Can I learn if I can't see?

It's no secret that all of us with struggle with some kind of physical impairment or disability at some point in our lives. Maybe you broke a bone, like me, and spent several months with limited mobility in a limb. Perhaps you struggle to hear, speak, or see the world around you. Our students share these struggles. Some are temporary, and some are permanent. As teachers we need to find a way to help all students learn. 

How many students struggle to see correctly? 

In 2021 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published in the Morbidity and Mortality weekly statistics that I found rather surprising. It looked at children from age 2 to age 17 and found that as children aged, a greater percentage needed glasses or contacts. From a low of 3% of 2 year old boys and girls needing corrective lenses this number grows to 38% of boys and a whopping 48% of girls by the age of 12!

Last year I taught sixth graders (12 years old) and I was lucky to see one or two students in a classroom wearing glasses. There are many reasons for this. The socio-economic status of the families might make it difficult for children to obtain glasses. Glasses can be expensive for people that lack access to insurance. There are also other factors in play. I have seen students get glasses, only to break them after a few days or a week. Then, there are the students that need glasses, but refuse to wear them because they don't look "cool" to their peers. 

How can I help my students that struggle to see?

I work in a Google Chromebook district, and Chromebooks have a number of built in accessibility features geared towards students with visual impairments. Students can enlarge the cursor so it's easier to view on screen. Students can adjust the font size and even use a docked magnifier to enlarge a portion of the computer screen. Many of these features are used with students with Individualized Education Plans (IEP)s but they can be used in the classroom to assist everyone.

There are a number of built-in features in the Chromebook, but are there other tools?

The answer is YES! There are a number of Google Chrome Extensions that help students with visual impairments. Two of my favorites are:

Postlight Reader & Turn Off the Lights

Postlight Reader used to be called Mercury Reader. I'm uncertain as to the reason for the change in name. This is a useful tool for reading webpages and articles. After the extension is enabled (click on it) the screen pares down into a minimal viewing experience. It often removes extraneous images, advertisements and other visual clutter. It creates a minimal distraction viewing experience. This can be combined with another tool, such as a magnifier, to create a very useful reading experience for students. 

Image Source: Screenshot of Jason Hill's computer using Postlight Reader

In my previous post I wrote how YouTube is the number one social media page used by teenagers today. YouTube is also an incredible learning tool. I often supplement my lessons with Ted-Ed videos on Ancient History and the domestication of plants and animals. Turn Off the Lights is a useful extension that help minimize distractions on the YouTube screen. 

Image Source: Personal screenshot by Jason Hill using Turn Off the Lights

Are there any other features or extensions that you found useful? Please comment below.