Adjustments for students with a vision impairment
Students with Disabilities - Vision Impairment contains information regarding characteristics of students with vision impairment
- Plan with others - Support Teacher: Vision Impairment, Advisory Visiting Teachers: Vision Impairment, Orientation & Mobility (O&M) teachers and instructors, Parents/Carers, Guidance Officers, Therapists, year level teams and subject area teams to incorporate the priorities for the student.
- Consider the Individual Education Plan (IEP), as a way of prioritising the adjustments needed for the student to access the curriculum.
- Plan ahead to check if resources are available in alternative formats (e.g. Braille, tactile maps, models, large print, audio or e-text) if required.
- Choose/vary topics to match available resources.
- Plan for additional time, if required, for the student to complete assigned tasks (including examinations, tests, mobility).
- Plan to provide experiences for concept development.
- Plan for auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic experiences where appropriate.
- Plan for opportunities to learn about the routines and structures of the school and classroom.
- Plan to provide opportunities for the student to explore and become familiar with the school environment to maximise independence.
- Plan to incorporate curriculum specific elements related to the needs of students with vision impairment (e.g. communication skills, orientation and mobility, use of specialised technology, use of low vision aids, study and organisational skills, social skills).
- Plan to ensure the student's participation and safety on excursions, camps and other learning experiences.
- Forward plan with secondary students for subject choices, career paths and goals for post-school transition.
- Adjust the amount and complexity of materials and tasks where appropriate.
- Give clear and concise instructions.
- Verbalise information being written on the board.
- Initiate questions directed at the student by firstly stating their name.
- Adjust student positioning to accommodate for the student's visual range.
- Alternate near and distance tasks, and reading and writing activities.
- Adjust and monitor posture. Students with low vision habitually use a closer working distance. Some students with severe vision impairment may require support to maintain a comfortable and healthy posture for near and distance activities.
- Allow the student to preview and/or post view audio visual presentations where appropriate.
- Provide additional modelling and concrete examples where appropriate.
- Provide any necessary alternative arrangements/additional supervision for Health and Physical Education classes and practical lessons in Science, Home Economics and Industrial Technology and Design. This does not have to mean a different activity.
- Promote student capacity to apply a range of organisational strategies and tools.
- Apply and incorporate appropriate methodologies to individual student's needs, including those with additional impairments.
- Design tasks which consider the impact of the disability on learning (e.g. concept development and experiential opportunities).
- Reduce the quantity of work required, if necessary.
- Organise additional time, if necessary.
- Provide the appropriate format e.g. large print, Braille
- Omit some components and/or provide alternative questions (e.g. highly visual tasks).
- Provide a scribe.
- Organise for the student to produce an assignment in an alternative format (e.g. audio taped).
- Record answers on a computer, Braille machine or specialised equipment.
Information about reporting for all students can be found at the Guidelines for Reporting Student Achievement (new window) [an error occurred while processing this directive] 
which are part of the P-12 Framework.
- Consider possible obstacles to independent mobility when arranging the classroom environment - remember that any changes will have to be explained to the student.
- Provide space to enable work with concrete materials or required technology. Access to power points may need to be considered and any electrical leads safely positioned.
- Consider student's needs and preferences when using blackboards/whiteboards.
- Specific lighting requirements may need to be considered. Avoid positioning the student facing a glare source.
- Consider the student's ergonomic needs in providing appropriate classroom equipment (e.g. slope board, desk/chairs, etc.).
- Provide additional storage space for equipment, audio materials.
- Consider the documentation of a risk management plan to support access to fire drills, excursions and camps.
- Incorporate within the school's Workplace Health & Safety audit appropriate environmental modifications and adjustments to facilitate safe access and movement (e.g. railings, indicators of level changes, painting of stair edges, adequate provision of covered areas).
- Source and borrow appropriate available resources (e.g. through local facilities, museums, local libraries, Disability Services Support Unit and other agencies).
- Seek training in specific equipment for all relevant staff to ensure continuity of student access to learning.
- Consider human and material resources already available in the school community.
- Access community resources in the area.
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