As a student with low vision, I have approved disability accommodations for getting copies of information presented on the board and preferential seating in the front of the classroom so that I can see the board more easily. However, a lot of my disability accommodations focus on merely being able to see the board itself, and don’t provide much information for my instructors on how to make things on the board easier to see or present information for students with low vision— after all, it doesn’t matter if I can see the board if I have no idea what else is on it! Here are some simple strategies for presenting information at a distance for students with low vision and how to make things on the board easier to see in different contexts.
Using a whiteboard/dry erase board
Write with vibrant colored markers
Using light colored or faded markers when writing on a dry-erase board can make it difficult or impossible for me to see what is being written, or make it challenging for me to view pictures of a whiteboard if the colors are low-contrast. Using vibrant and saturated markers in colors like black, blue, and red provide a higher contrast display against the white or off-white whiteboard. I carry dry-erase markers in my backpack in case my instructors need to switch out markers and don’t have any other options, or I will ask them to switch markers/use a specific color when writing on the board.
Avoid writing in script
One of my friends had an instructor that would write homework and assigned reading instructions in a script or cursive font. My friend didn’t want to admit they had trouble seeing what was written, so they would try to guess what was written and sometimes get lower grades on their homework as a result. In this situation, self-advocacy is helpful— students can ask their instructors to avoid writing in script or cursive and stick with print, which may be easier to read since the letters aren’t super close together or running into each other.
Describe diagrams as they are drawn
When one of my instructors was drawing a complex diagram on the board that required students to identify symbols and shapes like circles and squares, they were surprised when they went to look at the diagrams we had drawn and noticed several students had copied the information down incorrectly (and that everyone who had copied it down wrong wore glasses or contacts). In this situation, it helps to have instructors narrate what they are drawing, such as “this is a circle with a plus sign, and now I’m drawing a horizontal line to connect it to a triangle.” It can also be helpful to use color-coding (squares are blue, circles are pink) or pattern shading (squares have stripes, circles have dots) so that students can differentiate between patterns.
Let people take pictures of the screen
Even though I get copies of things like slideshows and documents, my instructors don’t usually provide copies of things that are drawn on the whiteboard. Using a tool like Microsoft Lens or the whiteboard camera in Microsoft OneNote makes it much easier to take pictures of a whiteboard so that I have a copy of the notes or other drawings for later. Another helpful feature is that Microsoft Lens can apply display filters to make whiteboard scans easier to see.
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Dry-Erase Eraser Alternatives For Low Vision
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- How To Create Accessible Diagrams For Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft Lens With Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft OneNote With Low Vision
Using a document camera
Write with pens instead of pencil
Gray pencil lead on white paper (or any other paper color) can be very difficult to read for people with low vision, because the low contrast gray and white color scheme can appear washed out or invisible. In addition, when something is erased it can create a shadow effect and make it more challenging to read whatever is written on top.
When using a document camera, it’s better to write with pen in a saturated color, again using black or dark blue ink. I carry pens that my instructors can borrow so that it’s easier for me to read what is on the screen.
Zoom in on sections
Instead of having an entire page visible at once, some students with low vision find it easier to have the instructor display a single segment at a time while zooming in on the page. Another helpful strategy when working with tables or multi-column layouts is to use a piece of cardstock or another piece of paper to “block out” columns or rows that aren’t being used, so that students can focus on the information they need instead of being overwhelmed with visual clutter.
In one classroom I worked with, students would use a hand gesture or light to let the instructor know when they were done with copying down notes so they would know when to move to the next section.
Consider using a colored background
Some students find bright white backgrounds on document cameras to be disorienting to look at due to glare. Writing on off-white paper or using another color like light yellow paper can create a “softer” display that is easier for students to look at for longer periods of time. Another option is to invert colors to show light text on a dark background, which can also be helpful for students with low vision.
Scan in a copy of the notes
In college, many of my professors will post a typed copy of class notes that includes digital equations and a transcript of text or other information from the board, which is really helpful for students that have trouble copying equations. In high school, most of my teachers would just hand me a page of their handwritten notes, and I would take a picture so that I could enlarge it later.
In full transparency, being handed a copy of handwritten notes in high school wasn’t super helpful since I couldn’t read the handwriting very well, and I wasn’t allowed to take the handwritten page outside of the classroom. However, there have been several technology innovations since then, including tools for handwriting recognition and text recognition, options for scanning pages with apps like Microsoft Lens, and options for using video magnifiers to make pages easier to read.
Related links
- Writing Aids For Low Vision: My Personal Superlatives
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- Strategies for Hand Raising and Low Vision
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- Adapting Math Sketches: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Adapting Page Layouts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
Using a computer projector
Use the magnifying tool for small text
When my instructors are doing coding demonstrations that involve reading output in a dialog box, it can be challenging for me to read what is in a dialog box or how it is formatting. In these situations, it is helpful to have the instructor turn on screen magnification on their computer to enlarge the dialog box— most of my instructors will enable full screen magnification and hover over the dialog box so students can see what is happening.
Increase the size of display elements
Adjusting computer settings like the screen resolution, display size, mouse pointer size, and font sizes in word processing applications can go a long way in making information on the projector easier to see. Some of my instructors also add blue light filters or change the page color to something other than white so that it is easier for students to look at the screen.
Share files in real time with screen sharing
Starting in college, many of my instructors have started using screen sharing in real time so that students can view the instructor’s screen on their own personal device, or they will post links to files or coding examples that we can follow along on our own devices. This has been a tremendous help for making things on the board easier to see, because I can view them on my own screen and make adjustments as needed.
Use a simplified reading display
Another option for making large amounts of text easier to read is to use a simplified reading display, which applies a consistent font size, font style, and background color to digital text. This makes it easier to read content without having to zoom in on a page, edit content, or enabling other accessibility settings. This can be enabled within a web browser using tools like Immersive Reader (Microsoft Edge), Reading Mode (Google Chrome), Reading View (Apple Safari), and similar programs, which is especially helpful when reading articles in class.
Provide copies of documents presented on the board
In high school, I had a shared folder system with my teachers where they would add copies of slideshows and other documents that I could copy and view on my own device. This was especially helpful for slideshows, since I would have trouble copying things down from the board or the animations would make it harder to focus. Having access to documents that include structured headings, high resolution images with alt text when appropriate, and options for increasing the font size of text are all tremendous helps for students like me with low vision.
Related links
- Reading Dialog Boxes With Low Vision
- Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Recording Video Lectures For Visually Impaired Students
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Ways To Use Teleprompter Apps As Assistive Technology
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- How To Create Accessible PowerPoints
- Designing Accessible Documents With Microsoft Word
More tips for how to make things on the board easier to see
- Want to learn more about preferential seating for classrooms? Check out Preferential Seating and Low Vision
- What about making other items in the classroom easier to see? I have a post on making classroom posters accessible at How To Create Accessible Classroom Posters For Students With Visual Impairments
- When possible, open images in a new tab so they are displayed at full resolution/full screen
- Adjust the lighting in the room as needed to improve the visibility of items on the projector, and allow students to use desk/task lighting as needed to take notes- one of my friends uses a clip-on book light that attaches to a notebook.
Published February 20, 2018. Updated December 2024