Braille Alphabet

STUDENTS WHO ARE

BLIND OR HAVE LOW
VISION

Ting, Madelaine T.
Yturriaga, Mary Abigail A.

III-10 BS Psychology
Blindness or Low Vision

Blindness can be defined

legally and educationally.
Legal definition based on measurement of:
 Visual acuity, the ability to clearly distinguish forms or

discriminate details at a specific distance.

 Normal vision acuity is measured by reading letters,
numbers, or symbols from a chart 20 feet away.
Example: the Snellen chart
 Legal blindness – condition where visual acuity is
20/200 in the better eye.
 The field of vision refers to the area that normal eyes
cover above, below and on both sides when looking at
the object or when gazing straight ahead.
Normal = approximately a range of 180 degrees.
 Central field of vision – being used when looking
directly at an object.
 Tunnel vision – results from an extremely restricted
field of vision.
Educational definition

 Not all legally blind persons are

totally blind.
 In SpEd, children who are blind are
differentiated from those who have
low vision.
 Types and Causes of Problems
of
1. Errors of Refraction
Vision
 In hyperopia or farsightedness, the lens fails to
focus the light rays from near objects on the retina.
The focus falls behind the retina because the eyes are
too short from front to back. Convex lenses are
prescribed to converge the light rays on the retina to
correct hyperopia.
 In myopia or nearsightedness, the eyes are
abnormally long from front to back and the lens fails to
refract the light rays from distant objects on the retina.
Concave lenses to correct myopia are prescribed to
converge the light rays from far objects on the retina.
 In astigmatism, cornea’s lens is deformed, light
becomes blurred and faulty cylindrical lens is
Hyperopia or Farsightedness
Myopia or Nearsightedness
Astigmatism
2. Imbalance of the eye muscles

 In strabismus, different images are cast on

each retina resulting to cross-eyedness or
squinting.
 Diplopia or double vision results when the
brain cannot fuse the differences in the images
cast on the retina into a single image.

 The condition can be corrected by

prescription lenses, exercises, surgery or a
combination of the three.
 Amblyopia occurs when vision is suppressed
in on eye and it becomes weak or useless.

 Nystagmus is a condition in which there are

rapid involuntary movements of the eyeball
that can result to nausea and vomiting and
dizziness.
3. Diseases of the Eye

 Cataract is caused by the clouding of the lens

which results to progressive blurring of vision
and eventually blindness occur.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when diabetes
mellitus interfere with the flow of blood to
the retina causing it to degenerate.
 Diseases of the retina, the most sensitive
part of the visual mechanism, can be
congenital or present at birth.
 Retinitis pigmentosa is a hereditary condition
that results in the degeneration of retina.
 Glaucoma is the condition in which there is
excessive pressure in the eye.

4. Traumas or accidents
 SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS, AIDS, AND
TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE
BLIND AND WITH LOW VISION

 For Blind Person

Definition Example

1. Braille  is the system of reading

and writing, in which Braille
letters, words, numbers
and others are made
from arrangements
raised by embossed
dots.
 Blind students learn to
read and write in Braille
by using braille like a
typewriter with 6 keys.
2. Typewriter or  for
Braille Typewriter communicatio Braille Typewriter
n and
handwriting is
taught for them
to sign needed
papers.

3. Manipulative  are used in

and Tactile Aids learning Cranmer Abacus
mathematics,
sciences and
social studies.
4. Technological  is a
Aids (Kurzweil sophisticated Kurzweil
Personal Reader) computer with Personal Reader
an optical
character
recognition
(OPR) system
that scans and
reads via a
synthetic voice
typeset and
other printed
matter.
5. Assistive  enables blind
Technology person to
access to
 For a person with low vision:

Definition Example

1. Special optical  to enlarge and Corrective

devices to see regular Eyeglasses
prints clearly

Contact Lenses
2. Large Print  Some books and
other materials are
available in large
print.

3. Classroom  providing materials Adjustable Desk

Modification that would enable
the student to use
vision.

Special Writing Paper

4. Recorded books,  come with the Example:
magazines and other synthetic speech
materials equipment that Audio Books
plays the tapes at
a faster rate.
The Education for Students with
Visual Disabilities
 This started during 1960s as a component of
teacher training program for selected public school
teachers. Blind boys and girls with average or better
mental ability were enrolled in regular classes at the
School Division of Pasay City, Manila and the Teacher
Training Department of the then Philippine Normal
College. At present, the Resources for the Blind
Incorporated collaborates with the Department of
Education in training teachers in mainstreaming blind
and low vision students in public schools all over the
country.

 Most children learn visually through the remaining

senses: audition, touch, olfaction, gestation and other
non-visual experience. Blind children receive
 With the advent of inclusive education
for children and youth who have disabilities,
more and more students who are blind,
deaf, with mental retardation, or with
orthopedic impairments are enrolled in
regular classes
 Rules that can help to make your
student with visual impairment feel
comfortable inside the classroom:
1. Use the words “look” and “see”.
2. Introduce him or her as you would in any of your
students.
3. Include him or her in all class activities.
4. Extend to them the opportunity of being a leader
in class activities.
5. The same disciplinary rules that apply to the rest
of the class should apply as well to the child with
visual impairment.
6. Encourage the blind child to move around the
classroom. (e.g. to get materials or to do certain
activities)
7. Give verbal instructions or oral cues.
8. Provide space to accommodate his or her
special materials.
9. Motivate the seeing classmate to become
interested in topics related to vision and
visual impairment.
10. Your acceptance of the child with visual
impairment will serve as a positive example
to his or her seeing classmates.
11. When approaching the blind student, always
say who you are.
12. The blind student may exhibit certain
mannerisms. Consult the special education
teacher on how to deal with these behaviors.
13. Possible accommodations by area of
disability for students who are blind or have
low vision: