This document discusses various technologies that can assist visually impaired students in the classroom, including magnifiers, video magnifiers, screen magnification software, e-text with auditory support or tracking, tactile graphics, braille displays, braille translation software, and electronic braille note takers. It provides details on how each technology works and its benefits. The goal is to help visually impaired students learn by making educational materials accessible in the classroom through different assistive technologies.

1. The Use of Technologies
for the Visually Impaired

2.  Several practical
technologies can be
utilized to assist the
visually impaired in
learning in the
classroom. These
include the use of
magnifiers,
enlargement
methods of teaching
aids, enlargement of
text, video
magnifiers, e-text
and auditory
strategies.
 Assistive Technology
involves the use of
devices and software
used by the visually
impaired for learning
within the classroom.

3.  A handheld magnifier is an optical device that
provides
 magnification and/or illumination.
 ADVANTAGES OF USING MAGNIFIERS
 Instant access
 Adjustable magnification
 Different colour and contrast options
 Masking and underlining options
 Magnification of both print and non-print materials
 Some models have a room viewing feature e.g.
board
 work, charts, etc.
 Some models are portable
 Computer is used as the monitor (less equipment to
 transport & smaller work area)
 Ability to toggle between the video magnifier display
and the
 information on the computer or view both in split
screen
 Ability to capture and save the magnified image e.g.
notes
 from the board
 A video magnifier is a system that uses a video
 camera to project a magnified image of printed text,
 handwriting or photographs onto a video monitor or
 TV screen. Some video magnifier models (e.g.
 room viewing systems) have the capability to view
 the blackboard or materials posted on walls around
 the classroom.
 Magnification of text means that the size of the
text
 has been changed either by increasing the font size,
 increasing the zoom, or using special screen
 magnification software. Magnification of the
computer
 screen means that elements such as icons, menus,
 and dialogue boxes have been enlarged either by
 customizing the operating system or by using
screen
 magnification software.

4.  E-text (from "electronic text";
sometimes written as etext) is,
 generally, any text-based
information that is available in a
 digital format and read by
electronic means.
 E-Text with tracking
 Tracking support means that
words
 or sentences are highlighted on
the
 screen as e-text is read to the
 student. Some programs allow
this
 highlighting to be used with or
 without speech.
 E-text with auditory support
 Auditory support means that a
computer voice will read e-text
 to the student. This requires a
special program with text to
 speech features.

6.  Auditory Books
 A CD audio book is a recording of the
contents of a book
 read aloud by a human voice.
Depending on the CD player,
 there may be enhanced navigation
and search features.
 Digital Audio Format
 Books in digital audio format can
either be recordings of human voices
 reading books or computer voices.
Books in this format can be played
 on a computer or a digital audio
player.

7. Tactile Graphics
 Visually impaired children are now being integrated into
mainstream education and a basic introduction to 'tactile'
graphics, that is diagrams, charts, maps, graphs can be
utilized to assist these students In learning.
 Translating visual graphics into tactile form
 When considering the design of tactile graphics it is
important to remember that touch does not allow such fine
discrimination of detail as vision. Tactile information is also
often harder to make sense of (e.g. it can be difficult to
distinguish between a foreground object and its
background). Some rules of thumb for good design are:
 Focus on the essential point of the graphic: 'less is more'
really is the case here.
 Do not copy and raise photographs: substitute with text or a
diagram.
 Avoid line drawings where possible: e.g. in the classic food
chain diagram showing drawings of the animals, use a word
label instead.
 Use filled shapes rather than outlines (e.g. for maps) -
otherwise it can be hard to know whether you are feeling
'inside' or 'outside'.
 Avoid label lines: these can get confused with the diagram
itself. Put labels on the relevant part, or use a key.
 Keep lines at least 2 mm apart.
 You can get some idea of the clarity of a tactile graphic by
trying it out on someone who has not seen it, but remember
that a visually impaired child may be confused by different
aspects from a fully-sighted child.

9.  Braille Technology
 A braille display device operates by
lowering and raising different combinations
of pins electronically to produce in braille
what appears on a portion of the computer
screen. A braille display device connects to
a standard computer with a special cable. It
takes information appearing on the
computer screen, translates it and displays
it in braille, a line at a time. A line of
refreshable braille consists of a series of
electronically-driven pins that pop up to
form braille characters. As the cursor on
the screen moves across a line or down the
page, the line of braille characters changes
to reflect what is currently under or near
the cursor. This ever-changing line of braille
is called refreshable. Refreshable Braille is
available on some portable Braille Note
talking devices, or on a full 20, 40, or 80
character device that attaches in front of
the keyboard on a standard computer. The
refreshable braille display provides direct
access to information, giving the student
the ability to check format, spacing and
spelling and is quiet in comparison to a
braille writer or embosser.
 Braille Translation Software
 Braille translation software converts printed
text into braille. Translated text may then
be printed for the student using a braille
embosser (braille printer). Commonly used
products include Duxbury Braille Translator,
MegaDots, and Braille 2000.
 Electronic Braille Note Takers
 Electronic braille note taking devices, like
this one from Freedom Scientific, may be
used by a student to take notes in class
using either a Braille or standard (QWERTY)
keyboard. Those notes may then be
transferred to a computer for storage, or
printed in either braille or print formats.
Many note taking devices have word
processors, appointment calendars,
calculators or clocks, and can do almost
everything a computer can do. Some note
taking devices have a speech program with
braille input and some also feature a
refreshable braille display. The note taking
devices generally are the size of a book and
are easily carried and used by the student.

10. Practical Ways to help Visually Impaired
Students within the Classroom Using these
Technologies

11.  Obtain. Formulate
their IEP and use this
as a guide to
instruction at all
times.
 Verbalize everything
(read as you write,
give instructions
clearly and slowly)
 Use technologies and
incorporate them in
instruction. Allow for
a lot of inclusion in
the classroom.
 Use tactile techniques
and allow for
exploration.
 Allow for flexibility.
 Allow students to
engage in note taking
using these
technologies.
 Keyboard instruction
and access to
computer with these
accessible features
for the visually
impaired.

12.  References and
other Websites.
 http://www.perkins.org/stories/magazine/l
essons-without-limits
 Assistive Technology for Students who are
Blind Or Visually Impaired: A ...
 By Ike Presley, Frances Mary D'Andrea
 http://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/b
raille-technology.html
 http://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/a
ssistive-technology.html
 http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-
loss/using-technology/assistive-
technology/123
 http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/instructional
-strategies-students-who-are-blind-or-
visually-impaired
 http://www.brighthubeducation.com/specia
l-ed-visual-impairments/62427-ideas-for-
how-to-teach-visually-impaired-students-
seeing-the-big-picture/
 http://www.setbc.org/Download/LearningC
entre/Vision/Reading_Strategies_for_Visual
_Impairments.pdf
 http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/reginald-
phillips/beginnersPaper.htm
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLaUx7
BJ4r0&feature=youtu.be
 http://www.perkinselearning.org/scout/assi
stive-technology
 http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/vision
 http://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/