When I receive emails from students and parents asking about free tutoring for blind and visually impaired students, one of the first things I ask them is if they have contacted the National Homework Hotline, provided by VISTAS Education Services. Founded in March 2020 as a response to increasing demand for online learning, National Homework Hotline provides free after-school remote tutoring for students in grades 3-12, as well as college students at the undergraduate level. Here is more information about the National Homework Hotline from the perspective of someone who has been a volunteer tutor and that also has attended tutoring sessions with younger students.
Who are the tutors for National Homework Hotline?
Tutors for the National Homework Hotline consist of Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs), educators and professionals with a background in visual impairment, assistive technology power users, and graduate students. Students are matched to a tutor based on the information provided through the Help Request form on the VISTAS website and meet with their tutor by phone. Many of the tutors who volunteer with the National Homework Hotline are visually impaired themselves and use assistive technologies every day.
Related links
- Ten Lessons My TVI Taught Me
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
- National Homework Hotline for Blind and Low Vision Students (NHH-BLV) Help Request Form (google.com)
Who qualifies to receive tutoring from the National Homework Hotline?
The National Homework Hotline is open to US students who are visually impaired, including blind students, students with low vision, and students with visual impairments. As of publishing time, the hotline is open to students in grades 3-12 that are enrolled in any type of school (public, private, charter, homeschool, etc) as well as undergraduate college students that are working towards an associate or bachelor’s degree. The National Homework Hotline provides free tutoring for upper elementary school, middle school, high school, and college students with visual impairments from anywhere in the United States!
National Homework Hotline services can be requested by the student, a parent/guardian, or by their TVI or another teacher.
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What core subjects can the National Homework Hotline help with?
Core subject tutoring is provided at no charge for subjects such as English, Spanish, math, science, history, and writing for grades 3-12 and undergraduate college classes. These sessions focus on learning class material and using assistive technologies to access information presented. Some examples of core subject tutoring sessions may include:
- Helping a 4th grader learn about clouds for science class and helping them complete homework, using tactile graphics provided by their teacher.
- Demonstrating how to do geometric proofs to a high school freshman for their geometry class.
- Providing feedback on a history essay written by a 7th grader and helping them plan revisions.
- Listening to a student as they talk through ideas on how to approach a project for their language and composition class, and helping them use collaborative tools in Google Docs.
Core subject tutoring sessions average about 30 minutes once a week for each subject, though this can vary depending on the subject and tutor.
Related links
- Taking Online English Classes With Low Vision
- Taking Online History Classes With Low Vision
- Five Apps I Use In The Science Classroom As A Low Vision Student
What braille and AT topics can the National Homework Hotline help with?
While assistive technology and braille topics are also covered in core subject tutoring, students can also request tutoring sessions that cover how to use braille and other mainstream and specialty assistive technologies more in-depth. This can include:
- Screen readers and text-to-speech like JAWS, NVDA, TalkBack, and VoiceOver
- Nemeth and literary braille
- Cranmer abacus
- Refreshable braille displays
- Braille notetakers
- Talking calculators
- Productivity applications (e.g Microsoft Office)
Tutoring sessions average at about 30 minutes once a week depending on the age of the student and their support needs, though this can vary depending on the subject and the tutor.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
- Mainstream Educational Technology Certifications For Teachers of the Visually Impaired
When is the National Homework Hotline available?
The National Homework Hotline is available during the school year- exact dates and start times are listed on the VISTAS Education website. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, eastern time. Students can indicate their availability when submitting the Help Request form.
Related links
- National Homework Hotline for Blind and Low Vision Students (NHH-BLV) Help Request Form (google.com)
When do I need to schedule tutoring sessions?
Once their information is submitted, students (and/or their caregivers) will be contacted by the National Homework Hotline to schedule their tutoring sessions based on tutor availability. Some students have weekly tutoring sessions, while others would request help as needed. Same-day requests are generally not accommodated as it can take up to 48 hours for someone to respond to a submission or request.
Please note that students in grades 3-9 are required to have a parent or guardian provide their name and contact information on the Help Request form.
Related links
Where do I meet the tutor?
Tutoring is done over the phone, so the tutor will call the student and provide help over the phone. Some tutors may also use screen sharing tools to see what the student is working on, though this varies by subject and tutor.
Related links
Where does tutoring take place?
Tutoring services provided by the National Homework Hotline are virtual/remote, so students can attend tutoring sessions in an environment that work for them. When I utilize online tutoring sessions, I prefer to be at my desk with access to my desktop computer, iPad, and any other technology I might need to work on the task at hand.
Related links
Why should students use the National Homework Hotline?
I can personally attest to the amazing value that the National Homework Hotline provides for students and their support teams from all across the country. One of my most memorable experiences when I was a volunteer tutor was with a student who told me that I was the first person to “get” their low vision and help them figure out how to use the accessible calculator their TVI had given them for their assignment, since they hadn’t practiced much with the device and their classroom teacher had no idea how to use the device. I introduced a different student to a list of keyboard shortcuts they could use to make a writing assignment easier, and they excitedly told me that this would make the revision process much faster, as they would be able to add the information they were looking for more quickly.
Tutors at the National Homework Hotline strive to ensure that students understand not only the material they are using in school, but how they are accessing the material and using assistive technologies to do so. By developing skills in assistive technology and information access, students are better prepared for transitioning to middle school, high school, college, and the workplace, and pursuing opportunities for lifelong learning.
Summary of the National Homework Hotline services for blind and low vision students
- The National Homework Hotline is a free tutoring service for students with visual impairments, inclusive of low vision and blind students. Services are available for students in 3rd grade through 12th grade, and undergraduate college students.
- Subjects covered by the National Homework Hotline include English, Spanish, math, science, history, and writing for all listed grade levels.
- Additionally, tutoring is offered for learning to use assistive technology devices to access classroom materials, like screen readers, braille displays, braille notetakers, calculators, and more.
- To request tutoring services, fill out the Help Request Form listed on the VISTAS Education Services website. Students, parents/guardians, and teachers can request assistance.
- Hours of operation for the National Homework Hotline during the school year are Monday through Friday, 3 PM to 9 PM eastern standard time.
- Tutoring sessions are typically 30-minutes long, once a week, and scheduled ahead of time. They are done remotely by phone, and the tutor calls the student to begin a session.
- The National Homework Hotline is a helpful free resource for students with visual impairments, providing tutoring for core subjects as well as learning how to use assistive technology devices.
Published March 26, 2020. Updated December 2023