Studying With a Visual Impairment

Vision shapes almost everything about how college is designed. Lectures rely on slides and boards, reading lists assume print or screens, labs are full of visual instruments and even finding a classroom depends on signs and layout. For blind and low vision students, these default designs create barriers, but they are barriers of design, not of ability. With accessible materials, suitable technology, good planning and support, students with visual impairments study every subject, from literature to chemistry to law.

Visual impairments vary widely, from total blindness to partial sight, from stable to changing conditions. This guide offers general information, not medical advice, and uses no figures. Your own needs and preferences come first, and the disability office can help you plan.

The range of experience

A visual impairment covers a wide spectrum.

• Blindness, where little or no usable vision exists, and where braille, audio and tactile approaches may be central.
• Low vision, where some usable sight remains but is limited by blurry vision, narrow fields, sensitivity to light or other effects, and where magnification, contrast and lighting matter.
• Conditions that fluctuate or change, which can make planning harder.
• Combined sensory needs, such as combined vision and hearing impairments.

Students use different tools and methods. What works for one person may not suit another, and preferences change with context. Always ask the student, not assume.

Getting support

• Contact the disability office early, ideally many months before term. Producing accessible materials can take weeks. Our guide to how to get accommodations at college explains the process.
• Provide documentation, such as a report from an eye expert. Our guide to documentation for disability accommodations explains what is often needed.
• Discuss your preferences: formats, technology, mobility and any specific needs.
• Ask about orientation and mobility training, in the first weeks.
• Ask about funding for equipment and services.

Accessible course materials

Access to readings is often the biggest practical issue.

• Ask for reading lists early, and give them to the disability office as soon as you have them.
• Request your preferred formats: digital text compatible with screen readers, large print, audio or braille.
• Check that digital documents are accessible. Scanned images of text, for example, may not work with a screen reader.
• Ask instructors to provide slides in advance, in accessible formats.
• Ask for descriptions of images, diagrams, graphs and videos.
• Use library services for accessible books, and ask about digital libraries.
• Report inaccessible materials promptly, since colleges have a duty to provide equal access.

Assistive technology

Technology offers many options.

Ask for training, since screen readers and braille devices take time to learn, and for loan equipment while yours is arranged.

Getting around campus

Mobility and orientation matter.

• Ask for orientation and mobility training, to learn routes and landmarks, either from the college or an outside service.
• Visit the campus before term, if possible.
• Ask for accessible maps and descriptions of buildings.
• Learn routes to classrooms, libraries, dining halls and housing.
• Discuss guide dogs, canes and other aids with the college, including housing and classroom arrangements.
• Ask about lighting, signage and tactile markings.
• Plan for changes, such as construction, snow or room changes.
• Ask for notice of changes to room locations.

Lectures and classes

• Sit where you can see or hear best.
• Ask instructors to describe what they write or show, and to read out slide content.
• Ask for slides and handouts in advance.
• Record lectures, with permission.
• Use note-takers or recording tools, as arranged.
• Ask for audio descriptions of videos.
• Let instructors know what helps.

Labs, visual subjects and practical work

Many students worry about labs, art, math diagrams and other visual content. Adaptations often exist.

• Tactile graphics and 3D models for diagrams.
• Descriptions and data tables for charts and images.
• Adapted lab equipment, such as talking meters and tactile measuring tools.
• Lab assistants or partners, with arrangements that keep you in control of decisions.
• Software for accessible mathematics.
• Alternative assessments that test the same learning outcomes.

Talk to the department and the disability office early, since planning ahead is key. Some programs have technical standards for practical work, and it is worth discussing them at the start.

Exams and assessment

• Extra time is common, to allow for reading with technology or magnification.
• Accessible formats: large print, braille, screen reader compatible electronic papers.
• A reader or scribe, or technology instead.
• A separate room.
• Rest breaks, for fatigue.
• Adapted diagrams and descriptions.

Book early, and practice with the technology and format that you will use.

Housing and daily life

• Ask about accessible housing, including layout, lighting, tactile markings and guide dog needs.
• Ask about proximity to campus and transport.
• Organize your space so that items are easy to find.
• Learn local transport options, and ask about accessible services.
• Plan for shopping, cooking and laundry, with technology and support as needed.
• Tell housemates what helps, such as keeping doors and paths clear.

Planning each term

A rhythm of planning reduces stress.

1. Request materials early, as soon as reading lists are available.
2. Confirm exam arrangements by the deadlines.
3. Check technology works with college systems.
4. Meet new instructors in the first week.
5. Review support with your adviser each term.
6. Keep a list of contacts for problems.

Independence, community and wellbeing

• Connect with other blind and low vision students. Peer support is powerful, and national and local organizations exist.
• Use mentoring, including from graduates and professionals who are blind or have low vision.
• Build skills gradually, without pressure to do everything alone.
• Rest. Using technology and extra effort to access information can be tiring.
• Seek support for stress or low mood.
• Advocate for yourself, and for others, when systems are inaccessible.

Funding and scholarships

Equipment and services can be costly. Look at government schemes, college funds, charities and scholarships.

A worked example

Imagine a blind student starting a history degree. Six months before term, she contacts the disability office and provides a report. She sends her reading lists as soon as they are available, and the office produces digital texts compatible with her screen reader. She receives orientation and mobility training on campus in the week before term, and arranges a room near the library. She asks her lecturers for slides in advance, with images described. For exams, she is approved for extra time, a separate room and a screen reader compatible paper.

Early planning meant that her materials and arrangements were ready when she needed them.

Working and placements

Placements, internships and jobs bring new barriers, from inaccessible software to unfamiliar buildings. Discuss them with the disability office and your program early, and ask about adjustments employers can make. Many students keep a record of tools and settings that work for them, so that they can request the same set-up in a new workplace.

Advocating for accessible design

If you find inaccessible websites, documents or buildings, report them. Colleges often fix problems once they are known, and your report helps the next student. Be specific about what failed and what would work, and keep a record of your request.

Common mistakes

• Waiting until term starts to request materials.
• Assuming that digital means accessible.
• Not arranging orientation and mobility training.
• Not testing technology on college systems.
• Not telling instructors what helps.
• Taking on everything alone.
• Not asking for adaptations in labs and practicals.

A quick checklist

• Have I contacted the disability office early?
• Have I given them my reading lists and preferences?
• Do I have technology, training and orientation arranged?
• Are exam arrangements booked?
• Do I have people and communities for support?

Final thoughts

A visual impairment changes how you access information, not what you can learn. Plan early, request accessible materials, use technology that suits you and ask for orientation and training. Be clear with instructors, and connect with others who share your experience. With good planning and support, you can study the subject you choose.