Our students generally have poor long distance vision so they won’t know that you are talking to them. They wont see facial expressions and they wont know that you are talking to them unless you use there name. Outside light levels have a bearing on the definition of colours and the contours of the land, how things blend in together. they may not know who you are so you need to use your name and they wont know if you have left the room so you need to say you are going, otherwise they will keep talking. Enter a room they don’t know who is in there. In high school everyone is in uniform so they all look the same.
May say offensive things or do offensive things e.g. picking nose, yawning funny walks and they don’t see other reactions. Limited social experience emotionally is behind peers. Pedantic and may use in phrases even when they are no longer it. Night time really difficult s they can’t see where to go. Not independent. Can’t ride bikes. Reading of the board, teachers will need to give fuller explanation Students won’t see what is happening in sport at a distance. Assembly will need to be told about afterwards. Instructions need to be detailed enough that they know where to go and what to do.
Lighting and glare As a rule of thumb we need to look at light, levels of light and reflection as most students with a visual impairment are affected in some way by the light. We know from our own viewing that we position ourselves to take advantage of the light, we hold papers up to the light if it is dim and move away from glare. For a student with visual impairment light levels need to be good enough to bring up the contrast. E.g. for students with cataracts and albinism the level of light needs to be comfortable but not too bright with not too much light. Teachers need to be aware of their position and have their front to the light source. If they stand in front of the window then there is a silhouette effect or a halo effect Face the child, the child should not be looking into the light. Homework; need to have access to good lighting, a desk lamp or light coming from behind over their shoulder., 100 watt. A dimmer is ideal then they can adjust the light to suit themselves.
Look for reflection, off whiteboards, tables and ohps and computer screens. Surface coating of pages, matt laminating verses shinny laminating, shinny varnish on desk tops.