Heaing and Vision Support

Inaccessible or inconducive physical environment

• Environments with high background noise or poor acoustic design can interfere with hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
• Ineffective seating arrangements in the classroom can hinder students from clearly seeing the speaker or interpreters.
• Environments with low contrast (similar colours or shades) between different surfaces or elements can make it difficult for individuals to discern boundaries and environmental changes.
  • For example, individuals with visual impairments will struggle to identify where one surface ends and another begins, making it challenging to navigate through a space.
• Poor lighting makes it difficult for individuals with low vision to see and interpret visual information.
• Obstructed pathways can become fall or collision risks for individuals with visual impairment.
• A lack of tactile indicators may prevent individuals with visual impairments from having the necessary information to navigate effectively.
  • Do you know the two main types of tactile indicators?
    • Warning tactile indicators (with circles)
      • Signal individuals with visual impairments to stop and evaluate their surroundings before proceeding
    • Directional tactile indicators (with lines)
      • Provide directional orientation and support individuals with visual impairments in identifying and navigating their next most accessible path

Inaccessible course content

• Content provided is not compatible with assistive technology
  • Structure of documents unclear (lacking headings or lists): becomes challenging for screen readers to navigate.
  • Use of images without alternative text: hinders access for screen-reader users. Without textual substitutes for non-text content, screen readers cannot interpret images, making essential information inaccessible.
  • Video without captions: Prevents deaf or hard-of-hearing students from accessing content. Screen readers will also not be able to integrate captioning systems to interpret video content.
    • Do you know how fast a screen reader reads?
      • 450 words per minute. (Our typical read speed is 120 – 150 words per minute)
  • Reliance on colours to categorise or segment content: Individuals with colour blindness may miss out on important concepts or information

Barriers to social interaction

• Hearing
  • Individuals may not know how to communicate effectively with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, especially if they do not know sign language. This lack of knowledge can limit meaningful interactions.
  • Social events often do not provide sufficient accommodations, such as sign language interpreters or captioning, preventing students who are deaf or hard of hearing from fully participating.
• Vision
  • Students who need vision support may struggle to recognise and interpret nonverbal cues in social interactions, such as gestures, body language, or facial expressions. This difficulty can make conversations more challenging and may lead to misunderstandings when students lack enough information to discern others' emotions and intentions.

Validate and respect

• Respect students' autonomy and preferences in their accommodations
• Recognize the challenges students face, regardless of their visibility, and actively listen when they discuss their experiences.

Ensuring a barrier-free physical environment

• Maintain a space free of clutter and obstacles
• Provide directional support:
  • Tactile indicators
  • Large high-contrast signage
  • Use of high-contrast markers to indicate boundaries where there is a difference in depth (e.g. stairs)
  • Annotating public signs or directories with braille

Create a space for different forms of communication

• For example: Utilise various methods to consolidate information during class discussions, such as combining a shared working document with verbal communication. 

Provide flexibility in learning wherever possible

• Flexible classroom arrangement
  • Use movable/adjustable furniture (e.g. tables and chairs) to create flexible classroom layouts to accommodate different needs

• Flexible and compatible course content
  • Provide different presentations of content
    • Provide course materials in multiple formats, such as digital text, audio, or large print, to accommodate different needs
    • Provide recordings of lectures with captioning
    • Link: How to Enable Automated Close Captioning
  • Compatibility of content with assistive devices
    • Ensure content can be readable by assistive devices such as screen readers/AI software
    • Content can be categorised and clearly defined to reduce confusion for students using screen readers or AI software.
    • Items on PowerPoint slides should be added in sequential order for coherent interpretation by assistive devices.
  • Reduce reliance on colours for categorisation
  • Provide course content in advance

• Flexible assessments
  • If possible, offer assignments in various formats, including oral presentations, digital submissions, and written reports, to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in different ways.
  • Permit the use of assistive technologies, software, and interpreters during assessments.
    • This includes tools like speech-to-text programs (e.g., Otter.ai), speech-to-text interpreters, sign language interpreters, and screen readers.
  • Encourage diverse presentation techniques during group oral presentations.