I often use whiteboards and dry-erase boards for writing quick notes, drawing, and sketching ideas, as I find it easier to write on a slanted or vertical/wall-mounted surface compared to writing on a flat piece of paper. As a college student, I also started using digital whiteboards with a stylus (or mouse/finger) when collaborating with others so I could make the canvas easier to see and access with low vision. I still use physical dry-erase boards with markers frequently, but it is great to have another option during online classes or meetings.
The first free digital whiteboard app I used regularly was Microsoft Whiteboard, which will be discontinued in September 2026; I had also used Google Jamboard a few times before it shut down in 2023. Over the years, I have explored several Microsoft Whiteboard alternatives and workflows for using digital whiteboards with low vision as well as strategies for making smart boards more accessible. Here are options for using digital whiteboards with low vision, focusing on visual access and display customizations and options for free digital whiteboard apps. Many of these strategies can also be useful for CVI students who benefit from having backlit displays presented within their visual field.
Unless otherwise noted, all of the digital whiteboard applications I share are web applications, which can be accessed in the web browser on a tablet/computer/smartphone and do not require additional downloads. Before using any digital whiteboard applications, review the privacy policy and terms of use to ensure the tool will work for your purposes.
Characteristics of digital whiteboards for low vision access
Digital whiteboard applications act as a virtual canvas and enable users to write, draw, and collaborate in real-time, with many tools offering options for accessing workspaces across multiple devices (instead of sharing a single device/whiteboard). Examples of characteristics of digital whiteboards for low vision access can include:
- Multiple input options: users can draw with a finger, stylus, mouse, touch screen, type with a keyboard, etc.
- Write/draw with digital ink, with options to customize ink color, transparency, and thickness (for editors)
- Add sticky notes or shapes with text, with options for customizing note color and basic text formatting
- Draw shapes such as circles, squares, and triangles
- Insert text boxes with large print
- Pre-configured templates for collaboration
- Pinch-to-zoom or zoom in shortcuts for magnifying board content
- Add images or multimedia content (verify if application supports alt text or image descriptions for nonvisual access)
- Options for sharing links with collaborators, including view-only access
- Ability to view digital whiteboard canvas in real time
When using digital whiteboards with low vision audiences, it’s important to make sure that high-contrast ink colors and that digital ink tools have sufficient thickness to support readability; avoid pencil-thin digital ink that may be more challenging to read at a distance, and instead choose a medium thickness or larger to ensure readability. Some of my other favorite tips for using digital whiteboards with low vision include:
- Consider using dark mode or an inverted display to minimize glare from bright white backgrounds. This can be configured on individual devices; note that inverting the display will affect the appearance of colors.
- Learn keyboard shortcuts and/or gesture shortcuts for digital whiteboard programs to reduce the need for visual scanning when searching for tools.
- Provide copies of information presented on the board so that users can view information on their own devices, such as websites, images, or slide decks. Links to collaborative whiteboards are especially useful for personal viewing, and users can apply display filters on their own device to make it easier to access information independently.
- Narrate what is being written on the digital whiteboard, which can help with notetaking or clarify what is being shared.
Related links
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- Digital Notetaking and PDF Annotation Apps For Low Vision
- OCR Scanner Apps For Low Vision Students
- How I Use Visual Assistance Apps For Online Classes
Tips for accessing smart boards with low vision
Interactive whiteboards, also known as smart boards, are large interactive display boards that can function as a large touchscreen or touchpad. In classrooms, smart boards can be used by teachers for writing or providing notes in class. Some smart boards are used for mirroring a teacher’s screen or computer so that it is visible to others.
Because smart boards present information digitally, it seems logical that they could be mirrored to a student’s device so that a student could follow along with what is happening on the board in real time. However, most smart boards do not support view-only screen sharing or have it blocked by IT services due to security or firewall concerns. Here are some workarounds for viewing smart boards with low vision that I have used in classrooms as a student:
- If the instructor is mirroring their computer or tablet to the smart board, they can create a Zoom/Teams/Meet call with the student and share the device screen so the student can view it on their own device. For best results, mute audio to avoid an echo effect if the student is in the same room.
- Use a video magnifier to enlarge the smart board and view information at a distance. Many video magnifiers allow users to take photos or “freeze” the display for taking notes.
- Instead of using the built-in whiteboard software, use another collaborative digital whiteboard for writing and share the link with students so they can follow along on their own device.
- Be mindful of the size of items on the smart board and ensure they are large enough to be viewed from anywhere in the classroom. Avoid displaying large amounts of information simultaneously.
- Use a video splitter or second monitor connected to the presenter’s device that can mirror the smart board display.
- Consider other screensharing software that is approved by the school/district that can be used for providing view-only access to the smart board. I found out that a local school district approved Splashtop for screensharing by searching for approved instructional digital resources available in (school district name) online.
While it isn’t technically a smart board, some of the classrooms at my university have multiple LED monitors that can mirror the instructor’s display or camera, which can make it easier to see what is being presented on the board. Some monitors also support group work or wired/wireless connections so students can connect their own screens to the monitor(s). This can be helpful for taking notes or viewing information up close.
Built-in whiteboards for videoconferencing: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet
Many videoconferencing programs like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet offer digital whiteboards that are visible to anyone in the call and can be included in meeting recordings. Several of my professors have used this feature in online classes for drawing diagrams or writing notes; while I can view the drawings on my own screen, it can be challenging to follow along with thin drawings or messy handwriting, so I find it helpful when they narrate what they are writing on the screen.
Enable whiteboard in Zoom
Since most of my classes use Zoom, this is the platform I have the most experience with. When creating a Zoom meeting, ensure that whiteboard and annotation is enabled in Settings. To use whiteboard during a Zoom call, select More > Whiteboards > New Whiteboard/Existing Whiteboard to open a whiteboard canvas. Once the whiteboard is open, users can launch the pen tool for writing or open templates (located in Organize Your Ideas or Plan Project). Alternatively, press Esc to launch the pen tool.
Use the toolbar to select tools for interacting with the whiteboard. Options (and keyboard shortcuts) include:
- Select (V)
- Grab (H, spacebar) to pan across the screen
- Pen (P)
- Pen
- Highlighter
- Eraser (E)
- Pixel eraser for smaller section of screen
- Lasso
- Stroke thickness (slider with 1 px to 30 px)
- Ink colors: Black, blue, red (pen); yellow, red, green (highlighter)
- Smart drawing: Convert to basic shapes (e.g., circle)
- Shapes (S): Multiple options for inserting shapes, diagrams, and templates
- Line (L)
- Line
- Arrow
- Double arrow
- Elbowed arrow
- Line style (up to 10px thickness)
- Adjust color and opacity
- Text (T): includes font size, font style, and basic formatting
- Sticky Notes (N, Shift+N): Options for custom colors, text, showing authors, configuring shape, etc.
- More options: Access add-ons and additional features like equation editor, code block editor, and more.
To close the whiteboard, select Close Whiteboard in the right corner of the screen.
Enable whiteboard in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Whiteboard is still available for school accounts and work accounts; users can access Whiteboard in Microsoft Teams and on the web, though the standalone Microsoft Whiteboard application will not work. To share a whiteboard in a Teams meeting:
- Select the Share icon in the meeting’s share tray.
- In the Whiteboard section, select Microsoft Whiteboard
- Select an existing board from the list or start a new board.
Types of content that can be added to a Microsoft Whiteboard include:
- Freeform drawings/ink (keyboard shortcut on Windows: Alt+W). Ink color, transparency, and thickness can be customized, and there is also an option for enabling rulers for straight edges
- Sticky notes with text, with options for customizing page color and basic text formatting. Font cannot be customized.
- Note grid/grouping for sticky notes
- Text boxes with options for basic text formatting. Font cannot be customized
- Shapes with options for adding text and customizing colors
- Reactions
- Images from gallery
- Images from camera
- Template for whiteboard
Enable whiteboard in Google Meet
To use whiteboard features in Google Meet, users will need to download a whiteboard add-on from Google Workspace. Once an add-on is installed, it can be accessed from a Google Meet call by opening Meeting Tools and selecting add-ons. Available whiteboard tools will vary by add-on; school districts may have specific add-ons approved for users.
For Apple devices: Apple Freeform digital canvas
For Apple devices like iPad and Mac computers, Apple has a free built-in app called Freeform that can be used as a digital canvas or digital whiteboard. Users can send a copy of their Freeform board for viewing, or send a collaborate link so others users can add to the board; however, this is only available for Apple devices. Freeform content can also be exported as a PDF or screenshot.
With Freeform, users can access Markup to write with a finger or Apple Pencil/stylus, insert text boxes, add shapes, insert sticky notes, attach objects to a table, and add multimedia content like stickers, photos, documents, videos, and more. Users can also bookmark scenes at specific zoom levels for quick access (star icon in bottom right corner), which can be helpful for quickly accessing areas of interest.
I have used Freeform for an internship and have used it in a few of my classes for collaborating with other Apple users. Freeform supports pinch-to-zoom up to 400%, and does not support dark mode/dark backgrounds by default; I typically use it with Classic Invert turned on to create a dark background.
Related links
- Freeform App – App Store
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Mac Computers
Instant virtual whiteboard: tldraw and Witeboard
Witeboard and tldraw are two examples of instant virtual whiteboards that don’t require accounts and can be shared with others for viewing/collaboration. Both applications offer basic customization options and keyboard shortcuts, with options for adding text, pen/highlighter annotations, sticky notes, shapes, and similar tools. With an account, users can save and share canvases with others, though users are not required to have an account to view a shared link. Whiteboards can also be exported as images (PNG) and/or PDFs, which can be helpful for supplementing notes.
Related links
- tldraw • very good free whiteboard
- Witeboard | Free digital whiteboard
- Creating Audio Narrated Images For Low Vision
Digital whiteboard with equation editor: Math Whiteboard and iDroo
When using digital whiteboards in math and statistics classes, consider using a tool that supports an equation editor with LaTeX or similar. Equations inserted through the equation editor can be resized and displayed at a much larger size than the typed text elsewhere on the board and are displayed in a consistent font: no trying to decipher handwriting or figuring out if something is an exponent.
Math Whiteboard is a free digital whiteboard application that supports both typing and drawing math that can be shared for real-time collaboration, which can be helpful for following along during math lessons. iDroo also offers a math editor as part of its shared whiteboard functionality, though a free account is required for iDroo.
Related links
- Math Whiteboard | Collaborative Whiteboard for Math Teaching & Learning
- iDroo – Online Whiteboard for Real-Time Collaboration
- Free Math Websites For Low Vision Students: Instructional Technology
- Adapting Digital Equations: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How To Create An Accessible Formula Sheet
Free digital whiteboard, paid features available: Excalidraw and Whiteboard.fi
Two other free digital whiteboard tools with paid features avaialble are Excalidraw and Whiteboard.fi (which is from Kahoot). Excalidraw offers several basic features for drawing, text, adding shapes, and live collaboration; Excalidraw also offers dark mode (Shift + Alt +D) and keyboard shortcuts (press ? for list). Whiteboard.fi is designed for use in classrooms or tutoring sessions and allows up to 10 students to join the free version without an account by typing in a PIN; Whiteboard also offers a math editor and options for changing the background color (Set Background is located next to the trash icon).
Both Excalidraw and Whiteboard.fi offer robust free features as well as a premium plan for saving boards and adding additional collaboration features. More information is linked below.
Related links
- Excalidraw Whiteboard
- Excalidraw+ Pricing | Online collaborative workspace
- Whiteboard.fi – Free online whiteboard for teachers and classrooms
- Choosing Between Light Mode and Dark Mode For Low Vision
Digital whiteboard with diagram templates: Jotboard, Sandbox, and Canva whiteboards
For users that use digital whiteboards for collaborating on diagrams or other templates, there are a few other free digital whiteboards with optional premium features that can be used in classrooms:
- Jotboard is a Jamboard alternative that offers free board access and view-only options that can be useful for students, which has been used by a few of my teacher friends.
- Another option is Padlet Sandbox, which can be used to create interactive canvases or used as a shared digital whiteboard; I used this in one of my classes and could zoom in on information more easily on my own device compared to reading from a single shared screen.
- Canva also offers a free online collaborative whiteboard, which users can view on their own devices or on a larger screen. Canva has a lot of options for graphics and color coding, as well as audio countdown timers.
Related links
- Jotboard (Google Jamboard Alternative)
- Padlet Sandbox – Simple, Beautiful Digital Canvas
- Free Online Whiteboard for Real-Time Collaboration | Canva
- Configuring Padlet For Low Vision Accessibility
- Background Sounds and Ambient Audio for Low Vision
More tips for using digital whiteboards and low vision accessibility
- Looking for tips on how to use physical whiteboards with low vision? Read How I Use Dry-Erase Boards With Low Vision
- When working with digital whiteboards, I frequently use a stylus such as the Apple Pencil for iPad (or the OnePlus Stylo for my OnePlus pad, an Android tablet). Learn more about using styluses in Apple Pencil Customizations For Writing With Low Vision and How I Use The Apple Pencil With Low Vision
- Another strategy I use for accessing digital canvases is digital notetaking apps. I share several options in Digital Notetaking and PDF Annotation Apps For Low Vision
- Learning to access digital whiteboards can be helpful for internships, especially hybrid teams that use a lot of digital collaboration tools. I share more “unwritten” internship preparation skills in Unwritten Tech Skills For Tech Internships: PM Intern With Low Vision
Published March 29, 2020. Updated August 2026
APA Citation
Lewis, V. (2020, March 29). Digital Whiteboards and Low Vision Accessibility. Veroniiiica. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://veroniiiica.com/digital-whiteboards-low-vision-access/