Vision Impairment
Digital Learning Package
William Ingram c3397355
Mitchell Brown c3395206
Elliot Morris c3397385
At Vision Impairment, we are dedicated to providing informative resources and education for individuals who teach individuals with vision impairments. This website is designed to empower and inform those facing challenges related to vision loss and those supporting the vision impaired.
Facts about vision impairment
There are different degrees of blindness. Someone can be legally blind but still see colors, shapes and varying degrees of light. In fact, only about 10-15% of people who are blind see nothing at all (Perkins, 2015).
Worldwide, 285 million people are visually impaired: of these, 39 million people are blind, 246 million people have low vision (Global Facts on Blindness and Low Vision | Vision Australia. Blindness and Low Vision Services, 2025).
Famous modern musicians who were blind include Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, Art Tatum, and 12-string blues guitarist Blind Willie McTell (Israelsen, 2020).
Blinded at the age of three, Louis Braille was only 15 when, in 1824, he invented the universal system of reading and writing for blind people that bears his name (Israelsen, 2020).
Teaching tips
- Have a basic traffic strategy - directional of traffic within the classroom (Cox & Dykes, 2001).
- Tailor teaching to students needs - allowing more time for students
- Consider the learning environment - consider removing the classroom clutter, keep things in the same place
- Encourage clear communication - give clear direction, use short and simple sentences
- Help students develop their social skills - keep students in the main class, build social skills, encourage play
- Collaborate with families - regular communication with families as they provide valuable information about the child
- Maximise technology - using interactive e-learning and computer assisted instruction
- Promote self-determination - promote goal setting (Primary School Teacher Strategies for Blind and Low Vision | AllPlay Learn, 2024)
Vision impairment in the classroom
Vision impairment in the classroom can present both challenges and opportunities for creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment. For students with vision impairment their needs can very widely depending on the severity and types of impairment.
There are 3 main categories:
- Low vision – partial vision loss that cant be correct
- Blindness – complete vision loss
- Colour Blindness
Understanding and addressing these needs is key to ensuring their education success.
Creating an inclusive classroom for vision-impaired students involves understanding their unique needs and implementing strategies that foster accessibility, independence, and equal opportunities. By making thoughtful accommodations, using assistive technologies, and providing clear and consistent support, educators can ensure that vision-impaired students have the tools they need to succeed academically and socially (Gadiraju et al., 2021).
Evidence-Based Strategies for visually impaired
- Understand the students and how they work
- Use Multi-sensory methods e.g. Braille, Audio, Tactile objects
- Create a positive learning environment (Primary School Teacher Strategies for Blind and Low Vision | AllPlay Learn, 2024)
- Encourage peer support
- Use of clear and verbal communication (Primary School Teacher Strategies for Blind and Low Vision | AllPlay Learn, 2024)
- Utilise technology e.g Screen readers and magnifiers
- Be proactive (consider handing out work to students who are blind or low vision before the class so they can pre-learn the material) (Best Practice Tips, 2022)
- Help students develop their social skills - this will help them feel the same as the other students and allow them to get to know other students (Best Practice Tips, 2022)
- Tailor teaching to students needs to get most of the students
By implementing these strategies, you can create an educational environment that promotes success and equal opportunities for vision-impaired students, fostering a sense of belonging, confidence, and independence (Pease et al., 2021) .
This inclusive approach not only helps them achieve their academic goals but also cultivates their personal growth, encouraging them to participate fully in both classroom activities and broader social experiences.
By addressing their unique learning needs, you can empower these students to reach their full potential, while also promoting a culture of empathy and understanding among all students (Pease et al., 2021).
Student Engagement
- Collaborative learning (not always working with an adult, work with other students to build relationships)
- Adjustments to learning environment if needed e.g. movement of objects within classroom for better access
- Provide constant feedback for students confidence levels to make them feel included in the mainstream classroom
- Tapping into students interest so they are engaged in what they are doing within the school environment
By utilizing these strategies and fostering an inclusive learning environment, visually impaired students can feel more engaged, confident, and capable in their education. The key is to emphasize a range of approaches that cater to their individual needs and promote independence
School and Teacher based support
SLSO (School Learning Support Officer)
Help students with everyday activities e.g. work, moving around.
Itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision)
- Itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision) assist and support schools through the learning and support team (Inclusion and Wellbeing, 2025).
- Itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision) work in a multi-disciplinary team with students, parents and carers, school learning and support teams and other professionals.
- They may carry out student assessments, take part in review meetings, support school staff in making teaching and learning adjustments and provide professional learning for school staff (Inclusion and Wellbeing, 2025).
Technology in classrooms
- The use of Braille, audiobooks tactile objects etc.
- Screen readers
Learning support teams
- Support teachers in identifying and responding to the additional learning needs of students
- Facilitate and coordinate a whole school approach to improving the learning outcomes of every student (Inclusion and Wellbeing, 2024)
These school and teacher based supports can help students with visual impairment get the most out of their school and be able to achieve their full potential in school and the outside world.
Interview with Kylie (Teacher of student with vision impairment)
Classroom management
1. Verbalise your instructions as much as possible, being very descriptive
2. Adjust the students worksheet to include braille (include words as well in case parents don't use braille)
3. Have these students sit up the front and use an optical magnifier, rather then enlarging their activities
4. Plan alternative activities to ensure the student/s do not experience visual fatigue by creating lessons that do and do not require vision
As Kylie mentions there are many different adjustments that can be made within a classroom and a school setting including:
- In the classroom use lots of different sensory activities e.g. picture in flash machine which produces high quality tactile images, puzzles.
- For the student Kylie works with the school gives her life skill activities.
- The school has access to a vision teacher for 1 hour per week for the student to work on different strategies within school.
WATCH - LEGO + Braille
Vision Impairment knowledge check
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JKBPSV5
"I may not be able to see the world with my eyes, but I can feel it with my heart."
"When you have vision, you can achieve anything."
Helen Keller
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
Abraham Lincoln
References
Best practice tips. (2022). Nsw.gov.au. https://education.nsw.gov.au/campaigns/inclusive-practice-hub/all-resources/primary-resources/understanding-disability/blind-and-low-vision/best-practice-tips#:~:text=Consider%20the%20learning%20environment&text=Having%20a%20simple%20classroom%20structure,where%20it%20is%20being%20moved.
Global facts on blindness and low vision | Vision Australia. Blindness and low vision services. (2025). Visionaustralia.org. https://visionaustralia.org/news/2019-08-23/global-facts-blindness-and-low-vision
Inclusion and Wellbeing. (2025). Achieving School Excellence in Wellbeing and Inclusion. Nsw.gov.au.
Inclusion and Wellbeing. (2024). Roles and responsibilities. Nsw.gov.au. https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/inclusive-learning-support/resources/roles-and-responsibilities#:~:text=Learning%20and%20support%20team,-The%20school%20learning&text=supports%20teachers%20in%20identifying%20and,learning%20outcomes%20of%20every%20student
Israelsen, J. (2020, August 8). 40 Amazing Blind People Facts. Factretriever.com; Fact Retriever. https://www.factretriever.com/blindness-facts
Pease, A., Goodenough, T., Sinai, P., Breheny, K., Watanabe, R., & Williams, C. (2021). Improving outcomes for primary school children at risk of cerebral visual impairments (the CVI project): study protocol for the process evaluation of a feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 11(5), e044856. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044856
Primary School Teacher Strategies for Blind and low vision | AllPlay Learn. (2024, December 16). AllPlay Learn. https://allplaylearn.org.au/primary/teacher/blind/
Vinitha Gadiraju, Doyle, O., & Kane, S. (2021). Exploring Technology Design for Students with Vision Impairment in the Classroom and Remotely. 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445755