Introduction
What is visual impairment (VI) ?
VI refers to the vision of the better eye which, even with glasses or corrective surgery, cannot be corrected to the normal level. Ophthalmologists classify an individual as having mild, moderate, or severe visual impairment or total blindness according to his/her visual acuity, visual field and other factors. Children with VI may exhibit the following:
- often knocking down or bumping into objects unaccountably which may cause injuries;
- unwilling to move around;
- not engaging in eye contact during conversation;
- often tilting their heads when trying to see objects in detail;
- having difficulties in describing the light intensity, distance, volume or colour of objects;
- often keeping a very close distance to the books when reading or writing; and
- skipping lines frequently when reading.
If I suspect that my child might have VI, I should...
…arrange assessment and examination for my child as early as possible so that appropriate treatment and intervention can be rendered. I should also initiate contact with the student support team and class teacher so that the school can arrange appropriate support services.
After my child is assessed to have VI, I should…
(1) Visual condition
- provide the school with the visual condition and related information of my child as soon as possible;
- pay attention to my child’s visual condition and arrange regular vision assessment for him/her in accordance with the advice of ophthalmologists or related professionals; and
- maintain communication with the student support team, class teacher and subject teachers to understand my child’s learning in school, and discuss appropriate support strategies with them when necessary.
(2) Reading and writing
- pay attention to the direction and intensity of light sources to facilitate my child’s reading and writing; and
- be vigilant about whether my child encounters any difficulties if he/she uses Braille or tactile graphics, and seek help and professional advice from the school and the resource teacher (under the Resource Support Programme for Students with VI) when needed.
(3) Use of assistive aids
- encourage my child to use suitable assistive aids to enhance his/her learning effectiveness, including Braille books, audio CDs, telescopes, magnifying glasses, closed-circuit television (CCTV) magnifiers, computers and Braille displays.
(4) Development of concepts
- provide clear instructions on directions and distance to strengthen my child’s sense of direction and spatial relationship; and
- describe objects and concepts to my child concretely and guide him/her to use various sensory skills to explore so as to help him/her develop related concepts.
(5) Orientation and mobility
- let my child hold my arm while walking to let him/her know whether he/she is moving on a flat surface, going upstairs/downstairs, or changing directions through my movements; and
- participate in community and outdoor activities with my child to let him/her practise orientation and mobility skills, and enrich his/her life experience.
(6) Communication skills
- remind my child to face the person whom he/she is talking or listening to and encourage him/her to express his/her feeling and needs in an appropriate manner;
- observe whether my child is able to keep a tidy appearance and good posture, and remind him/ her to do so when necessary, thus making him/her more approachable; and
- develop your child’s verbal, hearing and tactile communication abilities through daily activities.
(7) Life skills
- let my child participate in the household chores that are within his/her capabilities so as to train up his/her life skills; and
- teach my child to keep the house tidy to avoid accidents, e.g. keep the floor dry and place objects in an orderly manner.