Disability impact area: Low Vision
Individuals with low vision may rely on a variety of technologies and formats to access content. For example, they may enlarge content on their computer screen, use technology which reads the text aloud to them, utilize alternative text included with images to gather information about the visual content, or use a handheld or tabletop magnifier for larger physical content (charts, maps, etc.).
Faculty Next Steps:
- Provide course documents and content in accessible digital format (AsULearn, syllabus, course documents/handouts, etc.), including converting paper materials to electronic. Common barriers for low vision include:
- Text without context via page structure
- Images without alternative text
- Links which are not descriptive
- Review inclusive strategies for presenting content
- Use only high-resolution images/charts so that they can be magnified or enlarged while maintaining clarity.
- Provide a transcript of the subtitles for videos that require subtitles (such as a movie in a language other than English). Subtitles often appear on screen for a limited amount of time, and magnification can hinder the speed at which the student can read the subtitle text.
- Review external platforms regarding accessibility, including library reserves or external tools (i.e., Pearson MathLab, VoiceThread, Labster, Lockdown Browser), activities, etc., to ensure they allow text-to-speech. To find out about a platform’s accessibility:
- Search the platform for the keyword “accessibility”
- Reach out to the vendor or your contact at the company to ask about accessibility features for low-vision. Contact ODR if you need assistance.
- If there are other format considerations not addressed, look through the resources and follow up with ODR for a consultation if needed.