Teaching Strategies for Students that are Blind ... - Valencia College

Teaching Strategies for Students
that are Blind and Low Vision
Office for Students with Disabilities
To unlock the
door of learning
all you need is a
KEY
1

Teaching Students that are Blind or Low Vision
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………. page 3
Vision Facts …………………………………………………………………………………… page 3
Blindness Basics …………………………………………………………………………… page 3
Functional Limitations ………………………………………………………………… page 3
Useful Information ……………………………………………………………………… page 4
GENERAL POINTS …………………………………………………………… page 5
GUIDING A BLIND PERSON ………………………………………………… page 6
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES ……………………………………………. page 8
Lecture …………………………………………………………………………………………… page 8
Group Work/Discussions……………………………………………………………… page 9
Printed Material …………………………………………………………………………… page 10
Writing Assignments …………………………………………………………………… page 11
Lab Instruction …………………………………………………………………………… page 12
Exam Arrangements …………………………………………………………………… page 12
Assistive Technology …………………………………………………………………… page 13
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ……………………………………… page 15
DISTANCE EDUCATION …………………………………………………….. page 17
Website Accessibility Introduction ………………………………………… page 17
Designing an Accessible WebCT Course ………………………………… page 17
Validating Your Work ………………………………………………………………… page 18
MULTIMEDIA GUIDELINES …………………………………………………. page 19
Audio Description Information ………………………………………………… page 19
PDF Documents ……………………………………………………………………………… page 20
SPECIFIC SUBJECT INSTRUCTION ……………………………………….. page 21
Science Lab Specifics ………………………………………………………………… page 21
Mathematics Instruction …………………………………………………………… page 23
Technical, Scientific and Mathematical Tables in Braille …… page 24
Foreign Language Instruction …………………………………………………… page 25
Music Instruction ………………………………………………………………………… page 29
RESOURCES …………………………………………………………………... page 33
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………. page 36
2

Teaching Students that are Blind or Low Vision
INTRODUCTION
Vision Facts
• Blindness refers to the disability of students that cannot read printed text, even when
enlarged.
• Low vision refers to the disability of students who have some usable vision, but cannot read
standard-size text, have field deficits (for example, cannot see peripherally or centrally but
can see well in other ranges), or other visual impairments.
• For sighted people, vision serves as the primary source for information. Estimates of how
much sighted people learn visually range from 75% to 85%.
• A person who is visually impaired has difficulty seeing even with his or her glasses on.
• Visual acuity is measured and reported as numbers. 20/20 is normal vision. Larger
denominators indicate less acute vision. Legal blindness is a visual of 20/200 or worse, with
best correction, in the better eye.
• Legal blindness can also result from a field restriction of 20 degrees or less in both eyes.
• Over 75% of the people in the U.S who are legally blind have some residual vision. 11.5
million people have some degree of visual impairment.
Blindness Basics
• Acuity: The ability to see sharply and clearly; when acuity is reduced the ability to read is
impaired.
• Field of View: The area within the environment that can be seen; if peripheral, or side,
vision is lost, the result is a “tunnel vision” effect that primary impacts mobility; if central
vision is lost the result is an inability to see detail, and the ability to read is affected.
• Contrast: The ability to discern objects in the foreground from background; without the
ability to discriminate objects, tool manipulation, picture identification, and writing may be
affected.
Functional Limitations
• Difficulty finding objects
• Difficulty identifying objects
• Difficulty seeing objects edges, and discriminating foreground/background differences
• Missing objects when reaching for them
• Disappearing objects in visual field (the area of vision)
• Tripping, falling, or bumping into objects when walking or moving about room
• Difficulty reading print
• Reduced reading rate
• Reduced reading endurance
• Difficulty seeing handwriting
• Difficulty seeing writing on board, or projector
• Difficulty seeing characters or numbers in books/media
• Inconsistency in seeing objects over time (fluctuating vision)
3

Useful Information
Students with visual impairments are constantly challenged by classroom instructional strategies.
Although they can easily hear lectures and discussions, it can be difficult for them to access class
syllabi, textbooks, overhead projector transparencies, power point presentations, maps, written
exams, demonstrations, DVDs, videos and films. A large part of traditional learning is visual;
fortunately, many students with visual disabilities have developed strategies to learn.
Students that are Blind or Low Vision vary considerably. For example, some have no vision; others
are able to see large forms; and still others can see print if magnified. They use a variety of
accommodations, equipment, and compensatory strategies based upon their widely varying needs.
Many make use of taped textbooks, e-text, and computer screen reading software such as JAWS,
extended time for exams or projects, a reader/scribe during exams, large print books, and Brailled
materials.
For many students, advancements in modern technology have made learning much more accessible.
Students that are Blind or Low Vision can utilize enlarged print or screen reading software on the
computer. Machines are available to enlarge the print of any printed material, to convert printed
material to Braille, or convert printed material into a synthesized voice. Students may also use talking
calculators or a tape recorder.
You should not modify academic standards for visually impaired students. All students must meet the
required level of understanding and performance competencies for the course, although there may
need to be modifications in the evaluation or testing method.
If you have problems when teaching a student who is blind or low vision, first decide if the problem is
related to the disability or if it is a problem that any student could have. Consult with the student if you
have concerns about accommodations or his/her learning. Other resources to assist you in working
with students with vision loss include: the Office for Students with Disabilities, faculty who have
worked with other visually impaired students, and web resources such as:
• The Faculty Room http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty -OR-
• EASI http://www.rit.edu/~easi/
4

GENERAL POINTS
• Speak to the class upon entering and leaving the classroom.
• Identify yourself by name, don't assume that the student who is blind or low vision will
recognize you by your voice even though you have met before.
• Speak directly to a student who is blind, NOT through a companion or third party.
• Orally, let the student know if you need to move or need to end a conversation.
• Call the student by name if you want his/her attention.
• Verbally acknowledge the questions of a student who is blind, they cannot see a head shake
or gesture.
• Don’t allow the hand of a student who is blind to dangle in the air. If it is obviously their
intention to shake hands, grasp their hand and greet them.
• Use descriptive words such as straight, forward, left, etc. in relation to the student's body
orientation. Be specific in directions and avoid the use of vague terms with unusable
information, such as "over there," "here," "this," etc.
• If a person who is blind is approaching and may bump into you, simply say “hello” so they will
be aware someone is in their path.
• Don't worry about using phrases that refer to sight, e.g. “see you later,” these are commonly
used expressions. Students with vision loss can still "see" what is meant by such expressions.
• Describe and familiarize the student to the classroom, laboratory, equipment, supplies,
materials, etc. Once a student is orientated, maintain a consistent classroom environment.
• Give verbal notice of room changes, special meetings, or assignments.
• Tell the student if a room they are familiar with has been rearranged.
• Don't leave obstructions where they may be walked into.
• Don’t move the possessions of a person who is blind without letting them know.
• Do not pet or touch guide dogs when they are wearing their harness. Guide dogs are working
animals ‘on duty.’ It can be hazardous for the visually impaired person if the dog is distracted.
• Students who have had no vision since birth may also have difficulty understanding verbal
descriptions of visual materials and abstract concepts. Consider the description, "This diagram
of ancestral lineage looks like a tree." If one has never seen a tree, it may not be readily
apparent that the structure of note has several lines of ancestry which can be traced back to
one central family. However, students who lost their vision later in life may find it easier to
understand such verbal descriptions. By using enhanced verbal descriptions in your class,
blind students as well as sighted benefit. In making comparisons or analogies, use familiar
objects that don't depend on prior visual knowledge. Foods or objects found around the house
are useful.
• Demonstrations based on color differences may be more difficult for students with blindness to
participate in and understand than demonstrations which emphasize changes in shape,
temperature, or texture.
• Offer to read written information for a person with a visual impairment, when appropriate.
• When assisting a student that is blind in signing their name, place a pen in their hand, and then
guide it to the line. You may use a signature guide or the edge of a piece of heavy paper to
show them the direction of the line. For a student with limited vision, you may use a marker to
draw over the line to make it more visible. Additionally, a student that is blind may have a
signature stamp instead of signing with a pen.
• Don’t take advantage of a student who is blind by communicating around them through
gestures and signs to a third person.
• When showing an object to a person that is blind, ask the person to place their hand on top of
yours, and then place your hand on the object. This allows the person to have a reference to
the object
5

GUIDING A BLIND PERSON
• Ask if assistance is required but don't assume that it is. A person may wish to be guided or just
require some directions.
• Ask how the person would like to be guided - some people will take your arm, others would
prefer you to take their arm.
• Explain changes in ground surface, for example moving from carpet onto tiles.
• Explain where you are going and what is happening, for example when you are waiting to
cross the road, approaching obstacles, entering different rooms.
• When approaching stairs, explain whether they go up or down and approximately how many
steps there are. Allow the blind person to be between you and the handrail.
• Don't leave people 'stranded.' If you are leaving them alone, make sure they have a wall or
chair to hold, and they know where they are.
• Take your cue from the blind person — ask if you are unsure of anything.
STANCE
GUIDE: Stand with your arm relaxed at your side or bent at the elbow.
FOLLOWER: Your arm should be bent at the elbow, placing you one half step behind the guide.
Keeping the elbow bent for long periods of time can be uncomfortable for the guide.
Experienced guides and followers can often travel just as well with the guide's hand
dropped to a vertical position.
NOTE: Walk at a pace that is comfortable for both people. The guide should not be "dragging or
towing" the follower and the follower should not be pushing the guide.
NARROW PASSAGE
6

NARROW PASSAGE continued
GUIDE: Continue facing forward, move your arm diagonally across your back.
FOLLOWER: Straighten out your arm and move directly behind the guide thus following effectively in
single file.
TURNING AROUND or ABOUT FACE
(to turn in a small space, or to avoid confusing the follower)
GUIDE: Ask the follower to "about face." Turn in to face the follower. Offer your other arm. Complete
the turn once the follower has grasped your arm.
FOLLOWER: Face the guide. Contact the guide's other arm. Release your original grasp. Assume
the normal grasp on the new arm.
CHANGING SIDES
(before stairs or to avoid an obstacle)
GUIDE: Ask the follower to change sides. Bring your arm behind you.
FOLLOWER: Grasp the guide's arm with your free hand above your other hand. Release your
original grasp and slide that hand across the guide's back to the free arm. Bring your
second hand across to the guide's other arm. Assume the normal grasp position.
7

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES
The good practice guidelines outlined below are intended to make course material and methods more
accessible to visually impaired students. Remember that improving access for students that have a
visual impairment will benefit all students in a group, particularly those with learning disabilities.
Lecture
When offering direction or information to the learner with vision loss, it is paramount that the
information be organized or structured logically. Information given to people with vision loss has to
be processed without the benefit of body language, environmental cues and visual memory.
Consider how you would understand directions given to you verbally from home to work, without
using pictures or images in your thoughts. It is very important that educators be able to give
concrete, sequential verbal direction to learners. Tape record your own lecture. Critique it. Ask
yourself, “Could I follow this lecture if I were Blind or visually impaired?”
Blind
• Provide handouts in advance of the lecture.
• At the start of the lecture, outline what will be covered.
• Notes may be required in Braille and diagrams or tables may need to be produced in tactile
form. This can take eight weeks or more so material will be needed well in advance of the
lecture.
• Describe any material you are writing down. Talk through any images or diagrams.
• Speak clearly - the student may have few visual cues. Spell out any new or difficult words or
names.
• Allow the student to make a recording of the lecture.
• Provide booklists well in advance as students may have difficulty accessing the library and
may read more slowly. Annotated book lists can be extremely useful to visually impaired
students, for example, if only one page of a book is relevant.
• Providing material such as booklists in electronic format rather than hard copy will allow the
student to view material in their preferred format.
• If the lecture relies on a demonstration, allow the student to sit close to you. Verbally describe
what you are doing with clear, concise language. If the demonstration includes equipment or
models that the student can not see, allow the student to tactually explore these items either
during or before the lecture.
Low Vision
• Provide handouts in advance of the lecture.
• Describe any material you are writing down. Talk through any images or diagrams.
• Visually impaired student may wish to be seated at the front of the class. However, the student
should be allowed the same anonymity as other students. Avoid pointing out the student or the
alternative arrangements to the rest of the class.
• Use large-type print transparencies, rather than handwritten overheads.
• Allow the student to make a recording of the lecture.
• Provide booklists well in advance as students may have difficulty accessing the library and
may read more slowly. Annotated book lists can be extremely useful to visually impaired
students, for example, if only one page of a book is relevant.
8

Group work/Discussions
Some students with disabilities face challenges participating in small group discussions and other
interactive activities. Specific needs vary greatly. However, some general teaching strategies that
benefit all students include:
• Establish clear ground rules for discussion.
• Provide electronic supplementary course/discussion materials.
• Give clear descriptions of visual materials.
• Paraphrase questions and answers and highlight key points throughout discussions.
• Create options for electronic discussions.
Blind
Students who are blind will not be able to see a presenter, visual aids, printed materials, or
demonstrations. Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to
maximize the participation of students that are Blind are:
• Audiotaped class sessions.
• Braille Notetaker.
• Electronic course materials, saved as Rich Text Format, which can be converted to speech
output.
• Having students state their names prior to speaking during discussions.
• Verbal descriptions of visual aids and demonstrations.
• Handouts in Braille, on disk or on tape.
Low Vision
Students with low vision may have difficulty seeing visual aids, handouts, and demonstrations.
Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the
participation of students with low vision are:
• Audiotaped class sessions.
• Electronic course materials which can be converted to speech output or have text font
enlarged.
• Preferential seating.
• Large-print handouts and visual aids.
9

Printed Material
The provision of instructional materials in alternate formats is an institutional responsibility under
Title II of the ADA and Section 504. Textbooks, class handouts and other materials vital to student
success must be provided in a timely manner in alternate text formats.
Blind
• Ready access to printed materials on computer disk can allow a blind student, who has the
appropriate technology, to use computers to read text aloud, use a refreshable Braille display,
and/or produce it in Braille. Some materials may need to be transferred to audiotape. Since it
may take weeks or even months to procure course materials in Braille or on audiotape, it is
essential that instructors select and prepare their materials well before the materials are
needed. The Office for Students with Disabilities typically coordinates Braille, e-text, and
audiotape production in collaboration with faculty and the student to meet adaptive technology
needs consistent with the educational objectives to be achieved.
• Other examples of accommodations for blind students include tactile models and raised-line
drawings of graphic materials. Staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities can help you
locate these materials. It is most helpful when faculty identifies the specific learning objective
when an accommodation is needed. This clarifies the academic accommodation required.
• When choosing a textbook for your course, please consider checking Recordings for the Blind
and Dyslexic (www.rfbd.org) or The American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
(www.aph.org/louis.htm) to see if that book is available in the appropriate alternative format. If
it is not available, please ask your publishing representative for a copy of the text on disk in an
ASCII or Rich Text Format for the Windows Platform.
• Provide printed material in the student's preferred format, if deemed a reasonable
accommodation by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).
• Use the word “blank” instead of a typical underline. An underline does not translate into Braille
and a screen reader will read it as a series of underscores.
• Avoid using tables when possible. Translation is difficult and older screen readers do not read
the information well.
• Save text from multimedia programs (e.g., Power Point) into text files.
Low Vision
• Use large-print typed transparencies, rather than handwritten overheads.
• Use a clear font such as arial, tahoma or comic sans.
• Use print size 18 point or above.
• Keep the layout clear and simple.
• Avoid text on a patterned background.
• Printing on colored paper may make text easier for some visually impaired students to read.
Black text on a yellow background provides maximum contrast.
• Avoid using red and green ink.
10

Writing Assignments
Most postsecondary instructors rely heavily on written assignments as a primary means of
communicating knowledge and understanding. Some students with disabilities face challenges
with written handouts, exams, and/or assignments. Visual impairments may impact a student's
access to standard word processing programs and computers. Accessing journals, publications,
or other library resources for written assignments may be difficult for some students with
disabilities.
Computers, assistive technology, and software programs have increased the number of written
communication options for students with disabilities. Assistive computer technology has improved
access to word processing programs. For example, students who are blind can use screen
reading programs and speech output systems as they complete written assignments. The Internet
provides students with options to do on-line searches from home or submit assignments via e-
mail.
Despite improvements in technology, many students with disabilities need accommodations to
complete written assignments to meet course requirements. General accommodations for
students with various disabilities that impact writing includes extending assignment deadlines,
allowing alternative assignment formats, extended test-taking time, or the use of adaptive
technology.
The following strategies can be used to facilitate participation of students.
Blind
With the availability of computers, assistive technology, and word processing programs, students
who are blind are able to complete writing assignments. They can also access publications,
journals, and resources to prepare written assignments. Typical accommodations that can be
used to facilitate maximum participation of students with blindness in writing activities are:
• Screen reading software and speech output systems.
• Braille translation software, Braille refreshable display, and a Braille embosser.
• Locator dots or Braille key stickers on the keys of computer keyboards.
• Scribes.
• Alternative test or assignment formats such as e-text or Braille.
Low Vision
Students with low vision may have difficulty writing in a standard format. Typical accommodations
that can be used to facilitate maximum participation of students with low vision in written
assignments include:
• Large-print handouts and visual aids.
• Screen enlargers.
• Large-print key stickers for computer key board.
• Sharpie Marker and Thick lined paper.
11

Lab Instruction
Computers with optical character readers, speech output, refreshable Braille screen displays, and
Braille printers allow students who are blind to participate in computer exercises and on-line
research. In addition, Web pages used in your course should be designed so that they are
accessible to those using Braille and speech readers. The Office for Students with Disabilities
and/or OIT staff on your campus can be consulted when addressing computer access issues.
• Some visually impaired students may use a reader to support them in practical work, for
example to explain diagrams that the student cannot see.
• See Assistive technology and Website accessibility sections
Exam Arrangements
If a student requires alternative examination arrangements, these will be outlined in the student's
“Notification to Instructor” from The Office for Students with Disabilities. Strategies that may be
used include extra time, use of a reader or scribe, large print or Braille question paper, or use of a
computer with or without assistive software. Alternative arrangements will not give the student an
unfair advantage, or put them at a disadvantage, and the arrangements must not compromise the
validity or professional accreditation of the examination.
12

Assistive Technology
Computers are essential tools in all academic studies. They can enhance the independence,
productivity, and capabilities of people with disabilities. Access to computers for students with
disabilities involves two major issues: access to the computers themselves and access to
electronic resources such as word processors, spreadsheets, and the World Wide Web.
Assistive hardware and software can facilitate computer access for people with disabilities.
Assistive technology solutions may involve simple, readily available adjustments such as using
built-in access devices on standard computers, or they may require unique combinations of
software and hardware such as those needed for voice or Braille output.
Accommodations for students will be presented by considering computer input, output, and
documentation for a specific impairment. Many accommodations require advance planning with
the student and an advisor from the Office for Students with Disabilities. An Instructional Assistant,
Assistive Technologies is available collegewide that can make recommendations and help you
arrange the set up for the special software. Understanding the computer access issues facing
students with disabilities and hardware solutions and the software for providing access to
computers and electronic resources is important. Following are examples of accommodations,
organized by type of disability, for computer input, output, and documentation.
Blindness
Most individuals who are blind can use a standard keyboard. Viewing standard screen displays
and printed documents is problematic. Specialized voice and Braille output devices can translate
text into synthesized voice and Braille output, respectively.
Following are examples of computer input, output, and documentation accommodations for
individuals who are blind:
Input
• Locator dots on the keyboard for commonly used keys
Output
• Speech output.
• Refreshable Braille displays that allow line-by-line translation of a screen into Braille display
area.
• Braille embossers.
Documentation
• Braille embossers.
• Scanners with optical character recognition that can read printed material and store it
electronically where it can be read using speech output or Braille.
Low Vision
Most students with low vision can use standard keyboards. Special equipment or the use of builtin
computer features can help modify screen displays and printer output.
13

Following are examples of computer input, output, and documentation accommodations for
individuals who have low vision:
Input
• Large-print key labels and home row indicators.
Output
• Large monitors and anti-glare screens.
• Screen enlarger software.
• Color and contrast adjustments.
• Speech output systems.
Documentation
• Scanners with optical character recognition.
• Large-print or Rich text e-text versions of documentation.
Assistive Technology Definitions
• Screen readers
Screen readers allow users with vision loss to access computer text. Text is read out
loud by a voice synthesizer. Tab or Shift-Tab allows navigation through the links on a
Web page.
• Screen magnifiers
Screen magnification systems enlarge portions of the screen to allow users with vision
loss to access computer-based materials.
14

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design: Instructional Methods that Work for Many Different Students
Universal Design has been defined as "The design of products and environments to be usable by all
people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized usage" (The
Center for Universal Design, http://www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/univ_design/princ_overview.htm,
1/11/02). First apparent in the design of buildings, public spaces, and products, Universal Design has
been hailed because it is cost-effective, seeks one integrated solution to diverse problems, and
addresses the needs of many people without stigmatizing any group.
In architectural design, the automatic door-opener, often used in residential garages as well as
supermarkets and department stores, solves an access problem for people with and without
disabilities. In public spaces, curb cuts, originally designed for wheelchair users, are equally popular
with people pulling luggage carts or pushing baby strollers, skateboarders, people with canes, and
the average walker. In product design, cookware with thick, soft handles works well for people with
arthritis but also appeals to non-disabled cooks. In educational settings, students with a variety of
disabilities use voice-activated software--but so do many non-disabled people, including executives
who have never learned to type and salesmen on the run who want to jot down a few notes before
moving on to the next customer.
Good postsecondary instructors try to meet the needs of diverse learners: not just students with
disabilities, but also non-disabled students who--for a wide variety of reasons--simply do not learn in
the traditional way. Using the Universal Design model, instructors can design courses that benefit
most of the students in their courses; they need not spend a disproportionate amount of time
addressing the needs of just one group.
According to the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), Universal Design for Learning
makes the following assumptions about teaching and learning (directly quoted from their website:
http://www.cast.org):
• Students with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a
separate category.
• Teacher adjustments for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with
disabilities.
• Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse including digital and online resources,
rather than centering on a single textbook.
• Instead of remediation for students that learn from a set curriculum, curriculum should be
made flexible to accommodate learner differences.
Universal Design for Learning Resources
http://www.trace.wisc.edu: Provides excellent information on the principles of Universal Design
as applied to architecture and product design, and also discusses the importance of Universal
Design in terms of demographic, legislative, economic, and social changes among older adults
and people with disabilities throughout the 20th century.
http://www.cast.org: Offers a wealth of information on "universal design for access and
learning." This website provides excellent background material on educational theory.
Unfortunately there are few practical examples from postsecondary education.
15

http://www.facultyware.uconn.edu/netscape.htm. The University of Connecticut's "Universal
Design for Instruction Project" promises to provide specific ideas and materials for
postsecondary instructors who wish to apply the principles of Universal Design in the courses
they teach.
http://www.osu.edu/grants/dpg. "Universal Design for Learning: Elements of Good Teaching."
UDL transforms the old paradigm of “fixing” students, so that they can manage a set curriculum,
into a new paradigm that “fixes” the curriculum by making it flexible and adjustable.
http://www.cast.org
Recommended Practices
• Have a clearly defined, but flexible curriculum in place.
• Provide material in multiple formats
• Provide multiple ways for students to interact and make meaning out of
curriculum and materials
• Allow students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways.
• Offer instruction and student response through distance learning.
• Make materials available electronically as much as possible
16

DISTANCE EDUCATION
Web Accessibility Introduction
• Valencia Community College has historically been committed to the access of all students to
the curriculum, including students with disabilities.
• Web Accessibility refers to methods of layout and design for instructional web pages which
support the capabilities of assistive computer technologies used by students with visual,
physical, auditory or learning disabilities.
• Web pages are the building blocks of virtual classrooms. If these building blocks are
inaccessible, the virtual classrooms they are used to construct will be inaccessible as well.
• If you are developing your own web pages, please take time to read and understand the World
Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Priority One guidelines for web page access.
http://www.w3.org/WAI
• Courseware authoring tools such as WebCT do not produce fully accessible pages. Please
become aware of their limitations
• Please test all pages with a web accessibility checker like Bobby before posting to your site.
Designing an Accessible WebCT Course
The following design strategies will assist you in ensuring that your WebCT course is reaching the
widest possible audience. These strategies are based on the Guidelines provided by the World Wide
Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), at http://www.w3c.org/WAI
1. Images and animation
To describe the function of all images for users, who cannot access visual elements,
use the ALT attribute. An ALT text equivalent describes the function or purpose of
content. A good test to determine if a text equivalent is useful is to imagine reading
the document aloud over the telephone. What would you say upon encountering this
HTML code reference to an image to make it comprehensible to the listener?
Example:
WebCT will automatically use the text description of icons provided by ALT tags on
the course Homepage and Tool pages. HTML documents that you upload to the
WebCT Manage Files utility should include ALT text for all images.
2. Multimedia
When including multimedia components such as video clips or audio files, provide
alternative formats for users who cannot use movies, sounds, or audio enhancements
directly.
Example:
a. QuickTime authoring tools allow easy addition of captioning to video clips.
b. Supplementary text can be added as an alternative to video clips or
animation.
c. Transcripts of audio files can be included.
17

Note: Embed multimedia components as well as any of the text equivalents of the
multimedia content in a single HTML document to be added to a Content Module.
3. Hypertext links
Users who access Web content with audio output use the Tab key to move from link
to link. To improve accessibility for these users, ensure that link text is meaningful
and make sense when read out of context.
4. Page organization
To allow content to be effectively interpreted by non-visual browsers, use consistent
course page structure and correct use of HTML markup. Use outlines at the
beginning of long documents, and label and structure lists carefully. When creating
Web pages to be uploaded to a Content Module, use standardized HTML markup.
Example: Sections should be introduced with the HTML header elements (H1-H6)
headings:
• Cooking techniques
... introductory text here ...
• Part 1: Cooking with oil
... text of the section ...
• Part 2: Cooking with butter
... text of the section ...
5. Graphs and charts
It is helpful to summarize the information in text form when ALT text does not
adequately convey the function or role of an image presented in the WebCT course
content. Additional supporting text may be included within content pages, or may be
uploaded as a separate file and linked to the page.
6. Tables
Unless line-by-line reading is possible, avoid using tables for column or page layout.
Make sure the table cells are read in a logical order.
7. Point of contact on your pages
Make sure there is a point of contact on each page of your content in case someone
needs an alternative way of accessing your material.
Validating Your Work
Validate your HTML pages with one of the validation tools available online. By using validation
methods in the early stages of course design, problems can be noted before you begin course
construction.
Some of the validation tools available online include:
• Bobby: http://www.cast.org/bobby
• W3C HTML Validation Service: http://validator.w3.org/
18

MULTIMEDIA GUIDELINES
Audio Description Information
[A drawing of a large television set is atop a video cassette recorder (VCR). Within the screen of a
television are the following words:] “Who's watching?” A profile of the blind and visually impaired
audience for television and video.
[end of outside front cover]
[Scattered around on the inside front cover page are the following quotes from study participants,
presented in various typeface is in shades of green; this was done in order to give each
participants quote a distinct graphic presentation]
“These services make me feel just like all other people and I can benefit so much more from the
programs. With description, I feel that my TV and movie watching experiences are tremendously
enhanced. No frustration, sadness or anger at having looked forward to a pleasurable experience
and feeling cheated out of it because not being able to follow the action. Described television and
movies have widened my world. They have given me an awareness of how much I was really
missing and added extra enjoyment and dimension to everything I have seen. Having lost the
ability to observe action, clothing, facial expression, and landscape, I am grateful for the words
description provides. Non-describe shows are sometimes rather frustrating due to lack of these
cues… I am always so excited to find out a movie or program has been audio described this tense
me to watch things and may not watch otherwise…” Individual with Visual Impairment.
Isn’t Viewing Video Frustrating for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired?
This is true because television and video are primarily visual. Programming often is difficult to
understand if one is only hearing it, or hearing it along with seeing it, but poorly. Many visually
impaired people have had the frustrating experience of, say, listening to a chase scene for which
they hear lots of tire squeals, crashes, and gunshots, but no dialogue that explains the action.
Others have watched a one-hour television mystery, following and enjoying it for 58 minutes until,
at the climax; the show turns dramatically silent and reveals the ending in a visual way – only
showing who killed Mr. X!
Many visually impaired people prefer to watch with a friend or relative who explains enough parts
of the presentation to make them aware of important elements that are presented only visually.
However, when needed, the visually impaired person may not have someone available who can
describe programming to him or her, or may wish to watch some shows alone.
Is There a Solution to the Video Viewing Problems of People who are Blind or Visually
Impaired?
Audio description makes a video program accessible to blind and visually impaired people. Video
description uses the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel to transmit the full soundtrack of a
program. A narrator's voice is added to that soundtrack to describe what is happening visually in
the program.
Descriptions make feature films, videos, and other visual media accessible to people who are
blind or visually impaired by providing descriptive narration of key visual elements in programs.
19

Audio Descriptions describe the key visual elements in a program that a viewer who is visually
impaired would ordinarily miss. Actions, costumes, gestures and scene changes are just a few of
the elements that, when described, engage the blind or visually impaired viewer with the story. A
carefully written script is prepared by a trained describer, read by a narrator, and mixed in a
professional audio production suite for broadcast-quality results. A full DVS® mix consists of the
main program audio combined with these narrated descriptions.
Movies and other material on video and DVD can also include descriptions. The Media Access
Group has an extensive catalogue of feature films available on VHS tape with open descriptions.
For DVD, a description track can be supplied to the DVD authoring facility and incorporated onto
the DVD as an additional audio selection. CD-ROM software that includes video and audio clips,
such as reference material, can also be made accessible for viewers who are blind or visually
impaired.
PDF Documents
Access.adobe.com provides a set of free tools that allow visually disabled users to read
documents in Adobe PDF format. These tools convert PDF documents into either HTML or ASCII
text which can then be read by many screen reading programs.
These tools approximate the logical reading order of the text in PDF documents and reformat it
into a single column of text. This solution provides three benefits:
• Visually disabled users can use familiar applications, screen readers and Web
browsers.
• PDF files can be accessible on any platform supporting Web browsers and screen
readers.
• Some of the problems screen readers have reading documents with complex layouts
are overcome.
20

SPECIFIC SUBJECT INSTRUCTION
Science Lab Specifics
Laboratory experiences are essential for students in many science courses. Students with
disabilities will need to have access to the physical facility, equipment, materials, safety devices
and other services. Access issues for students with disabilities vary considerably depending on
the subject, the physical facility, and the needs of each student. For example, a student who is
blind will be unable to use standard measurement equipment used in a chemistry or physics
laboratory. Solutions to access barriers will vary considerably among individual students and the
laboratory activities. Each student is the best source of information about his needs.
General Suggestions
Working closely with a lab partner or assistant can facilitate involvement in the lab activity for
some students with disabilities. For example, a student who is blind could enter observation data
into the computer while his partner describes the lab findings.
Allowing the student extra time to set up a lab or complete the work can also provide an effective
accommodation for some students with disabilities. This may allow more time to focus on
procedures and results and eliminate the stress that may result from time constraints.
To assure safety, provide a thorough lab orientation and provide necessary adjustments to
procedures, depending on the specific disability. Have a plan established that may involve moving
equipment, placing the student in a specific location in the room, or involving another student as a
back up in case of emergency.
Blindness
Following are examples of accommodations in science labs that can be used to maximize the
participation of students who are blind:
• Include tactile drawings or graphs, three-dimensional models, and a lot of hands-on learning.
• Use a glue gun, wicky sticks, or puff paint to make raised line drawings.
• Make a tactile syringe by cutting notches in the plunger at 5 ml. increments.
• Make a tactile triple beam balance by filing deep notches for each gram increment. Add glue
drops on either side of the balance line so that the student will know when the weights are
balanced.
• Create Braille labels with Dymo Labelers.
• Identify increments of temperature on stove using fabric paint.
• Use different textures such as sandpaper or yarn to identify drawers, cabinets, and equipment
areas.
• Place staples on a meter stick to label centimeters.
• Use 3-D triangles or spheres to describe geometric shapes.
• Use Styrofoam and toothpicks or molecular kits to exemplify atoms or molecules.
• When measuring liquids, have glassware with specific measurements or make a tactile
graduated cylinder.
• Use talking thermometers and calculators, light probes, and tactile timers.
• Implement auditory lab warning signals.
• Use clear verbal descriptions of demonstrations or visual aids.
21

Low Vision
Following are typical accommodations in science labs that can be used to maximize the
participation of students who have low vision:
• Create large-print instructions.
• Use large-print reading materials that include laboratory signs and equipment labels.
• Enlarge images under microscopes using a Magni-Cam.
• Use raised line drawings or tactile models for illustrations or maps.
• Verbally describe visual aids.
22

Mathematics Instruction
Tools
Math class can be difficult for anybody. Even sighted students need to use special tools and
techniques to help them translate information on a page into an internal visualization. For blind
and visually impaired students, these tools and techniques are just a little different. This
compilation of web sites contains information about these tips and tools in order to help teachers
get their blind students academically engaged.
Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/ . This website by
Susan Osterhaus addresses teaching strategies, tactile math graphics, adaptive tools and
technology for accessible mathematics, and many other issues. The 10 teaching strategies
incorporated into the website include collaborative/inclusive strategies, challenges in teaching
mathematics to the visually impaired and solving quadratic equations.
Barrier-Free Education http://barrier-ree.arch.gatech.edu/Resources/disab.html#vision_math.
Barrier-Free Education’s list of resources includes three pieces by Dr. Abraham Nemeth, the
inventor of the Nemeth Braille system for math and science.
John Flynn http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~flynn/ gives advice for teaching students in
Berkeley's and Disabled Student Program, including specific suggestions for TA's and a multipage
section based on his experience teaching calculus to blind student.
Braille Tactile Images http://lcweb.loc.gov/
At times, it will be necessary to provide a student with tactile representation of graphs, charts, or
other highly visual information. A variety of methods may be used to create these illustrations in
tactile format, such as using raised paint, glue, wicky sticks, tracing wheel and reverse drawing on
heavy paper, and a variety of materials and textured paper to create a graph or map.
TAEVIS Online offers an electronic library containing over 4,000 tactile diagrams created from
college-level course material. Simply purchase a CD at
http://www.taevisonline.purdue.edu/Tactile_Diagrams.html . Braille materials are ready for use
with tactile image paper and a thermal enhancer. The low vision materials can be printed on your
existing office equipment. A graphical image can be created (drawn or printed from computer files)
on special heat sensitive paper referred to as tactile image paper. The image is then run through a
thermal image enhancer where heat causes the lines of the image to be embossed or raised.
EASI http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/math.htm Individuals with disabilities have difficulty accessing
mathematical and scientific notation. This web page links to several state-of-the-art resources
which are being used to transcend these barriers.
EASI http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/graphics.htm Individuals with disabilities have difficulty
accessing graphs, charts, drawings, and three-dimensional models that are prevalent in the
science, engineering, and mathematics fields. This web page links to several state-of-the-art
resources which are being used to transcend these barriers.
23

Technical, Scientific and Mathematical Tables in Braille
Braille copies of more than 400 standard technical, scientific, and mathematical tables found
primarily in high school and college textbooks are available for purchase from the Braille Technical
Tables Bank of the National Braille Association. The collection includes standard tables found in
mathematics, computer science, statistics, chemistry, physics, finance, and other subjects.
Free catalogs are available from NBA. Some titles include: Periodic Table of Elements, Reference
Tables for General Chemistry, and Statistics Tables.
For more information or to order a catalog, please contact:
National Braille Association
3 Townline Circle
Rochester, NY 14623-2513 USA
Phone: 716-427-8260
Fax: 716-427-0263 http://www.nationalbraille.org/index.htm
24

Foreign Language Instruction
DISFL is a moderated listserv, that encourages discussion and collaboration for greater inclusion of
disabled students in foreign language classrooms and disability in foreign language curricula. List
members are encouraged to post questions about inclusive teaching techniques, disability-related
materials for any foreign culture, assistive technology, accessible study abroad, and any aspect of
instruction, curriculum design, or advocacy that involves disability and foreign language.
You may subscribe to disfl@oberlin.edu by sending a message to berberit@mrs.umn.edu requesting
your subscription. Please indicate your full name and whether you would like to receive messages as
they arrive or in digest form (a compilation of all messages received in a 24-hour period).
Introduction
Teaching Languages to the Blind and Visually Impaired: Some Suggestions
by Philip Redwine Donley
Our profession generally agrees that comprehensible input (Krashen, 1982) is key to language
acquisition. And, drawing upon the ideas of Vygotsky (1978) and Long (1981), we acknowledge
the importance of social interaction and the negotiation of meaning in the language acquisition
process. As instructors we go to great lengths to provide input and meaningful interaction in our
courses and to create a cohesive classroom community in which all students are encouraged to
grow and learn. However, students who have serious visual impairments may not benefit fully
from our usual efforts. This article, an outgrowth of a brief list of suggestions (Donley, 2001) that I
compiled after informally discussing with college language instructors and visually impaired
college students some of the problems they have encountered, touches upon possible
explanations for the difficulties the visually impaired may face in second and foreign language
classes and offers suggestions for making their language learning experience more pleasant and
successful.
Input, Interaction, and a Sense of Belonging
In the absence of cognitive disabilities, there is every reason to believe that blind and visually
impaired students, like their sighted classmates, can and do acquire languages through input and
social interaction. However, the input that visually impaired students receive in language courses
may be less comprehensible to them than to sighted students. Specifically, students with impaired
vision may miss the non-verbal context (e.g., body language and other non-verbal cues) that can
help make oral input understandable. Moreover, these students' visual problems may make it
difficult to receive linguistic input by reading the print materials that are traditionally offered in
language courses. In addition, because classroom activities are not usually designed with visually
impaired students in mind, and because instructors and classmates may be unaccustomed to
working with students who are visually impaired, students with severe vision problems may find
themselves left out of classroom activities and thus deprived of valuable opportunities to negotiate
meaning through interaction with their instructor and classmates. A lack of comprehensible input
and meaningful interaction may have negative consequences in the affective domain, such as
feelings of marginalization and isolation from the classroom community, which may ultimately
25

cause visually impaired students to abandon the language classroom altogether.
Toward a more productive and positive learning environment
As instructors, we should do everything possible to provide comprehensible input to all our
students, including those with visual impairments, and we should encourage all our students to
participate fully in the classroom community. Here are some suggestions that instructors may find
helpful. It is important to note that these are not 'one size fits all' suggestions; they may not be
appropriate for every instructor or for every student. Because individual educational contexts and
legal requirements related to accommodating students with disabilities differ, teachers should
evaluate these recommendations in the light of their own academic situations, taking into account
their own needs and those of their students.
• Ask your student about factors that have contributed to previous positive and negative learning
experiences. Your student is the best source of information about how he or she learns.
• Become familiar with your school's resources. Find out if your school has an office that assists
students who have special needs, or learning specialists who might be able to provide
guidance.
• Make an effort to call on your visually impaired student and include him or her in classroom
activities, including class discussions and pair or group tasks. Your actions will communicate to
your student that he or she is a valued member of the classroom community, while pointing out
to your class that your visually impaired student is 'one of the group.'
• When planning activities, ask yourself if you would be able to participate in them successfully if
you had your student's visual impairments.
• Whenever possible, gear classroom activities to any visual abilities your student has. If your
student can perceive colors, shapes, and/or motion, for example, you may be able to plan
activities that take advantage of these capacities.
• Since your student may depend primarily on his or her sense of hearing, it is crucial that he or
she be able to hear what goes on in your classroom. Your student may find it helpful if you
speak the target language clearly and at a moderate pace; you may also want to speak very
descriptively in order to create mental images that will facilitate your student's understanding.
• In order to improve your student's listening comprehension, you may want to provide various
types of listening support, such as advance organizers and instruction in listening
comprehension strategies.
• You may want to investigate ways to include your student's other senses in the learning
experience (e.g., through activities that allow your student to touch or manipulate objects, or to
work with substances that have a distinctive fragrance).
• It is likely that your student already has a heightened ability to attend to and interpret various
sorts of non-visual stimuli. You may want to discuss with your student the importance of oral
language input and point out that his or her enhanced sensory awareness will be especially
helpful in assembling a mosaic of information that will increase listening comprehension and
facilitate participation in classroom activities.
26

• Seek out print materials designed for the blind or visually impaired, such as large-print
language materials or books in Braille. You may find it helpful, with the permission of your
textbook publisher, to use a photocopier to create larger versions of your current textbook
materials.
• Use technology to enhance and support learning. Your student may want to tape-record class
sessions for review purposes, and it may be possible to have your textbook and ancillary
materials tape-recorded so that your student can use them as audio books. In addition, with
the assistance of your school's information technology department, you may want to
investigate such rapidly developing technologies as computer programs that convert printed
pages, web pages, and CD-ROMs into synthesized speech.
• In some situations, additional learning support may be beneficial. For example, your student
may find it helpful to work with a volunteer partner who could assist with note-taking, review
the notes with your student after class, and provide supplementary conversational practice.
• You may want to give special thought to the types of assignments you give and to the ways
you assess your student's work. For example, you may want to give written assignments that
your student could prepare using a Braille keyboard. Alternately, you might consider allowing
your student to tape-record his or her work. Since pencil-and-paper tests may be impractical in
some circumstances, you may wish to assess your student's progress by analyzing a portfolio
of tape-recorded work and by periodically interviewing your student in the target language.
• You may find it helpful to confer with your student periodically and discuss how he or she is
progressing. Your student can give you valuable information about classroom procedures and
activities that are (or are not) proving helpful to him or her.
Conclusion
Although students who have severe visual impairments may face a number of challenges in
second and foreign language classes, much can be done to take into account these students'
needs, perspectives, and unique abilities. It is hoped that this article will help teachers provide a
better learning environment for visually impaired students, and that it will stimulate an exchange of
ideas among language instructors about ways to work more productively with the blind and
visually impaired.
Philip Redwine Donley (PhD, University of Texas, 1997) is the co-author of three introductory
college Spanish texts and has taught Spanish at the University of Texas, Southwestern University,
and Austin Community College. His research interests include Vygotskyan perspectives on
language learning, the development of critical thinking, and language anxiety.
References
http://www.utpjournals.com/product/cmlr/592/592_TCL_Donley.html
Donley, P.M. (2001). Ideas for language teachers who have visually impaired students.
Unpublished manuscript.
Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon
Press.
27

Long, M.H. (1981). Input, interaction and second language acquisition. In H. Winitz (Ed.), Native
language and foreign language acquisition (pp. 259-278). Annals of the New York Academy of
Sciences, 379. New York: Academy of Sciences.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
© 2002 The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes,
59, 2 (December/décembre)
28

Music Instruction
Resources for Helping Blind Music Students
By Mary A. Smaligo
While literary Braille is well-known as a tool that blind students can use to read text, surprisingly few
people are aware that Louis Braille, a blind piano teacher, also invented music Braille to help blind
students learn to read and play music. The general principles of literary Braille and music Braille are
similar. Both systems use a “cell” containing six dots in varying combinations that blind people read
by touching, but music Braille, which is the only internationally unified code, assigns different
meanings to the dot combinations.
Music educators can help blind Braille readers learn music reading skills. An entire Braille music
symbol system correlating to the print music system exists, and a large amount of sheet music for
individual or group use is available. Taking advantage of existing resources, teachers can provide
Braille music so that blind students have the opportunity to learn to read music at the same time that
sighted students do. If the effort is successful, the Braille student can read music independently and
can participate in ensemble groups or perform as a soloist to the extent that his or her musical ability
allows.
Blind students are a low-incidence factor in the overall population; in an entire career, a music
teacher may encounter such a student only once or twice. Overwhelmed by what seems to be
required, but unable to locate suitable resources, the teacher may still try to do the right thing despite
having virtually no tools. A general awareness about Braille music and its availability can help to
resolve this dilemma. Although this article is not a comprehensive, detailed survey of existing
resources for blind music students, a number of readily available resources are discussed.
Beyond Recorded Music
As a music student progresses, a desperate but dedicated teacher may decide that having the
student listen to recorded music and learn by memorization is the only option available for helping the
student maintain progress with the rest of the class. While helpful in some aspects of music education
for all students, these methods alone are insufficient for blind students learning how to read music.
Even if a sighted student already knew how to read music, a committed music educator would not
permit him or her to learn music using only recorded materials and rote methods.
In combination with Braille music reading, however, instrumental teachers who teach individuals,
small groups, and bands/orchestras would do well to use a lesson book that comes with a play-along
cassette or CD. The nature of Braille music reading means memorization of each lesson after the
student reads it and the teacher is confident that the student understands it. A play-along cassette,
which should never be used as a substitute for Braille music, can streamline memorization efforts and
equalize the mechanics of Braille music reading in comparison to standard printed music.
A free correspondence course for learning to read Braille music notation is offered by the Hadley
School for the Blind.
National Library Service
29

The Music Section of the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is
the main source for borrowing Braille music in the United States. Materials in Braille make up the
largest portion of the collection. The NLS holdings, which include virtually all available printed and
hand-produced Braille scores, recordings, and texts, offer instrumental music, vocal and choral
music, some popular music, librettos, textbooks, instructional method books, and music periodicals.
Recorded courses for beginning guitar, piano, organ, accordion, recorder, voice, and theory have
been purchased or specifically developed for the NLS program. Anyone who is unable to read or use
standard printed materials as a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical limitations may
receive service. Loaned items are sent to borrowers and returned to NLS by postage free mail. The
staff also provides information about purchasing or borrowing music from other sources.
Blind or otherwise visually disabled persons can enroll in the National Library Service system upon
request. Loans are made in the name of the certified individual.
Useful Publications
A simple, concise resource is How to Read Braille Music, Book I, which is written on a fifth-grade
reading level so that it can be used as a self-help resource for beginning through intermediate level
Braille reading musicians. Especially useful in the classroom, How to Read Braille Music includes
vocal and instrumental music code peculiarities, as well as an index of music symbols.
The Primer of Braille Music, another possibility, contains thirty lessons, twenty-four of which cover the
basic knowledge required for reading music. Lessons 25-30 cover vocal and instrumental music.
Each lesson presents the same information for both sighted and blind users, with Braille characters
and signs on the left side of each page and text and music on the right side.
Although it was published in 1960, Braille Music Chart, new revised edition, available in print and
Braille, is still useful as a ready reference in classroom music lessons and as a guide for Braille
readers to music symbols written on the chalkboard for sighted students. Containing a complete list of
all Braille music symbols, it may also be useful to the advanced student. The Dictionary of Braille
Music Signs, a more detailed reference work, is suitable for advanced students.
If knowledge of increasingly advanced Braille music notation becomes necessary, the New
International Manual of Braille Music Notation, published in 1996, is now available in print, Braille, and
CD-ROM.
The Central Catalog, published by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), lists volunteerproduced
Braille, large-print, and recorded textbooks; commercially produced large print textbooks;
and regular press Braille and large-type books produced by APH. The database from which the
catalog is produced daily is called LOUIS and is available on the Internet by subscription through
APH.
Transcription Resources
One particularly important resource from the National Library Service is an annually-published circular
listing Braille music transcribers around the country. Because some music that the teacher wants his
or her students to learn to play may not be available in Braille through the usual channels, access to
transcribers is necessary for successfully mainstreaming blind students into the music class.
If a music teacher uses worksheets for the class, a Braille music transcriber can transfer the printed
text and music to Braille. Turn-around time for this sort of Brailling makes it necessary to plan well
30

ahead. While music transcribers now have the technological advantage of computer software to
assist in the process, time must still be allowed for the transcriber to receive the printed worksheet,
mentally convert the printed notation into Braille, and then input the result. Using software similar to
word processing, the transcriber can then correct, copy, move, delete, and save the data in the file.
The file is then printed on a Braille printer and sent back to the requestor, or an e-mail attachment can
be sent for printing if the requestor has access to a Braille printer. Each Braille music transcriber
determines the cost for each page of Braille.
Band and choral music otherwise unavailable can easily be sent to a Braille music transcriber in the
same fashion as the worksheet.
Some newly developed software automatically converts print to Braille, allowing a sighted person with
no knowledge of Braille music transcription to scan printed music into a database from which Braille
can be printed. Other software offers similar or other functions related to or supportive of
computerized transcription of Braille music reading. This area of software development is very new,
and a number of products are being developed by private enterprises. Music educators interested in
computer technology for their blind students are encouraged to contact the NLS or other advocacy
organizations to obtain the latest information.
Organizations
In circumstances other than school situations, a call to a local blind association, rehabilitation agency
for the blind, or chapter of the National Federation of the Blind could provide extra help, if needed. A
list of state agencies that administer rehabilitation and special education services is available from
NLS.
The National Braille Association assists those involved in developing and improving skills and
techniques for producing materials for those who are print-handicapped. A central depository for
hand-transcribed Braille masters, the association offers items for sale at prices under cost, and all
production is done by volunteers. The catalog, free upon request, offers brass, string, woodwind,
percussion, organ, piano, and voice music materials, as well as items on harmony theory and popular
music.
A source of general information is the Music Education Network for the Visually Impaired (MENVI). It
describes itself as “a coalition of parents, educators, and students” who functions as a network
providing information and resources, including phone numbers, on music education topics concerning
blind students. MENVI will send a membership application and regular newsletters in Braille and print
containing helpful articles upon request. Recent newsletters have addressed such topics as free
Internet services for the blind, exercises that parents can use to begin their blind child’s musical
education, and tips for blind children on how to learn to sing in a choir.
Located at the University of Bridgeport, with satellite locations throughout Connecticut, the Music and
Arts Center for the Handicapped (MACH) offers a variety of courses and programs focused on Braille
music, musicianship, and using the computer as a music tool. Affiliated with MACH, the National
Resource Center for Blind Musicians responds to inquiries about sources for Braille music and
provides advice on accessible music technology.
The National Federation of the Blind’s mission is to seek “the complete integration of persons who
are blind into society on a basis of equality.” The organization focuses on legislative issues, publishes
a monthly magazine, Braille Monitor, and two quarterlies, and sells additional publications and
assistive devices through its Materials Center. Two divisions, the Music Division and the National
31

Organization of Parents of Blind Children, have established the Music Education Network for the
Benefit of Blind Students, which is coordinated by volunteers.
For College-Bound Musicians
For the past three years, the MACH Summer Music Institute has offered a three-week live-in program
for blind college-bound music students. The program focuses on music, Braille music, and computer
skills (including composition and scoring) and helps students develop strategies for university-level
academic study and on-campus living. To obtain a brochure and an application, send a request to
MACH.
In addition to its Preparatory and Conservatory Divisions, which address the needs of beginning and
advanced students, the Southern California Conservatory of Music offers bachelor and associate
degrees in music to blind students through its Braille Music Division. Its stated goals are to prepare
the serious student for a professional career and to train the motivated student for a full, active
cultural life and influence in society. The Conservatory can be contacted through MENVI.
While blind students may attend any college or university as long as they meet the school’s
requirements for all students, there are other college-level courses specifically for blind students and
teachers at various locations throughout the United States. Help in locating these programs may be
obtained by contacting the organizations dedicated to promoting music education for blind students.
Help Is At Hand
Those involved with music education for blind students make up a small community that is growing
steadily. These highly active groups, many of whom know each other and are aware of each other’s
work, are generous with their information and often suggest additional resources beyond their own
that may be helpful to the inquirer. Many of these are free or minimally priced. With a few phone calls,
letters, or e-mail messages, music educators can obtain as much help as they need to provide the
same education to blind students that sighted students receive.
32

RESOURCES
For more information contact
Assistive Technology Services
Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL
Kirsten Olson 407-582-2897
kolson@valenciacc.edu
A-Prompt Toolkit: http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca
The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre: http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), National Literacy Center
Telephone: 404-525-2303
Web site: www.afb.org
AFB’s National Literacy Center provides training and resource that are visually impaired.
American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Telephone: 800-223-1839
Web site: www.aph.org
APH produces materials in Braille, large print, and audiocassette. It also manufactures computeraccess
equipment, software, and special education devices for persons who are visually impairment.
APH houses “Louis,” a database on their web site; Louis can search over 300 companies for
materials in a specified format. Federal quota monies can be used either in public schools or in adult
rehabilitation setting to purchase instructional materials from APH.
Barrier Free Education: http://barrier-free.arch.gatech.edu
The Blindness Resource Center of the New York Institute for Special Education
Telephone: 718-579-7000
Web site: www.nyise.org/blind.htm
This site has extensive information on all aspects of access to the internet, Web, and Windows, as
well as numerous links to resources for other disabilities, low vision resources, and E-texts.
Bobby: http://www.cast.org/bobby
BookShare: http://www.bookshare.org
Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Universal Design for Learning:
http://www.cast.org/udl/
Closing the Gap: http://www.closingthegap.com
Dreamweaver and Fireworks Accessibility:
http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/accessibilty/tools
Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI): http://www.rit.edu/easi/index.htm
33

Hadley School for the Blind
700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093-0299.
Telephone: 847-446-8111
Fax: 847-446-9916.
E-mail: hadley@theramp.com
Helen Keller National Center for the Deaf-Blind Youth and Adult (HKNC)
Telephone: 516-944-8900
Web site: www.helenkeller.org/national
HKNC provides diagnostic evaluations, comprehensive vocational and personal adjustment training,
and job preparation and placement for youths and adults who are deaf- blind. In addition, HKNC
provides technical assistance and training to those who work with deaf-blind people.
John Gardner’s Science Education & Visual Impairments:
http://dots.physics.orst.edu/~gardner/ScienceEd.html
Library Reproduction Service (LRS)
Telephone: 800-255-5002
Web site: www.Irs-largeprint.com
LRS provides large print reproductions to schools and other education providers across the U.S. and
Canada. LRS serves schools K-12, and adults with special learning needs. Cost will be provided
before production is initiated.
LOUIS Database: http://www.aph.org/louis.htm
Macromedia Flash Accessibility Kit:
http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/productinfo/accessibility
MAGpie: http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie
Music Education Network for the Visually Impaired (MENVI), Southern California Conservatory of
Music
MENVI Headquarters
8711 Sunland Boulevard
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Telephone: 818-767-6554
Fax: 818-768-6242.
E-mail: taeschr@ix.netcom.com
Music Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress,
1291 Taylor Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20542
Telephone: 202-707-9254 and 800-424-8567
Fax: 202-707-0712.
E-mail: nlsm@loc.gov
Music and Arts Center for the Handicapped (MACH)
National Resource Center for Blind Musicians,
600 University Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06601.
34

Telephone: 203-366-3300
Fax: 203-368-2847
E-mail: 1027301.163@compuserve.com
National Braille Association, Inc.
Three Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623-2513
Telephone: 716-427-8660.
Fax: 716-427-0263.
National Braille Press (NBP)
Telephone: 888-965-8965
Web site: www.nbp.org
NBP is a non-profit organization that produces Braille textbooks for a wide range of ages; produces
children’s books and college level texts. The web site includes an on-line catalog and prices are
usually included.
NATRI: http://www.natri.uky.edu
National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM): http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/ncam
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
Telephone: 410-685-9314
Web site: www.nfb.org
The organization’s goal is to improve the social and economic conditions of people who are blind.
NFB sponsors News line, which is a telephone automated system for nonprint readers where a
subscriber need only enter an ID number and then choose from an average of three newspapers.
Sections can be spelled. NFB also publishes the Braille Monitor and Future Reflections.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)
Telephone: 800-4248567
Web site: www.loc.gov/nls
The NLS administers a free library program of Braille and recorded materials circulated to eligible
borrowers using postage free mail. This web site contains an online catalog of titles.
National Science Foundation: http://www.nsf.gov
Purdue Tactile Diagrams Manual: http://wwwtaevisonline.purdue.edu/Tactile_Diagram_Manual.htm
Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
Telephone: 800-221-4792
Web site: www.rfbd.org
RFB&D is an educational library for people with disabilities. RFB&D has an 83,000 title library for
people with print disabilities. RFB&D is currently preparing texts and materials on CD. Materials listed
in the online catalog are only available to registered members. Initial individual fee is $ 75.00.
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Telephone: 512-454-8631
WEB site: www.tsbvi.edu
TSBVI is a partner with independent school districts in Texas to provide instructional and related
services to students who are blind, deaf blind, or visually impaired, including those with additional
disabilities. They are a special public school established by the Texas Legislature as one of several
35

alternative educational placements guaranteed to students to ensure that learning occurs in an
environment appropriate to meet their individual needs. There is no cost to students or their families
for the instructional and services of the school. Many resources are also applicable to adults.
Trace Research and Development Center: http://www.trace.wisc.edu/world/
University of Washington: The Faculty Room: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty
WC3: http://www.w3.org
REFERENCES
2001 DO-IT
Adapted from OSU Handbook 1999.
Office of Disability Services, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Make a Difference Tips for Teaching Students Who Are Blind Or Have Low Vision Handbook by
Postsecondary Academic Curriculum Excellence (PACE) http://www.ualr.edu/~pace/
http://dsptrio.berkeley.edu/methodology.html 4/23/2004
http://www.nfb.org/fr/fr2/frsp9905.htm 4/23/2004
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/text/vision_impair.html#sect4 4/23/2004
Adapted from a document by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and
published by Pursuit of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
http://www.afb.org 4/26/04
http://main.wgbh.org 4/26/04
National Braille Association Tape Recording Manual, National Library Service for the Blind &
Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
“Bridging the Gap: Best Practices for Instructing Adults Who Are Visually Impaired and Have Low
Literacy Skills” American Foundation for the Blind, 2002.
Aisquared.com knowledge base
Fred’s Head
36