Children with Visual Impairments and ICT

Statistics for 2020 show that about 49.1 million people worldwide were blind, 221.4 million had a moderate visual impairment, and 33.6 million people had a severe form of it. Thus, it is fairly likely that there will be individual students with visual impairment in a school classroom, or that an entire class consists of students who are blind or visually impaired. 

Statistics for 2020 show that more than 300 mln people world-wide had visual impairments. Thus, 1 child in a 25-person class on average.

Students with Visual Impairments and the Internet

Websites, social media and smartphone apps have become ubiquitous and are widely used by people of all age groups. Current digital media are primarily visual: they contain images, animations or movies (videos). This makes it more difficult for visually impaired students to fully function on the Internet, and as a result, they may be excluded from their immediate environment, such as their peers. 

READ MORE

Recommendations

  • Media (digital) education of visually impaired children and young people should be carried out from the stage of elementary education. it is Necessary to provide students with appropriate technical equipment.
  • Support from well-trained teachers (both sighted and blind) who are familiar with all the electronic solutions used is essential here.
  • Teachers need to be aware of the ways in which children and adolescents they work with use technology.
  • It is essential to develop digital competencies in blind and visually impaired students, giving them full access to network resources and social interaction.
  • It is key to work with students on their offline social relationships.
  • Teachers should try to develop their students’ ability to initiate and maintain social contacts, including through instant messaging and social media.
  • Teachers should take care of the technical competence of their students, including: proficiency in using the computer keyboard.
  • The educators should bear in mind that the most important issue for visually impaired students is to be able to fully participate in online activities.
  • Educators should also work with sighted students, introducing elements of empathizing during media education classes.
Be Internet Awesome for all Do you want to know how to use the internet and information and communication technologies in your preschool and school work? Visit the website and download our manual!

Check other chapters

BIA full manual

Full manual - Be Internet Awesome For All

Download the complete Be Internet Awesome For All Manual covering groups of children with various individual educational needs.

DOWNLOAD