Blind Pioneers

Accommodations and Modifications

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Blind and Visually Impaired students use various methods to level the playing field and give them access to the curriculum. It is essential to distinguish between accommodations and modifications. Accommodations are strategies that allow the student to access the work or allow them to complete the same work as their peers. Accommodations do not change the content or nature of the work. Modifications are designed to change the content of the work. These changes focus the material, reinforce the foundations of the curriculum, or lessen the workload,

 

Sample accommodations and modifications: 

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Alternate Media (Electronic Print or Braille)

Depending on the student’s preferences, learning materials may need to be provided in electronic print or Braille. The specific adaptations should be specified in Formatting Standards, such as font type and font size. A TVI is in the best position to make these recommendations using student assessment. Formatting Standards might differ depending on the task or the device that the student will use for that task. Media may vary according to the task. This can be captured in an Effective Communication Plan (ECP).  A Document Adaptation Process should be specified by the team so that all team members have the time and resources necessary to adapt materials in a timely manner.

 

Real-time Access to the View Board and Ability to Image Capture

In the past, students would be given a copy of a presentation either before the class or after the class to accommodate their ability to not see the board. Today, screen-sharing Apps, such as Join.Me, allow low vision students to see the board in real-time. This method is more effective because a teacher may decide to skip over slides or go backwards to review a slide. Real-time access allows a low vision to know where the teacher is in the slide-deck. It permits them to magnify details in a slide and to take screen-shots.

 

Real-time Access to Written Board Work and Ability to Image Capture

Teachers can write on a board or over a slide using an electronic pen being presented. This writing transmits to the student’s device. The student can opt to take a screen shot of the problem or figure to keep up with the class. When teachers use a document camera, such as an ELMO, they can install a screen-sharing App like CamShot, that transmits the image to the student’s device. In these instances, the pen or marker should be bold for a clear image.

 

Scratch Pad- Transposing Accommodation

Low vision students are not efficient transposers. It takes more effort visually to find a problem in a textbook, hold it in memory, then transpose it to a blank document. An occupational therapist can conduct a timed writing assessment to test transposition speed and accuracy. Transposing is especially common in math and science courses where problems need to be worked out on scratch paper. Students should be provided with prepared math and science problem sets on documents with enough space to compute. A TVI can determine how much space is necessary for scratch work and add this to the Formatting Standards.

 

Use of Descriptive Language

When giving directions, teachers should be specific and descriptive. For example, a teacher may say, “You will find the resources for your group work over here in this section of the book.” Instead, the teacher can say, “Use the resources on page 57 in the ‘Did you Know?’ section of the book.”

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Use of 3D Models and Manipulatives to convey spatial concepts

BVI students benefit from tactile supports as much as possible. Today with the availability of 3D printers, this is more attainable. When a teacher is uses models in the classroom, a second set should be made available to the BVI student to access the information tactilely, which may take them longer than peers viewing a 3D model.

 

Use of Tactile Graphics

Tactile graphics is an important way for some students to access information that is highly visual or spatial.

 

Preferential seating near teacher

BVI students may have a hard time in the back of a class or near a hall door. Sitting near the teacher or speaker helps the student to filter out competing sounds. If the teacher rotates between stations, the teacher should move closer to the student when providing whole-class instruction or giving assignment directions.

 

Extended Time for Testing, Quizzes, Assessments, and in-class Assignments

Visually impairment and blindness impacts processing speed. Tasks that are designed for sighted students do not factor in the additional time that blind students may need to process this information after the documents are converted into different media. For example, graphics or images may be translated into a combination of descriptive text and tactile graphics. Reading speed may not be the same if students are beginners in new modalities or technologies. Reading speed may also differ on the type of content, such as a novel may be read at one speed, while scientific material may take longer. A TVI should test reading rates and make recommendations for the extended time amount. At times math or scientific information may take longer, so a different amount of extended time can be determined for these subjects. Assistive technology malfunctions should not count against a student’s time.

 

Separate Setting Testing

Some students will prefer a distraction-free setting for test-taking. A method should be determined so that the teacher is available to answer content-related questions, either by email, message App, or phone. The original (non-altered) version of the test should be available for the student and proctor to consult if an adaptation error is suspected. When the student uses their extended time during free periods or after school, and they need to interrupt testing, the test can be divided into sections. Once a section is submitted, the student cannot re-open that part of the test.

 

Proctored Testing and Unique Testing Devices

The school team should determine test security protocols when conducting district-wide assessments or the same test is given across several class sections that are not occurring simultaneously. The BVI student can still have extended time while maintaining the integrity of the test. Solutions may include such the use of a unique school-owned testing device, wiping the cached versions of the test on the device, or proctor administered passwords to access the test. It is good practice for the proctor to generate a physical hard copy of the completed test as a backup for any technology failures. Any dedicated testing device must have the same technology specifications used by the student on a daily, such as screen size and the same software used for screen-reading and magnification. Alternatively, the student can use their device and allow the proctor to wipe any cached versions of the test.

 

Breaks as Needed

Breaks will be necessary to counter the fatigue that sets in due to any needs for extended time.

 

Modified Work

This accommodation is another way to help the student with the additional time necessary to complete assignments. Suppose a sighted peer needs two hours per night to complete homework, in that case, a BVI student may need four hours or more, depending on their eye fatigue. A teacher may use this accommodation to remove the “warm-up” or duplicate problems in a problem set. This accommodation can also be used for students who need the additional processing time when they are learning a new media, such as braille or tactile graphics. Teachers are in the best position to modify content.

 

Staggered Work

This accommodation can be used as to give a student flexibility and thereby more time to complete their work. A teacher can provide the student an assignment before the rest of the class, such as on a Friday to have the weekend to start it.

 

Flexible Due dates on assignments

This accommodation is important when despite a student’s best efforts, they cannot meet a deadline. Some teachers require 24-hour notice from all students to request extensions. This logic assumes that a student has a prior commitment, such as a game or extra-curricular event that they are aware of in advance. In the case of BVI students, the student may be trying to meet a deadline, and their stamina hits a wall. These students cannot know 24-hours in advance that they will face a physical limitation. This type of accommodation would help the student maintain their dignity when requesting extensions and not have to disclose reasons related to their health or energy level. To not over-use this accommodation, it is important to supervise when it is being used. It is good practice for the student to copy their parents, case manager or TVI when asking a teacher for an extension.

 

Recording for notetaking

In the past human note-takers or scribes were provided to assist in notetaking. Due to advances in technology, BVI students can note take independently. School teams should determine the situations when students can routinely access this accommodation. It may be when instructions are given, during the teaching portion of the class, or for lecture-style presentations. It is not good practice for students to record an entire class or group discussions as this is inefficient. Recording Apps that allow students to type while recording, permits them to go back and fill in any missed content, such as the Notability App.

 

Presentations in Advance for Notetaking

Students can receive teacher presentations in advance for use during notetaking. This lessens transposing from the board.