Considerations When Working Remotely for Students with Low Vision

· Take breaks- It is essential to take breaks from the computer and/or print to reduce eye fatigue. Set a timer or build breaks into your child’s daily schedule.

· Lighting-Some students need additional illumination to access their schoolwork while others may prefer more ambient lighting. Consider the best place in your home based on your child’s lightening needs to complete class work.

· Glare- Glare is a common factor that can come from bright lights, or sunlight. Glare can cause discomfort and/or reduced visibility. Consider the glare from windows and other light sources when determining the best place in your home for your child to work.

Other Ideas

· Listen to audio books (See a list of accessible audio books in our parent resources tab)

· Use an occluder. An occluder is one way we can reduce visual clutter for students. To make one simply use a piece of black paper (or cardboard) and cut a window in the middle of it. This will allow one or more lines of print to be seen. If you don’t have black paper, you can use a piece of any colored paper and cover up half the page or assignment your child is working on. The idea here is to reduce the amount of visual stimulus on a page.

· Increase the display settings on the computer to include the font.

· Consider downloading a magnification application on a phone or tablet. Having a magnifier handy can assist students with up close work.

· A slant board can help reduce eye strain for some students as it can provide optimal viewing. Don’t have a slant board at home, simply use a three-ring notebook and some paper clips.

Example of an occluder