I frequently get questions about the most common classroom accommodations for low vision from parents, students, and support team members trying to figure out what accommodations they need for Student Assistance Plans (SAPs), 504 Plans, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and college Disability Services files. While my visual acuity and technology needs have changed over time, the disability accommodations I receive for low vision have remained pretty consistent throughout middle school, high school, college, and now graduate school. Here is a list of common classroom accommodations for low vision that students with low vision often use in their classes.
Background: How to get disability accommodations for low vision
As a student with low vision in public schools, I had an IEP for visual impairment for most of my years in school, though there were also some periods of time where I had a SAP and later a 504 plan— I needed an IEP so I could get accessible textbooks/class materials that were provided by the school. My parents worked with the school to get me approved for accommodations, and starting in middle school/high school I took a more active role in advocating for my own needs and ensuring I could get the accessible materials I was approved for in my IEP.
Since IEPs expire the moment a student graduates from high school, I had to meet with my college to get approved for a Disability Services file that lists accommodations for my classes, which I have used throughout undergrad and now in grad school. I also had separate disability accommodations when I was a visiting student at another college. This is a process I initiated on my own, and I had to provide documentation of my low vision in the form of letters from my doctor and sharing a copy of my old IEP.
Related links
- Introduction To Low Vision IEPs: Post Round Up
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
- How To Create A Disability Services File
- How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
- How To Get Disability Accommodations In Community College
Large print
For students who primarily access information visually, large print is a common classroom accommodation for low vision since many students find it difficult or impossible to read standard size font— large print is defined as 14 pt font or larger. My disability accommodations list both a minimum font size for materials and a preferred font— while I can still read information written in other fonts, I have a preference for sans serif fonts and the Arial font because I personally find them easier to read. The minimum font size I can read has changed as my vision has evolved over time, but I use a larger font size for math and science since these subjects frequently use symbols.
While I have a minimum font size listed on my Disability Services accommodations in college, the vast majority of my assignments are provided in digital formats so that I can adjust the font sizes myself. However, many of my professors will keep the listed font size in mind when creating lecture slides so that I can view presentations on my computer.
Students who experience fluctuating vision or progressive vision loss will want to consider options for accessing information nonvisually. This can include tactile formats (braille) and auditory formats (audiobooks, text-to-speech, screen readers, etc.). To learn more about accessibility for print materials, I strongly recommend reading “A to Z of Assistive Technology For Reading Digital Text.”
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials From My Low Vision IEP
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
- Adapting Math Symbols: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Adapting Digital Equations: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How I Document Accessibility Preferences With Low Vision
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Two of Everything: Living With Double Vision
Preferential seating
Preferential seating accommodations give students the agency to choose where to sit in the classroom so they can see the board or access other information. Some students prefer to sit front row center, while others may prefer to sit further back in the classroom so they can use magnification aids or other optical aids. In elementary, middle, and high school, I would sit closest to wherever the teacher would deliver lectures, as I had some teachers who preferred to write on the left/right side of the board instead of in the center.
In college, I haven’t run into any issues with not finding a seat in the front of the classroom or near where the professor presents notes, as long as I show up a few minutes early for class. In discussion based classes, I ask the professor to say my name when calling on me instead of just pointing at me so I know that it is my turn to speak.
Related links
- Preferential Seating and Low Vision
- Lighting And Low Vision
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- Strategies for Hand Raising and Low Vision
- Five Common Technology Behaviors That Hurt My Brain
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For POTS
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For Chiari Malformation
Magnification devices
There are a few different categories of magnification devices and non-optical aids that are common accommodations for students with low vision, which can include:
- Magnifying glasses
- Handheld video magnifiers
- Desktop video magnifiers
- Peripheral magnifiers that enlarge information at a distance
- Optical aids (e.g. bioptics) that require a prescription
- Screen magnification tools
My current disability accommodations in college list that I can use a video magnifier in the Disability Services testing center as well as screen magnification tools, but don’t go into detail about what magnification percentage I use or what settings I need. The accommodation just says that I can use magnification aids and screen magnification as needed, and does not list any brand names or specific devices. This was also the case for my IEP, which said that I could use magnification aids as needed to enlarge information. Students can work with a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI/TSVI), assistive technology specialist, or another low vision specialist to determine what magnification aids or settings will work for them.
For peripheral magnifiers that connect to a tablet, computer, or other device to enlarge information at a distance, students may need to request a separate accommodation if they plan to record audio/video for later playback. IEP goals may also list specific contexts in which students are expected to use magnification aids.
Related links
- Magnifying Glasses For Low Vision
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- All About The Eschenbach SmartLux Digital Video Magnifier
- How I Use The HIMS E-Bot Pro In College
- Zoom Magnifier and Low Vision
- Windows Magnifier and Low Vision
Extended time on tests/assignments
When using a screen magnifier, large print, or other assistive technology to read information, students may find that it takes them longer to finish tests or complete extended reading tasks, especially if they have to take their time accessing information. As part of my disability accommodations for low vision, I am approved for time-and-a-half extended time, also known as 150% time on timed assignments like quizzes and tests. I also have other friends with low vision who receive double time (200%) and triple time (300%) extended time.
If I am given a test with a 60 minute time limit, 150% extended time will give me 90 minutes to take the test if I need it— I can turn in the test sooner if I don’t need the extra time, but it is there if I need it. I am expected to finish the test in one session, but I can take short vision breaks/close my eyes at my desk to help with managing eye strain. When I was taking math classes as a visiting student at another college, I requested my accommodations be updated to double time (200%) when I noticed it took longer for me to read math symbols.
In high school, it was difficult to implement extended time accommodations because students were expected to finish exams within the class period— on the rare occasions where I received extended time, it was for online tests/quizzes or I would stay after school. For standardized tests, I would take exams in a small group testing room or in another proctored setting. In college, extended time accommodations are implemented in the Disability Services testing center or added automatically to online tests/quizzes.
Related links
- All About Extended Time Accommodations
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
- Ten Ways to Reduce Eye Strain With Technology
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For Chiari Malformation
Writing aids such as pens or highlighters
Gray pencil lead on white paper provides poor contrast, and thin pencil lead from mechanical pencils is the equivalent of invisible ink with my contrast deficiency. My disability accommodations list that I am allowed to use colored pens, high contrast pens, and/or highlighters on class assignments, quizzes, exams, and when taking notes, and that I can also write in test booklets.
On a related note, my disability accommodations also list that all printed materials should be printed as single-sided pages, not double-sided with information on the front and back. Highlighter ink and pen ink can bleed through and distort or mask information written on the other side of the page!
Related links
- Writing Aids For Low Vision: My Personal Superlatives
- Highlighting Information With Low Vision
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- Paper Sizes and Low Vision Accessibility
- How I Show Work For Math With Low Vision and Dysgraphia
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
- Ten Spooky Inaccessible Assignments For Low Vision Students
Use of a screen reader or text-to-speech
Screen readers and text-to-speech use speech output to read text out loud, which can be helpful for accessing text without looking at it or for audio supported reading. Even though they are two different tools, my disability accommodations for low vision don’t make a distinction between the two— text-to-speech is designed for users to read text “on demand” while screen readers provide additional navigational information and keyboard shortcuts so users can access information without looking at a screen or using a mouse.
When using text-to-speech or a screen reader in the classroom, I wear a pair of bone conducting headphones so that I can still hear the instructor talking. The main reason I use these tools is to provide additional context or clarification on what I am reading, which can be helpful for identifying similar looking numbers, letters, or words.
In high school, my IEP accommodations listed that I would use built-in screen readers and/or text-to-speech that were on my personal devices, and that I would configure them for my access needs— since I primarily accessed visual information like large print, these were treated as more of an afterthought or back-up option and I didn’t receive any instruction on how to use them. In college, many of my friends who use screen readers have a portable USB copy so they can automatically configure their preferred settings on any computer.
Related links
- How To Use VoiceOver With Low Vision
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
- How To Use Select to Speak on Android
- Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
Copies of notes
Even though I take notes in the classroom during lectures, I’m not always entirely sure if I am copying things down correctly or if I am writing the correct numbers/words. Something that really helps is getting copies of notes from instructors so that I can compare them to my own notes and make changes. This can be implemented in a few different ways:
- Instructors share PowerPoint presentations or other documents used in class notes so I can follow along on my own device instead of reading from the board
- For a high school teacher who would write notes by hand on paper, they would give me a copy of their paper notes to read after they finished the lecture (this honestly didn’t work super well because I had trouble reading their handwriting and was too nervous to tell them)
- Instructors share typed notes, emailing or posting a document on the class website so I can reference it with my own notes.
- For a professor who would write on the whiteboard, they would give me a typed “script” of their own notes that they would refer to when giving the lecture
- Posting recordings of lectures
- Link to digital whiteboard or workspace with code snippets or other information.
- Providing the student with an approved notetaker, who provides a copy of typed notes to the student for their own use. I strongly recommend typed notes over handwritten notes for this accommodation since they are easier to read.
Another note-taking related accommodation is permission to use a keyboard to type notes instead of handwriting them. I will also take pictures of the dry-erase board to insert into my own notes so that it is easier to see/refer to later.
Related links
- How I Take Notes During Video Lectures With Low Vision
- How I Access PowerPoints with Microsoft Sway
- Recording Video Lectures For Visually Impaired Students
- How I Use Microsoft Lens With Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft Whiteboard With Low Vision
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- Why I Prefer My Schoolwork Digitally: Updated Edition
Alternative testing environment
Testing accommodations are separate from classroom accommodations on many of my disability accommodations lists, because I often take tests outside of the classroom. In college, I use the Disability Services testing center, a separate space for students registered with Disability Services to take timed quizzes and tests with any assistive technology or accommodations they may need. Some of my professors have also approved remote proctoring options so I could take exams or quizzes on my own computer, which is common for programming classes where exams are considered open book/open internet for all students.
In high school, I started taking some exams in the library after a teacher accused me of copying off of another student’s work. In reality, the other student was able to see my large print test and what I was writing with high contrast pens, and had copied off of me. Thankfully this situation was cleared up quickly, but other teachers would sometimes have me sit at a different desk so that my work wasn’t visible to other students. For standardized tests, I would go in a separate room with proctors to take large print exams.
Related links
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- Remote Testing Accommodations For Low Vision
- What To Bring To The Disability Services Testing Center
- My Talk At A Future Date: What I Wish I Learned About AT Before Starting College
Other assistive technology accommodations
Assistive technology is my favorite component of disability accommodations! My high school IEP listed generic device names/categories that I would be allowed to use in different contexts, while my college accommodations are less specific and indicate that I have permission to use low vision assistive technology as appropriate— instructors are allowed to ask me how I am using a particular type of assistive technology. Some examples of generic devices that can be listed include:
- Accessible calculator: this can include specific types of calculator such as a four-function calculator, graphing calculator, scientific calculator, etc.
- Slanted display for reading or positioning
- OCR scanner for reading text
- Tablet for accessing applications or reading
- eReader
- Use of an underline/line tracker to help with reading
- Stylus for writing on tablet
- Headphones for listening to speech output
- Large print measuring tools (e.g. ruler, measuring cup, etc.)
- High contrast markers or pens for writing
- Large print keyboard or another alternative input device
- Screen or external monitor for enlarging information
- Use of cell phone for accessing applications or accessibility tools
Since I was taking graduate-level courses in assistive technology starting in undergrad (and now have a M.Ed. in Assistive Technology), my disability accommodations for assistive technology in college were more open-ended because Disability Services trusted me to identify appropriate technology solutions or to work with the assistive technology specialists at the university. For exams and proctored assignments, I would use wired devices and settings like Guided Access to ensure I wouldn’t access any other applications.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- ScanMarker Air for Print Disabilities
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Keyboards
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Headphones
Accessible file formats for course materials and standardized tests
When it comes to receiving accessible educational materials, I have separate accommodations for the following:
- Use of digital textbooks/accessible textbooks. In high school, these would be ordered by my school from the state NIMAC agency. In college, I buy/rent digital textbooks or request an accessible copy from my college’s accessible materials specialist.
- Digital files for classes. These are usually a Word document (or sometimes PDF), which I can enlarge on my own or write on top of with annotation tools.
- Large print standardized tests. Since I couldn’t enlarge digital exams for standardized tests, I had a separate IEP accommodation stating that I would need large print standardized tests and these would need to be ordered in advance.
- EPUB/digital books for reading assigned books in class. This isn’t part of my college disability accommodations, but I often had to track down eBooks in high school through Bookshare or another source since I couldn’t read the small print in books.
Some of my friends mentioned that they would have specific accommodations for how they receive accessible materials in the classroom. This could include:
- Single-column layout for text, or option to adjust spacing for text
- Alt text and/or image descriptions for non-decorative images, or non-decorative images removed entirely from files
- Specific file formats such as HTML, Word (doc/docx), or EPUB for materials
- Standard print paper copy of standardized test that can be placed under video magnifier
Related links
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
- What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists
- Ten Questions To Ask When Buying Digital Textbooks
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
- How To Write Alt Text For Educational Content
- Ten Cool Things You Didn’t Know About Bookshare
- SOL Test Accommodations And Low Vision
- ACT Accommodations For Low Vision
- SAT Accommodations for Low Vision
Modifications for certain assignments or classes
While I access the general curriculum for the most part, there are situations where I need curriculum modifications or need to complete an alternative activity. This is documented in my disability accommodations in the following ways:
- Videos are checked in advance for strobe and flashing lights. If a video has a significant amount of flashing content, I am exempt from watching it and either read a transcript of the video or complete another assignment.
- Non-essential animations and flashing graphics are removed from class presentations.
- In high school, I participated in Adaptive PE instead of taking gym class with other students
- Exempt from activities that involve open sports or flying objects (this was added after I had eye surgery)
- Permission to type assignments instead of handwriting— I am not graded on handwriting legibility.
- In elementary school, I was exempt from writing in cursive for assignments or journal entries, which was required for other students. I still learned cursive, but was not required to use it for everything or for taking notes.
Sometimes, a situation pops up in the classroom and I have to ask for a curriculum modification myself. For example, I had to ask a science instructor if I could complete an alternative to a lab about strobe lights and leave the room (since I wouldn’t be able to block out lights), and I had to talk to my college band director about being exempt from a graded performance that would have involved several strobe lights. Since my sensitivity to strobe and flashing lights is well-documented, I feel comfortable proactively asking for modifications.
Related links
- Modifying Assignments To Remove Flashing Lights
- How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights
- Flashing Lights and Photosensitivity in the Classroom
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- How To Make Classroom Videos Easier To See
- Gym Classes and Low Vision: My Personal Experiences
- Dysgraphia Accommodations In The Classroom
- Science Labs and Low Vision
- How To Describe Science Experiments For Visually Impaired Students
- Meet The Cast: Supporting Literacy For Students With CVI
More resources on common classroom accommodations for low vision
- I take band every semester, and my disability accommodations don’t really provide information about how I get accessible music. I share different strategies I use for reading music in My Large Print Music Binder
- While this wasn’t listed in my IEP, the school cafeteria was overwhelming so I would get permission to go somewhere else. Learn more in School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- Another common disability accommodation for visual impairment that my parents and I totally forgot about was my locker. Read more in School Lockers and Low Vision
- Looking for more resources on supporting students with visual impairments? Browse Post Categories | Veroniiiica
Published November 28, 2019. Updated July 2025