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Access Technology Options for Students with Vision Impairments

The Vision Tech website is currently being reconstructed. For information about SVRC Professional Development click here.

Below are links to the array of access technology options for people with vision impairments:

What is Access Technology?

“Access technology” for people with disabilities is a broad term encompassing:

any item, piece of equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for difficulties
a system of “no-tech”, “low-tech” and “high-tech” tools and strategies that match a person's needs, abilities and tasks
items acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized

For students with vision impairments, a “low tech” solution may include - getting close to the object (eg walking up to the whiteboard) or handling the object (eg having the time to carefully inspect a baby turtle). “Higher tech” options may include:

suitable lighting
hand-held magnifier
reading stand
talking watch
slate and stylus
specialised news reading services accessed via the telephone
electronic magnification device
liquid level detector
tactual markers on household appliances
tactual books and kits
audio books
laptop with talking or enlarging software
computer scanner
white cane
bold lined paper for handwriting
etc