Over the years, I have taken over 60 virtual classes across high school, college, and graduate school, which means that I have watched a lot of live and pre-recorded video lectures. I find that video lectures are easier for me to follow as a student with low vision and a neurological condition because I can control the volume of spoken content and enlarge visual information with ease, but it took me a while to find a workflow for taking notes without getting distracted or making errors when watching video lectures simultaneously. Here is how I take notes during video lectures with low vision, and tips for attending live video lectures for students with visual impairments.
The most helpful disability accommodation: copies of materials
By far, the most helpful disability accommodation for watching video lectures with low vision is to request copies of materials presented in the video, so students can view them on their own devices. When possible, it is best to include these in responsive file types that students can sideload into another program or access with assistive technology such as magnification, screen readers, or enlarged font sizes. This was a huge help for my online graduate school classes, especially when I had trouble seeing images or diagrams.
Providing copies of materials can include (but is not limited to):
- Slide decks, slideshows, PowerPoint presentations (.ppt or .pptx)
- Code snippets
- Documents or text content (.doc, .docx, or .txt)
- High resolution copies of images (.png)
- Data for graphs or charts (.csv)
- External videos (links or files)
- Website hyperlinks
- Digital whiteboard
- Typed copies of handwritten text
Providing the original files is easier than trying to enlarge a screenshot or paused video and provides students with increased flexibility on how they access information. In college, my instructors will post this content alongside the video lectures so anyone can access it or send me a separate copy via email. In high school, my instructors would share a copy of presentations or notes either on a USB flash drive or in a shared folder for materials hosted on Dropbox.
Related links
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- Adapting Accessible Charts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- Free Digital Bookmarking Tools For Low Vision
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
Viewing a link to the presenter’s screen
Screen sharing applications or collaborative workspaces allow students with low vision to view the contents of the presenter’s screen or copies of information presented on the board. This does not necessarily mean that the student can control the presenter’s computer or edit information, rather that they can view the same content that is being presented on the board. I have had a few instructors create collaborative whiteboards with apps like Microsoft Whiteboard and iDroo that I could view on my own device, as well as use Zoom and Splashtop for sharing computer screens and applications. This can make it a lot easier to follow along with program tutorials or lectures that involve drawing diagrams.
For my programming classes, I’ve had instructors share examples of code using Repl.it as well as sharing Jupyter notebooks on GitHub that contain code snippets. This was easier than me zooming in to read code snippets during lectures or presentations, and I didn’t have to copy/paste code into another program to run it.
Related links
- How I Use Microsoft Whiteboard With Low Vision
- How I Use Repl.it IDE With Low Vision
- Tips For Screensharing With Low Vision
Figure out a workflow for taking notes
I take notes for video lectures using the same tools I would use for an in-person class. For me, this includes typing notes into Microsoft OneNote or Microsoft Word (if I have to upload them for an assignment), which I can access either from a computer or from my iPad. Since I also have dysgraphia, writing notes by hand isn’t particularly helpful if I want to read whatever I’m writing later on, and I like having the built-in spell checker for whatever I am typing.
If I want to draw or hand-write something, I will either use my Apple Pencil or draw on a dry-erase board, scan a copy of the board with Microsoft Lens, and then add it directly to my notes. I find using a dry-erase board to be easier than paper because I can hold it at a slanted angle and easily erase my mistakes, as well as use thicker markers.
Related links
- How I Outline Research Papers With OneNote
- How I Use Microsoft OneNote With Low Vision
- How I Manage Dysgraphia In Online Classes
- How I Use Microsoft Lens With Low Vision
Display lectures on another device/second monitor
For students that want to look at their notes and view the lecture simultaneously, I strongly recommend viewing lectures on another device or second monitor, which provides a full screen view of all visual content. The exact device or display option I use depends on the type of lecture I am watching, as well as my fatigue levels for the day:
- If I am watching a video that requires me to sit front and center to see everything that is going on or appear on a video call, I use my desktop computer. Depending on how much I need to look at the screen, I might minimize the display window to type in OneNote on my computer, or type notes on my iPad or laptop. Alternatively, I can display the video on a second monitor and then take notes on the first monitor.
- If I am watching a video that requires me to read detailed lines of text such as math formulas, I prefer to use my iPad as I can position the screen at an angle below the bifocal in my glasses. In these situations, I take notes on the desktop computer or on a laptop.
- If I am watching a video that contains other videos or lots of visual content, I will use Chromecast/Cast to mirror the window with the video lecture to a Smart TV and sit close to the screen. This can help minimize the risk of text getting cut off.
If a video is particularly short or doesn’t require me to take many notes, I might use the Sticky Notes tool on my phone to quickly take notes as I am listening to the video, but I typically use this for taking notes on assignments or brainstorming ideas since it doesn’t offer many text formatting options.
Related links
- How To Make Classroom Videos Easier To See
- Ways I Use My Google Chromecast For Virtual Learning
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- Sideloading and Low Vision
- How To Create A Custom Android Home Screen With Microsoft Launcher
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
Use keyboard shortcuts to pause and rewind
For students accessing video lectures on their computer, I recommend learning the keyboard shortcuts for pause and rewind/fast forward, which can be faster to activate than searching for these buttons visually on a computer. I frequently pause videos to finish writing or to zoom in on paused images using pinch-to-zoom on my iPad, or to write down questions that I might want to ask the instructor about later. This is also where having copies of materials is useful, because I can go back and read the original slides in large print to get clarification if needed.
Related links
- Adapting Accessible Charts: Math Problems and Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible PowerPoints
- Low Vision Assistive Technology For Discussion Board Posts
Minimizing exposure to flashing or fast-moving content
When screensharing content or watching presentations, factors like display latency, animations, or strobe/flashing lights in videos can be distracting or dangerous for students with visual impairments. I talk to my instructors at the beginning of the semester/school year about avoiding flashing lights and providing content warnings, and many of them will provide timestamps or cues for videos or parts of the lecture that contain these types of content so I can fast forward. I also prefer to watch videos included in lectures separately, as lag or buffering can trigger a flickering effect.
Related links
- Avoiding Flashing Lights On Social Media
- How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For Chiari Malformation
Take screenshots of drawings and add to notes
If my instructors add a lot of annotations to an image or show drawings during a presentation, I find it easier to take a screenshot and insert this information directly into my notes, instead of attempting to draw something or enlarge it on the spot.
When presenting images in a video lecture, share key visual features that the audience or student should know about, such as trends in data, arrows that link a sequence of images, or descriptions of graphics that students are expected to include in their notes or that they will need to know about. Including alt text and/or image descriptions is another helpful tool when sharing copies of materials alongside video lectures, as these can be read out loud by a screen reader or “exposed” as a caption so the viewer can receive additional context about an image.
Related links
- Customize Accessibility Settings For Specific Apps
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- How To Make Historical Documents Accessible For Low Vision
Refer to the transcript for clarification, if available
Captions are a helpful tool for following along with spoken content, but large print captions may block out essential content for presentations or make it difficult for students to follow along. This is especially true for auto-generated captions that may have significant errors, and aren’t ideal for audiences learning about a new topic. A more useful option for students with visual impairments is to include a transcript in a Word or plain text file, which can be read in large print, read out loud with a screen reader, or used with a refreshable braille display. After a video lecture, I find it helpful to go back and read through the transcript and make any spelling or word corrections, as well as correct potential errors in my notes.
Related links
- Designing Accessible Documents With Microsoft Word
- Tips For Using VDWrite In The Classroom With Low Vision
More resources for taking notes during video lectures with low vision
- For live video lectures, join the call with sound off, and remain muted unless otherwise instructed. This can prevent screen reader/text-to-speech from leaking through, and reduce auditory distractions.
- Presenters should avoid using virtual backgrounds that have text or visually complex images, as these can be distracting for students and make it difficult to focus on the speaker. I share more information in Choosing The Best Custom Video Backgrounds For Low Vision Audiences
- When looking at screens for long periods of time, students will likely need to take vision breaks/cognitive breaks to avoid burnout or eye fatigue. Learn more about the importance of vision breaks in Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
Published March 23, 2020. Updated September 2024