiences
Anticipate areas of difficulty and involve the student with a disability in doing the same. Together, and in the planning stage, work out alternate procedures while trying not to disengage the student from the activity.
Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.
In the field, provide assistance, but also provide positive reinforcement when the student shows the ability to do something unaided.
Increase size of wheels, dials, handles, and buttons on field equipment.
Use a peer-buddy system.
Use modified lids on the tops of containers (wide, bigger, and easier to open).
When information gathering involves a physical action that the physically impaired student cannot perform, try a different experience yielding the same information.
Make special advance arrangements with curators during passive visiting field trips.
Testing
Allow more time for the student to complete the activities.
General Information (Access for Persons with Vision Loss)
Visual material needs to be accompanied by a verbal description. If you are demonstrating how to use a piece of equipment, be sure to describe the equipment and what you are doing to operate it. Read overheads aloud and describe the content of slides (see note below about large print). In a conference presentation setting, you will probably want to provide all descriptions yourself. If you are showing a videotape, describe the action. If you distribute videotapes as handouts, any action or an explanatory text that is crucial to understanding the text of the presentation should be narrated.
If there are multiple speakers (such as a panel), have each speaker introduce himself or herself to the audience so that the speakers' voices are keyed for the audience as to their identity.
Be certain that your presentation can be clearly heard by everyone in the room and repeat all questions from the audience, prior to answering.
Handouts should be available in large print, audiotape, computer disk, and/or Braille formats. If this is not possible prior to your presentation, note the various individuals' preferred formats and then make your materials available to them within a short time after your presentation.
Teacher Presentation
By verbally spelling out a new or technical word, you will be helping the student with a vision impairment, as well as for other students.
An enlarged activity script, directions, or readings of a detailed lesson can be used for a low vision person and for use in describing tactile 3D models .
All colored objects used for identification related to a lesson, experiment, or other directions should be labeled with a Braille label maker or otherwise tacitly coded for most students with vision impairments.
Describe, in detail, visual occurrences, visual media, and directions including all pertinent aspects that involve sight.
Use a sighted narrator or descriptive video (preferably the latter) to describe aspects of videos or laser disks.
Describe, in detail, all pertinent visual occurrences or chalkboard writing.
Where needed, have lesson or direction materials Brailled, use an enlarged activity script, or recorded ahead of time, for class handouts.
Have tactile 3D models, raised line drawings, or thermoforms available to supplement drawings or graphics in a tactile format when needed.
Whenever possible, use actual objects for three dimensional representations.
Modify instructions for auditory/tactile presentation.
Use raised line drawings for temporary tactile presentations.
Use an overhead projector, chalkboard, graphs, or slides as you would normally, but provide more detailed oral descriptions, possibly supplemented with thermoforms where appropriate.
Allow student to use a tape recorder for recording classroom presentations or the text.
Make all handouts and assignments available in an appropriate form: e.g., regular print, large print, Braille, or on a cassette, depending on the student’s optimal mode of communication.
Laboratory
Describe and tactually/spatially familiarize the student with the lab and all equipment to be used.
Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.
Use an enlarged activity script, directions, or readings for a low vision student (or taped script for a student who is blind) for use with tactile 3D models.
Make all handouts and assignments available in the appropriate form for the student: e.g., regular print, large print, Braille, or tape depending on the students optimal mode of communication.
Assistance may be needed for converting certain laboratory materials from a visual to a tactile format.
Have the student with a vision impairment do a trial run on the equipment before the activity.
Allow more time for the laboratory activities.
Always try to keep materials, supplies, and equipment in the same places.
Place the student and/or tape recorder an appropriate distance from the activity to permit hearing and/or the recording of results or observations.
Use Descriptive Video for videos or laser disks. If Descriptive Video is not available, use a sighted narrator to describe movies, videos, laser disks, or slides.
Provide means for the acquisition and/or recording of data in an appropriate mode for the student.
Use tag shapes for showing relationships (such as distance comparisons) buttons, or other markers on a "layout" board.
A Braille label maker will be useful for identifying materials and containers in the laboratory for the vision impaired student with a vision impairment who reads Braille.
Make equipment available that the student with a vision impairment can access in interpreting and understanding the results of laboratory exercises (e.g. audible readout voltmeters, calculators, talking thermometers, magnifiers, etc.
Use a hot plate for heating instead of Bunsen burner.
Label material, supplies, and equipment with regular print, large print, and/or Braille, as appropriate for the vision impaired student.
Pair the student with a vision impairment with a sighted student. Then have the non-impaired student describe the activities and outcomes as they are observed.
Use a portable communication board to provides auditory scanning of laboratory materials such as: pictographic symbols, letters, and/or words.
When using a computer, the student with a visual disability can use a voice input device or a remote voice system to verbally enter commands.
Prior to the enrollment of a student with a visual impairment in class, obtain laboratory equipment that have available ability to produce adaptive outputs such as: a large screen, print materials, or various audio output devices.
Various Braille devices can be used to assists vision impaired students when reading.
For "reading" the outputs of balances and other instruments, one can use a Braille N' Speak device (Blazie Engineering)
Have a lab assistant help you if necessary to make sure that students with visual impairments are being assisted.
Group Interaction and Discussion
Describe and tactually/spatially familiarize the student to the classroom.
Place the student and/or recorder an appropriate distance from the activity to permit recording of material.
Use a tape recorder.
Use a note taker who takes notes in the appropriate mode.
Research
Review and discuss with the student the steps involved in a research activity. Think about which step(s) may be difficult for the specific functional limitations of the student and jointly devise accommodations for that student.
Use appropriate lab and field strategies according to the nature of the research.
Various Braille Devices can be used to assists vision impaired students when reading
Suggest that the student use a tape recorder with a sighted person on the various activities.
Research on Mowatt sensor
Testing
Make arrangements for tactile examinations, if touch is not normally permitted (say, in a museum) then contact the curator for tactile access to a museum display items or say, in a zoo for access to a plant/animal species and/or collection).
Place the student being tested close to the activity if tactile examination is necessary.
Present examinations in a form that will be unbiased to visually impaired students. Ask the student for the approach he/she finds to be most accessible.
One possible accessible method is to record test questions on tape and have the students record their answers on tape in an area which has minimal disturbance for other students.
Allow more time.
Allow calculators to be used during the test.
Make use of visual magnification (magnifier or magnifying machine), audiocassette, Braille/Braille graphs/Braille device for written responses, large block answer sheet.