When I was in middle school and high school, I didn’t know very much about document accessibility or how to create or remediate accessible assignments for low vision, but I could quickly figure out if someone handed me an assignment if I could read it or not. Receiving inaccessible assignments can be scary for students with low vision who may not know how to describe what is wrong with the assignment, how to fix it, or that are worried about telling their teacher or other support team members out of fear/anxiety that they will be told to deal with it or that they can’t get it in an inaccessible format.
Learning how to describe what makes text inaccessible can be challenging, so I’ve created a list of common errors made when creating paper-based accessible assignments for students with low vision, and how students can advocate to get these issues fixed or prevent them from happening again. This post primarily focuses on remediating physical (paper) copies of assignments into another physical (paper) format, and sharing examples of ways to self-advocate for getting accessible materials.
Faded/ghost text
The problem:
Faded text or ghost text can appear when someone uses a copy of a document to create another copy. Over time, the quality of the document will begin to degrade from being copied repeatedly, and this can lead to faded or ghost text that appears to be barely there. Alternatively, factors such as poor contrast (like gray pencil lead on white paper), pictures of text with shadows, or other artifacts can make it challenging to read.
Potential solutions:
- Whenever possible, use an original copy of materials to make copies, instead of making a copy from another copy (this is especially helpful for music)
- Re-type the content in a word processor
- Outline text with marker or high contrast pen to improve visibility, or adjust contrast settings on the copier
How I would bring this up:
- “The text seems really washed out and is hard to see, can you help me figure out what it says?”
- ”Is there supposed to be text here?”
- “Can someone make the text darker, or help me re-write this larger?”
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- How I Access Historical Documents With Low Vision
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- Middle School Classrooms And Low Vision Accessibility
- My Large Print Music Binder
Double sided assignment with half missing
The problem:
A paraprofessional that hadn’t enlarged my assignments before decided to print all of my assignments for the week on both sides of a page. When I would write with markers or high-contrast pens, they bled through the paper and I didn’t notice there had been text printed on the back. As one of my teachers put it, I did half of my assignment really well, and didn’t realize there was a second half.
Some students may also still be able to see faded text from the other side of the page when working with double-sided paper.
The solution:
- Print documents on single-sided pages
- Provide page numbers for documents, e.g. “Page 1 of 3”
- Avoid stapling pages together so that students can adjust pages and work on one page at a time
How I would bring this up:
- “I didn’t realize there was a second side to the document since my pens bled through, can you print out a single sided copy?”
- ”How many questions are there on this page?”
- ”Can I work through these problems on a separate page instead of writing on the packet?”
Related links
- Writing Aids For Low Vision: My Personal Superlatives
- Highlighting Information With Low Vision
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- What’s In My High School Backpack As A Low Vision Student
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
Information is cut off
The problem:
When enlarging text or using display scaling, text, symbols, or answer choices may be cut off or missing. For example, I might have dynamics or notes missing in my music, multiple choice answers missing from a text, or entire questions or lines of music missing from the page. I wouldn’t know something was gone unless someone told me. This can be really frustrating when I am taking a test and the correct answer is missing!
Potential solutions:
- Verify what the last word, number, symbol, note, etc. is on the page, and make corrections if needed
- Reformat the document or print in a landscape orientation to minimize text being cut off
- Before providing a document to the student, proofread the document to ensure all information is included. This is especially important for highly visual subjects like music, math, and science where every symbol is significant
How I would bring this up:
- “Just to confirm, what is the last word in question 14? And are the answer choices 14, 16, 18, and 20?”
- ”I think I’m missing a note— what comes after B-flat in measure 16 for the bass clarinet part?”
- ”How many questions or measures are there for this page?”
Related links
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- How To Make Music Accessible With Microsoft PowerPoint
- How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
- Tips For Reading Music On An iPad With Low Vision
A regular assignment in the center of 11 x 17 paper
The problem:
Be careful what you wish for! I remember when I started at a new school, someone asked me how I wanted to receive accessible materials for class. I asked for assignments to be printed on 11 x 17 inch paper, not realizing that the assignments were scaled to fit the size of the page. As a result, someone put the original assignment on the copier and pressed the copy button, so the assignment with standard print was in the center of the page and surrounded by lots of blank space, almost like a frame.
Potential solutions:
- Provide specific information about document scaling, such as enlarging 250% or to a specific font size
- Share a preferred font size, as standard print can vary— for example, 8-pt font enlarged with 250% scaling may still not be large enough for me to read.
- For students that do benefit from more narrow page margins, mention specific measurements for margins and clarify if text needs to be enlarged as well.
How I would bring this up:
- “Thank you for putting my assignment on enlarged paper, but I need the assignments scaled to fit the paper size.”
- ”This font size is too small, was this enlarged to 250%?”
- ”I need to use magnification, this text is still too small.”
Related links
- Paper Sizes and Low Vision Accessibility
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
Crooked pages/lines
The problem:
When aligning documents in the copier/scanner or using paper copies, the page can appear crooked or cause lines to appear slanted or diagonal, which can make it more challenging to read (especially for students with nystagmus or double vision). There is also a high likelihood that text has been cut off in some way.
Potential solutions:
- Ensure documents are properly aligned before scanning
- Use a scanner software that can automatically or manually correct page alignment— Microsoft Lens is one example of a tool that automatically corrects alignment
- Read text with a line tracker or typoscope to block out surrounding text.
How I would bring this up:
- “I’m having trouble following along since the text is crooked. Can someone reprint the assignment with text on a straight line?”
- ”What is the last word/number in this sentence?”
- If someone asks me what I’m doing— “I have to tilt this page/my head to read the text.”
Related links
- How I Use Microsoft Lens With Low Vision
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For Chiari Malformation
Blurry/foggy images
The problem:
Similar to faded text/ghost text, low resolution images can appear distorted or difficult to see when enlarged, especially if they have visually complex backgrounds like coordinate planes or a lot of objects in general. Alternatively, images may appear smaller on the page or not include large print text.
Potential solutions:
- Share images on a separate page or add colored labels (e.g. drawing over a plot point with red marker)
- Provide digital copies of images that can be enlarged with pinch-to-zoom
- Add image descriptions that describe what is in an image, or consider removing decorative images entirely
How I would bring this up:
- “These images appear to be very blurry and I’m not sure what’s in the picture. Can you help me draw it larger?”
- “Can you use my highlighter to trace over the lines on this page?”
- ”What is in this picture? It looks really fuzzy and I have no idea what I am looking at.”
Related links
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
- Adapting Coin Activities: Math Problems For Low Vision
- Adapting Coordinate Planes: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Adapting Accessible Charts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Diagrams For Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- Adapting Math Sketches: Math Problems and Low Vision
The paper or page layout is challenging to focus on
The problem:
Students who are sensitive to glare may notice a shadow effect or eye strain when reading black text on a white page. Alternatively, formats like multi-column layouts or having multiple images or text columns stacked next to each other can make it challenging to know where to look, or where one line begins and another ends.
Potential solutions:
- Print documents on off-white paper or use colored paper to reduce the white point or improve glare
- Use an acetate overlay or other filter to change the appearance of a page
- Re-format text to remove multi-column layouts and use single-column layouts, or have the student use a typoscope or line tracker to block out visual content.
How I would bring this up:
- “It’s easier to focus my eyes on a tinted background instead of white. Can I receive assignments on another color of paper when possible?”
- “May I use an acetate sheet or magnifier to view this document?”
- “Is there an option to display each question on its own line instead of stacking them together? Can I cover the rest of this page with my folder?”
Related links
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Reduce Glare In The Classroom For Low Vision Students
- Adapting Page Layouts: Math Problems and Low Vision
Exponents and other essential information are not enlarged
The problem:
It can be challenging to enlarge all math symbols or music symbols to be a consistently large font size, especially when it comes to exponents that are printed in a smaller font size. I would often miss or ignore exponents attached to a number because I couldn’t see the small print, which would lead to me getting questions wrong— “I didn’t see it” wasn’t a valid excuse from my teacher’s perspective so that meant I got lower scores.
Potential solutions:
- Use color coding to identify symbols, such as a green plus sign
- Write out exponents in a larger font size, or highlight exponents to show where they are located
- Before giving the assignment to the student, use a high contrast marker or pen to write exponents in a larger font size
How I would bring this up:
- “I can’t see the exponents. Can you rewrite the equation larger and write the exponents in a different color?”
- “Is there supposed to be an exponent or other symbol here?”
- “Can you read this problem to me?”
Related links
- How I Show Work For Math With Low Vision and Dysgraphia
- Adapting Math Symbols: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Adapting Digital Equations: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Emoji Accessibility and Low Vision
Letters look strange or distorted
The problem:
Display scaling or other formatting issues can make letters appear strange, distorted, or otherwise hard to see even though they are the “correct” font size. For students with print disabilities, there can be several reasons for this issue, which can include issues with the font style, line spacing, or difficulties with deciphering handwritten text.
Potential solutions:
- Change the font to a sans-serif font if it is already in a serif font (or vice versa), or choose another font based on student preference
- Increase line spacing or use a typoscope or line guide to block out surrounding text
- Underline text or use high-contrast lined paper to write information, and provide information as typed text whenever possible (since handwriting can vary)
How I would bring this up:
- “The letters look funny and appear to be double and blurry. Can you change the font to Arial?”
- “Can this be reprinted as a double-spaced document?”
- “What does this say?”
Related links
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- What I’ve Learned About Print Disabilities
- Strategies For Using Lined Paper With Low Vision
- Free Accessible Periodic Tables For Low Vision
- Adapting Accessible Z-Tables: Math Problems and Low Vision
Someone forgot to enlarge the assignment
The problem:
Ah, the spookiest inaccessible assignment of all— the missing or nonexistent assignment! It’s frustrating to hear that someone forgot to enlarge an assignment or that a student isn’t getting accessible materials with the rest of the class. This should not be counted against a student’s grade, but in most scenarios the student is still expected to find a way to get this information in an accessible format on their own. Missing copies of accessible assignments should be documented so that the teacher does not penalize the student and better workflows can be identified.
Potential solutions:
- Ask for a digital copy of the assignment, if available
- Use a magnifier or work with another student/staff member that can read the assignment out loud
- Place the inaccessible assignment in a backpack/folder and bring it to the case manager or paraprofessional to enlarge later.
How I would bring this up:
- “I didn’t get a copy of the assignment, do you have a digital copy that I can enlarge? If not, please make sure this doesn’t count against my grade.”
- “I can’t see this— is it okay if I work on this with Shelby so we can read it together?”
- “Can you sign this hall pass so I can go get this enlarged?” Always save the hall passes in case receiving inaccessible assignments becomes a repetitive pattern
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Ten Lessons My TVI Taught Me
- My Talk At A Future Date: What I Wish I Learned About AT Before Starting College
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- Tips For Handling Academic Ableism In The Classroom
More resources on how to fix spooky inaccessible assignments for low vision
- Accessible Educational Material providers can create accessible assignments for public school students at no cost— learn more in Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
- This post focuses on remediating physical materials and providing paper copies of assignments, but as I got older I started receiving more digital assignments. Learn more in Why I Prefer My Schoolwork Digitally: Updated Edition and Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- Sometimes, I would have trouble seeing assignments that weren’t an issue earlier in the day— I talk about this in Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
Published October 31, 2018. Updated January 2025