Shortly before my second year of college, I received a few orientation and mobility lessons for learning how to navigate with low vision and a blindness cane. These lessons were helpful for learning general travel skills, but I noticed they didn’t get into specifics about navigating college campuses or using university resources available for students with vision loss. One lesson that would have been really helpful is how to find classrooms and tips for navigating class buildings, so I’ve created the College O&M series to share my most-used tips and strategies for learning about this topic and others. Here are my tips for finding college classrooms and how I find my classes as a student with low vision who uses a blindness cane.
Disclaimer
I am not a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS), and I strongly recommended working with a COMS from the state department for visual impairment or vocational rehabilitation to determine the appropriate mobility solution for individuals. The tips and strategies shared throughout this post are informed by my lived experiences using a blindness cane (white cane) on my college campus.
How I navigate hallways with a blindness cane (white cane)
My favorite cane for navigating hallways and indoor areas is a rolling marshmallow tip cane. I primarily use the constant contact technique, where my cane tip stays in contact with the floor at all times and provides continuous auditory and tactile feedback. This is helpful since indoor environments like classroom buildings often have narrow hallways, obstacles like furniture or equipment in walkways, or groups of students that stop unexpectedly; constant contact allows me to detect subtle changes in flooring, locate walls for trailing, and identify doorway openings more reliably.
As for storing my cane in class, I prefer to use a collapsible cane with multiple segments, which I can fold and store in my backpack or in my chair once I am seated in class. That said, I have several friends who use rigid canes as well, which they typically place against their shoulder, against a wall, or on the floor away from other students.
Related links
- Decoding The Tips of Blindness Canes
- How To Order Custom Colors for Blindness Canes
- Ten Things To Know About Going To College With A Blindness Cane
Practice locating the classroom building
The most important step for learning how to find classrooms is learning how to locate the correct building first. Knowing the correct room number isn’t helpful if someone is in the incorrect building, and some strategies that helped me learn to locate classroom buildings include:
- Learning campus building names and abbreviations used in course schedules
- Saving building locations in GPS or map applications
- Using verbal descriptions from disability services, professors, or friends
- Previewing buildings through virtual tours or campus maps when available
Many campuses are too large to memorize all at once, so I treat building identification as a separate O&M skill that builds over time; this is a skill I really started to prioritize after I accidentally scheduled back-to-back classes on opposite ends of campus and had to redo my schedule. After my first year on campus, I could easily recognize all of the different classroom buildings, campus layout, and student service buildings, plus I could confidently provide directions to other students.
Related links
- Building Identification: College O&M
- Navigating Campus Construction: College O&M
- Touring Colleges With Virtual Reality
Learn how room numbering works
Room numbering systems vary widely between campus buildings. In one building, room 1303 might be on the third floor, while in another building it could be on the first floor. Many of my professors will send directions on how to find the classroom before the first day of class, though I have also visited buildings during quieter hours and identified building entrances that would help me get to class quickly. Sometimes, I can also preview classroom locations on a building map or as part of a virtual tour.
Related links
- Ten Templates For Emailing Professors
- Campus Addresses Every Student Should Know: College O&M
- College Scheduling Hacks For Students With Chronic Illness
Find elevators and/or stairs, if relevant
Elevators and stairwells are not always obvious or centrally located. Some are tucked behind hallways, around corners, or past security desks. When locating elevators or stairs, some strategies that I have used include:
- Ask a building staff member or nearby student
- Follow tactile or auditory cues (such as mechanical sounds)
- Use visual assistance apps to read signage or locate the elevator.
Knowing where elevators and stairs are located is also important for emergency planning, on days where I am super fatigued, or when traveling to classrooms/building areas that I am not familiar with.
Related links
- Dorms and Campus Housing: College O&M
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- How To Be An Effective Human Guide For People With Vision Loss
Use landmarks to learn routes
Landmarks are one of my most reliable tools for navigating large academic buildings. When it comes to navigating college campuses, I focus on consistent, non‑movable features, such as:
- Artwork or murals
- Wall colors or permanent displays (e.g. glass geology display)
- Water fountains or vending machines
- Flooring changes
- Column placement
I mentally build a “route script” when learning how to locate specific classrooms. One example of a simple route script is entrance > mural > left turn > trash can > classroom door. This mental mapping strategy is more practical than counting doors and makes it easier to track predictable reference points.
Related links
- High School Hallways and Low Vision
- School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- Learning To Navigate My Internship Building: PM Intern With Low Vision
Read signs with assistive technology
Room numbers, directional signs, and handwritten door notes are often difficult to see with low vision. I regularly use assistive technology to access this information independently, using tools such as:
- Short text recognition in visual assistance apps to read room numbers
- Camera zoom or screen magnification to enlarge signage
- Using my phone camera to capture and review images up close
These tools are especially helpful when professors post temporary notes on classroom doors or when room numbers don’t contrast well with the background.
Related links
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- Recognizing Images With Seeing AI
- How I Use Microsoft Seeing AI With Low Vision
- Using The Envision App With Low Vision
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
Use a visual assistance service such as Aira
Visual assistance apps/visual interpreting services can be extremely helpful for navigating unfamiliar buildings or confirming directions quickly. I use these services to confirm I’m at the correct classroom door, read temporary signage or handwritten notices, or navigate complex or confusing interiors with turn-by-turn directions.
On some campuses, these services may be available for free through disability services, vocational rehabilitation programs, or campus accessibility initiatives. While these tools don’t replace core O&M skills or cane use, they provide an additional layer of information when needed. My college is an Aira Access location, meaning that students can access Aira free of charge and get turn-by-turn directions inside of campus buildings.
Disclaimer: I previously received free Aira service through a now-defunct program for college students in 2018/2019 and spoke at an Aira-sponsored event in 2018.
Related links
- Using Aira With Low Vision
- Vocational Rehabilitation for College Students
- Smartphone Apps For Orientation and Mobility
- Accessible Maps and Wayfinding Tools For Low Vision
Ask the professor for directions
Professors generally want students to come to class on time and arrive successfully/independently. Many of my professors have been happy to help students figure out where class is located, and may use some of the following strategies to support students:
- Email step-by-step directions
- Wait near the classroom door on the first day (especially for freshman or intro-level classes that have a lot of new students)
- Meet with students before the first day of class
- Provide landmarks or nearby points of reference
Advisors and department administrators are also excellent resources, especially when classrooms change at the last minute.
Related links
- How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- Explaining Accommodations To Substitute Teachers
Storing canes in class
Once I reach my classroom, I usually fold my cane and place it behind my seat, or store it inside my backpack. Because I rarely need to move around during class, this keeps my cane from becoming a tripping hazard or being stepped on. Having a predictable storage method also makes it easier to retrieve my cane quickly when class ends.
Related links
- Twelve Blindness Cane Storage Solutions
- Seven Places I Don’t Take My Blindness Cane
- Choosing A Backpack With Low Vision
Other tips for finding college classrooms with low vision
- Looking for tips on what classes to take? Read How To Choose General Education Courses In College
- While it can’t be used inside, students can apply for disability transportation services to provide door-to-door services for class transportation. Learn more in Using Disability Transportation Services In College
- Want to learn how to schedule college classes and find classroom buildings? Check out How To Schedule College Classes
Published November 25, 2019. Updated November 2025