When I was in middle school, I attended a Model UN conference that was held on a nearby college campus that also served as the first time I had to self-advocate for disability accommodations and accessible materials outside of school. Since then, I have helped other students over the years figure out Model UN disability accommodations for low vision since it can be challenging to figure out what to request or what types of tools are allowed. Here is a list of tips and strategies for supporting students with low vision at Model United Nations events/Model UN conferences, including Model UN disability accommodations and accessibility resources.
Conducting pre-conference research with assistive technology
Before attending the Model UN conference, students are expected to research the positions of the country they are representing or the person/position of interest within a committee. This is a fantastic opportunity to practice research skills and searching for accessible materials from various sources, including websites, databases, books, newspapers, and more.
When conducting preliminary research, many conferences recommend the CIA World Factbook, which is maintained by the United States government and adheres to web accessibility requirements for federal websites. This means that information on the website must be accessible for screen readers, browser zoom/magnification tools, braille displays, and other forms of assistive technology. While the website is not 100% accessible by any means, it’s a great place to start for research so that students can focus on learning information, not trying to figure out how to access it.
Back in middle school, I remember sitting with a friend at the classroom desktop computer, and they read parts of the CIA World Factbook out loud when I had trouble enlarging them— it’s worth noting that the website has been redesigned since then so now it is much easier to read, and this was also before I had an iPad or personal computer in the classroom. Over the years, I have also recommended the following websites and resources for Model UN research to students with visual impairments:
- Search for books on Bookshare, which is free for students with print disabilities and has several options for browsing books by topic.
- Use websites like CountryReports to find information about countries around the world— this has been a popular recommendation for doing Model UN research as well
- When searching for information online, use search filters to create specific queries (see post on web searches below)
- To make it easier to focus on text, enable a simplified reading display within a web browser like Immersive Reader, Google Reading Mode, or Simplified View. This removes non-essential background graphics and applies consistent text formatting.
- Check out the country’s actual United Nations website
- View news aggregates like Google News and Yahoo News— searching “Yahoo News Full Coverage (country name)” is a great way to find articles that have been tagged with a specific country.
- Listen to podcasts or audio articles on specific topics or current events
To learn more about browsing research sources with assistive technology, check out my posts below on the topic.
Related links
- CIA World Factbook
- Reading Bookshare Titles With Microsoft Word
- How To Run Effective Web Searches
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
- How I Find Research Sources In Accessible Formats
- Accessing The News With Assistive Technology
- The Best Study Tips For Visually Impaired Students
Putting together a research binder with low vision
Many Model UN delegates will bring a research binder with them that contains information about their country and/or topic. This is a great way to organize notes, information on voting records, graphic organizers that break down topics, country information, and other facts that delegates are expected to remember. Since internet-connected devices are banned from the majority of Model UN conferences, it helps to have all of this information available so that delegates can reference it when speaking on an issue or writing a position paper.
One student I worked with who reads large print used a three-inch binder to organize their information (larger than the one-inch binders that most delegates brought), printing off information and notes in a larger font size and using colored tabs to organize each section of the binder. After printing the information, they had used highlighters to incorporate color-coding for things like headings and graphs/charts— they preferred this over using a digital highlighter and printing everything in color.
For a different student I worked with, they worked with their Model UN sponsor to request an accommodation to use an iPad that was not connected to the internet to read their notes with Microsoft OneNote. They could not access any application other than OneNote as they had Guided Access turned on, but this made it easier for them to find the information they needed in larger print sizes. A different student used a Word document structured with headings that they accessed with a braille display. Both of them also had a physical copy of their research binder in standard print that was submitted for awards.
Related links
- How I Outline Research Papers With OneNote
- How I Use Microsoft OneNote With Low Vision
- Free Digital Bookmarking Tools For Low Vision
- Highlighting Information With Low Vision
- How To Use Guided Access For Testing And Exams
- Designing Accessible Documents With Microsoft Word
- How To Create Accessible Diagrams For Low Vision
- My Large Print Music Binder
A must-have for Model UN with low vision: Magnification aids
At Model UN conferences, students are often handed things to read like notes, articles, or other handouts. Students and sponsors can request materials in large print by contacting the conference organizer and sharing information about font sizes, styles, or other requirements for accessible materials, but I would not assume that everything will be available in large print all the time. For this reason, it’s helpful to bring a magnification aid or two to help with reading tasks.
For students with low vision, I recommend bringing at least one magnifying glass and a video magnifier that has options for contrast filters— there are many video magnifiers that do not connect to the internet. Handheld video magnifiers are easier to secure and transport compared to desktop video magnifiers, but I have also worked with a student that connected a video magnifier to a monitor provided by the host school to make it easier to read information.
One student I worked with that was traveling to a Model UN event at a college borrowed a desktop video magnifier from the college’s disability services department for the duration of the event. This was arranged by their sponsor 4-6 weeks in advance, and the student met with the host college virtually to discuss their accessibility needs and what they would need to participate in the event. While some students have used magnifiers that were loaned to them by the host college, the vast majority of students used their own technologies.
Related links
- Magnifying Glasses For Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- All About The Eschenbach SmartLux Digital Video Magnifier
- What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Choosing Accessible Microscopes For Low Vision
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
Request a reasonable accommodation for an eReader
One of my favorite strategies for reading large amounts of text content is to sideload content onto my eReader or an offline eReading application, which can display text in large print and provide options for customizing the appearance of text. With sideloading, the student or sponsor can load the required materials onto the eReader from a computer or using a tool like Send-to-Kindle, which will make it easier for the student to open the resources and access the information they need in a format that works for them.
Again, this accommodation will need to be approved in advance by the conference sponsors, and the device will need to be configured so that the student can’t access an internet browser or other outside resources.
Related links
- Sideloading and Low Vision
- How I Use Send-To-Kindle With Low Vision
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: eReaders
- E-Ink Displays and Low Vision Accessibility
To Model UN Delegates: it’s okay to ask for help
When I arrived at the Model UN conference on the first day, I learned that the club sponsor had forgotten to request any disability accommodations for me and that the organizers had no idea that I had low vision or that someone with a visual impairment would be attending this event. Was this stressful for me to find out? Yes, but it gave me a great opportunity to practice self-advocacy skills in the following ways:
- I was separated from a lot of other students from my school due to where I was sitting, so I couldn’t use my “regular” strategy of following friends to different rooms or places to get to where I needed to go, and noticed that I couldn’t read a lot of the signs in the building. After I realized I had no idea where I was going, I went to a conference staff member and shared that I had low vision, and asked if someone could walk with me during room transitions on the first day of the event. They said yes, and by the second day of the event I had made other friends who could help.
- To help with accessing some of the handouts, conference staff enlarged them with a copier on the host college campus. I let them know what font size I would need and gave examples of how my teachers would enlarge my assignments at school— this is something the conference staff should have been notified about in advance, but since my sponsor forgot we made the best of it.
- Instead of writing in faded markers on a board, the conference organizer made sure that the moderator had dark, saturated dry-erase markers that were easier to see, and they would read information out loud as they wrote it.
Some other strategies for conferences that I have recommended based on my own experiences with Model UN and low vision include:
- Avoiding generic phrases like right here, over there, look at this, etc.. It helps to be specific about the location of something or to read a line of text out loud so others can find it.
- Instead of having delegates write notes with pencil (which I can’t see with a contrast deficiency), consider having them write notes in pen or providing options for making digital comments if the conference allows laptops.
- If a conference does allow computers or tablets, provide copies of presentations or information on the board that the student can read on their own device. Alternatively, provide a large print transcript of information presented on the board— this is especially helpful if a student is sitting far away from the front of the room.
- When calling on a country/student in the group, say the country name or person’s name instead of just pointing at them.
- Before the event begins, allow students with visual impairments to familiarize themselves with an empty or almost-empty room to learn the layout of the space.
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
- Requesting Extracurricular Accommodations
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
- Writing Aids For Low Vision: My Personal Superlatives
- Strategies for Hand Raising and Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Classroom Posters For Students With Visual Impairments
- Tips For Using A Human Guide At A Conference
Model UN and dysgraphia accommodations/handwriting accommodations
I have dysgraphia, which is a writing disability that impacts the legibility of my handwriting and makes it challenging for myself and others to read what I write. A lot of Model UN activities revolve around handwriting, but dysgraphia can still be present even when typing on a laptop or tablet. Some strategies for including delegates with dysgraphia at Model UN can include:
- Consider using a scribe or dictation to help with writing notes. This can be a helpful task for co-delegates.
- Bring a slanted surface for writing, which can be easier to write on than a completely flat surface.
- Write on a dry-erase board, which can also be easier for correcting mistakes or brainstorming compared to writing on paper.
- Request a reasonable accommodation to type with a computer or tablet. For passing notes, it can be helpful for students to type what they want to say first and then re-copy their note onto a piece of paper.
A short story about dysgraphia at Model UN, featuring penguins
To give an example of how dysgraphia impacts me, the first note I wrote for Model UN was read out loud by someone that said “I don’t know what country wrote this, it looks like the note is from penguins.” Apparently the way I wrote Belarus (my country name) looked similar to the word penguins, and the person reading my note proceeded to read about 80% of the words incorrectly. This led to all delegates being reminded to submit “serious notes” and that this note appeared to be a “practical joke.”
In my mind, it wasn’t a practical joke, it was a practical solution to a problem presented in the conference, and I never shared what the note actually was supposed to say or that I wrote it.
After that incident, I found that slowing down and really taking my time to write, even though it was frustrating and still challenging for me to read, ensured that other people could read my notes and that future contributions were not falsely attributed to penguins.
Related links
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
- Dysgraphia Accommodations In The Classroom
- How I Manage Dysgraphia In Online Classes
- Low Vision Assistive Technology For Discussion Board Posts
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- How I Use Technology To Improve Handwriting
- Tips For Using VDWrite In The Classroom With Low Vision
- Make Proofreading Feedback Accessible For Low Vision
Attending Model UN social events with low vision
I didn’t know this when I signed up, but Model UN conferences often feature parties and social events for students. I already had a high level of visual fatigue from reading all day at the conference, so I was completely overwhelmed when I walked into the social event for middle school students and heard the loud music, saw strobe lights, and noticed the room was very dark. In that moment, it was like my vision became completely unusable, and I walked out of the room thirty seconds after I had walked in and didn’t go back.
This isn’t to say that students with low vision shouldn’t bother with going to these events, but many of the students I have worked with reported similar experiences even if they weren’t typically sensitive to strobe or flashing lights— this was the first time I had ever had an issue with strobe lights myself, and this was before the onset of my neurological condition. I’ve shared additional resources below about how I have attended similar events/navigated similar environments with low vision over the years, but do not have specific experience with social events at Model UN.
Related links
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Tips For Going To Prom With Chronic Illness
- School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- How I Talk About Disability With New Friends
- Disability Accommodations For Graduation
- How I Explain My Brain With Chiari Malformation
More tips for attending Model UN with low vision and Model UN disability accommodations
- Delegates are generally required to dress in “Western Business Attire” for the conference. I share tips for picking out clothing with sensory processing and tactile defensiveness in Clothing Shopping Tips For Sensory Processing Issues and College Interview Tips For Disabled Students
- Need help with learning how to write research papers and position papers? Visit Writing Success Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes or view the Reading/Writing category at Reading And Writing Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes
- For public speaking and reading notes, I find it helpful to read large print from a teleprompter app. Learn more at Ways To Use Teleprompter Apps As Assistive Technology
- Traveling for Model UN? Read Hotel Familiarization and Low Vision and School Field Trips And Low Vision
- Another great resource for learning more about Model UN is the Best Delegate MUN guide— check it out at MUN Guide — Best Delegate resources
Published September 28, 2017. Updated February 2025