Recognising barriers: Visual impairment
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Higher education is delivered in a very visual way. Students are required to read, take notes in lectures and seminars, use computers, watch and learn from demonstrations and take part in practical activities in laboratories, workshops or on field trips. They may be asked to look at a picture or watch a video, then assimilate information and analyse meaning and content.
Some of these barriers can be minimised through changes in teaching strategies, the support of an assistant, or the use of a specialist piece of equipment. Others require an alternative way of doing things, such as an alternative method of assessment.
Remember that a visually impaired student also encounters many other barriers in everyday life, such as getting to the campus, finding their way around, locating books in the library and trying to read notice boards. In addition some visually impaired students may be living with a degree of pain and eye strain which has a further impact on their learning.