People with Blindness or Vision Loss
Adapted from training materials developed by United Cerebral Palsy
Fact
- Vision loss varies tremendously. In the same manner, the need and preference for accommodations varies as well.
Interaction Tips
- When greeting someone, identify yourself by name and introduce anyone else who might be present. If the person does not extend their hand to shake hands, verbally extend a welcome.
- You may offer the use of your arm (at around the elbow), walking as you normally would. This enables you to guide, rather than steering/leading the individual. When entering a narrow space, move your guiding arm behind your back as a signal they should walk directly behind you. Give verbal instructions as well. If the individual is using a cane or guide dog, you may still offer assistance, especially in an unfamiliar place.
- Service dogs are working animals that guide people with blindness and vision loss and they should not be treated as pets. Do not give them instructions, play with them, or pet them while they have their harness on. They are permitted to enter any public facility, including restaurants.
- A cane is part of an individual's personal space. Do not touch or steer a person's cane.
- People with vision loss have individual needs regarding how they best receive information. Large print is only useful for people who have some vision. Not all people with visual disabilities use Braille. Many people with vision loss may prefer to receive information on an audiotape or in electronic form such as by disk or email. It is important to get this information to the individual before the meeting so they have time to review it. Ask in advance to confirm preferences and needs.
- Address questions, comments, or concerns directly to the individual, not to a person in their presence.
- Let the person know if you move your location or if the conversation needs to end. Verbally close a conversation and announce your departure before leaving a room.
- When guiding an individual through a doorway, inform them about whether the door opens in or out and to the right or left. You may offer direction if the individual is using a cane or guide dog, especially in an unfamiliar place.
- Before ascending or descending steps, come to a complete stop and inform the person regarding the direction (up or down) and approximate number of steps there are. If there is a handrail, inform them of the location. If there is a choice between an escalator and an elevator, ask the person which they prefer.
- When giving a description of the surroundings, use descriptive phrases relating to sound, smell, and distance. Be as specific as possible and describe obstacles in the path of travel. Give clock clues: "The desk is at 3 o'clock."
- Give verbal cues when offering seating. Place the individual's hand on the back of the chair, and they will not require further assistance.
- When dealing with money, count bills separately and identify the denomination of the bills. This is not usually necessary with coins that can be identified by touch.
- When reading for a person, first describe the information to be read. Use a normal speaking voice and do not skip information unless requested to do so.
Examples of Accommodations
- Provide text in alternate formats: large print (18-point font), Braille, computer disk, audio cassette.
- It may be helpful to place a page magnifier over standard text.
- "Screen reader" software and other such text-to-voice computer programs.
Resource
©The National Service Inclusion Project is a cooperative agreement (#01CAM0016) between the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston in collaboration with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.