When I switched to taking 100% online classes, I thought that the transition would be pretty easy because I had already had a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-person and online classes since I was in high school. What I hadn’t considered was that my disability accommodations had been written with in-person learning in mind and the assumption that I could quickly contact an office at the university if I needed assistance. With this information in mind, I ended up having to add the following seven unexpected disability accommodations for virtual learning to my Disability Services file so that I could take online classes with low vision.
Permission to wear tinted glasses during exams
When I was taking a professional certification exam, I ran into an issue where the proctor asked me to remove my prescription glasses so I could take the exam. I wear non-polarized tinted glasses, and the darker lenses made it difficult for the proctor and the proctoring software to see/track my eyes, so I either had to remove my glasses for the exam or replace them with non-tinted ones. I delayed the start of the exam to talk with the accessibility team, who granted me an accommodation to wear tinted glasses but told me I should make sure to request permission to wear tinted glasses on future exams.
After another stressful exam accommodation experience, I also had to add the accommodation “permission to wear tinted prescription glasses for the entire duration of the exam” after a proctor asked me to remove my glasses after I finished one section of an exam— apparently I had forgotten to request the tinted glasses accommodation for the second section!
Related links
- How Tinted Glasses Help My Light Sensitivity
- Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
- Mainstream Educational Technology Certifications For Teachers of the Visually Impaired
- Remote Testing Accommodations For Low Vision
Use of browser zoom and text-to-speech
Built-in accessibility tools like browser zoom, Read Aloud/text-to-speech, simplified reading displays, and pinch-to-zoom are available for all users in popular web browsers regardless of if the person has accessibility settings turned on or not. I was used to using these settings in my virtual classes without documenting them in an accommodation, but that changed when my professor shared that I would need to be approved to use these built-in tools when taking virtual quizzes and tests. Disability Services approved this accommodation immediately because I had already been approved for use of screen magnification and a screen reader for testing, but my professor had wanted this documented separately.
Related links
- How I Use Moodle With Low Vision
- How I Use Canvas With Low Vision
- How I Use Blackboard With Low Vision
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Specific formats for accessible documents
Many online learning management systems support several accessible file formats, and even have tools for converting files from one format to another— one popular option for this is Anthology Ally. After telling my professor that I could read homework problems shared in a PDF, I quickly realized my mistake when they sent me a scanned image with blurry letters that was technically saved as a PDF, but was impossible for me to read or recognize text.
To prevent this from happening again in future modules/classes, my disability accommodations were updated to specify that I can access Word (doc/docx), tagged PDF, HTML, and PowerPoint files, and that inaccessible documents can be sent to the university media production office when needed.
Related links
- Using Anthology Ally With Low Vision
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
- How I Access Historical Documents With Low Vision
- How To Search For Study Resources Online
Image descriptions for graphics/Separate graphics
In order to support the large volume of visual material posted in online classes, many instructors will compress file formats to save space, which can impact the resolution of images and make them more challenging to see. I discovered this when I went to zoom in on a graphic and noticed that it got harder to see as I enlarged it, which normally was not the case! In the meantime, a young student I was working with mentioned that they had a lot more trouble reading computer/backlit graphics, and that they didn’t have their friend sitting next to them to answer questions about what they were looking at.
To help with preserving image resolution, my instructors would share images in a separate folder so that I can enlarge them in full screen as needed. I request that they have meaningful file names, such as “Exam3_Question5_OptionC” so I am not left wondering what question an image corresponds to.
For the young student, they received an accommodation where the teacher would remove non-essential graphics (decorative images, clip art, etc.) and add text-based image descriptions so that a student knew what was in the image. For graphs and charts, the teacher would provide graphics in a separate folder in the same way that my instructors did so that the student could enlarge the images on their own, or print out the images on paper.
Related links
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- Adapting Accessible Charts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
Use of remote visual assistance
Like the young student, I also noticed that I was struggling to figure out what was in some images for my classes or had trouble figuring out if I was reading something correctly or not. Since my college is an Aira Access location, I was approved to use remote visual assistance tools like Aira to get descriptions of academic content, which could include reading math equations, describing images, or reading too-small text. I would also use other visual assistance apps that don’t use human interpreters like Seeing AI for recognizing text in images/screenshots.
Another related accommodation was the option to use my iPad as a second monitor/display to look at images. For example, I might work through an assignment on my computer and display images on my iPad, using pinch-to-zoom to explore the image visually.
Related links
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- Ways To Use Visual Assistance Apps For Virtual Classes
- Adapting Digital Equations: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Microsoft Seeing AI And Low Vision
- How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
Permission to use eBooks for open-book assessments
One of my friends had a professor assign an open-book test, but my friend didn’t realize that they couldn’t have the proctored test and online textbook open simultaneously. As a student with a print disability, they had to request an accommodation to use eBooks and/or digital textbooks for all class activities, including quizzes and tests.
In a similar situation, I couldn’t use the online proctoring software for a math test because I had to display both the exam and calculator on the same screen simultaneously, which would have been impossible for me to see. Some examples of alternative proctoring options that were used instead include:
- I received an alternate exam with different questions. The exam wasn’t easier and had the same amount of questions, but this helped reduce the risk of the other exam being “leaked”
- Screen sharing software was used to share my screen and/or create a screen recording of me taking the exam and switching between applications
- Disability Services had their own online proctoring software designed for use with assistive technology
- The professor gave me an alternative exam, except instead of being multiple choice like everyone else’s it was free-response. This was done because I had to take the exam at a different time than everyone else.
- I took a password-protected exam on the course website.
Are some of these solutions better/more fair than others? Yes, but I was just glad to take an exam I could see!
Related links
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Reading Chegg eTextbooks With Low Vision
- How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
- How I Find Research Sources In Accessible Formats
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
Even more extended time for tests
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 or take vision breaks. Alternatively, students may also find that they are using assistive technology for virtual learning that they haven’t used before— for example, I had to use a screen reader as my primary access method for an exam when I had an eye infection, which took me a lot longer to finish compared to when I would read large print.
I was originally approved for time-and-a-half extended time for all of my classes, but I switched to double time (200%) extended time when I noticed that I was getting a lot more fatigued when working on math and sitting at the computer for hours. I was rushing through math exams and finishing with seconds to spare because it takes me longer to read math symbols and write neatly, so my accommodations were updated to account for extra time so I wasn’t trying to speed-read through the last few questions.
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. For all of the classes I have taken, extended time is automatically added to online exams.
Related links
- All About Extended Time Accommodations
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
- Adapting Page Layouts: Math Problems and Low Vision
More unexpected disability accommodations for virtual learning
- Looking for a list of “completely expected” disability accommodations? I strongly recommend reading Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- There were a few times where I would get surprised with strobe or flashing lights, which was disorienting and kept me from focusing. Learn more about how I minimize exposure in How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity and Avoiding Flashing Lights On Social Media
- This was unexpected in a different way, but I discovered how helpful high contrast and inverted displays can be when I was staring at screens for hours a day. Learn more in High Contrast and Low Vision
- Wondering about my pre-existing accommodations? Read How To Create A Disability Services File and How To Get Disability Accommodations In Community College
Published June 15, 2020. Updated January 2025