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Vision impairment in educational terms is any diagnosed condition of the eye or visual system that impacts on access to learning. Disease, damage or injury causing vision impairment can occur to any part of the visual system i.e. the eye, the visual pathway to the brain or visual centre of the brain. Vision impairment can be present at birth, occur at any time from disease or accident, be part of a medical condition or syndrome. Most visual conditions in children are stable and vision remains relatively unchanged. Some conditions, however, are progressive, resulting in reduced vision over varying periods.1
As indicated on the Special Education home page, inclusion is a preferred educational option wherever this is possible and every effort is usually made to achieve this. Where this is not possible, special classes or special schools involving curriculum and staffing modifications are used.
This page looks at associations, selected educational sites including schools and teaching centres and vision technology.
The Second Page looks at resources, parent sites, children’s sites, government bodies, strategies, techniques, magazines, journals and other vision information.
The Special Education Resources page provides further options from Australia and overseas.
If you are aware of any worthwhile information which is not included, suggestions or additions are welcome and will be given due consideration.
Associations
Australian Sites
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Australian Braille Authority [ABA]
‘The Australian Braille Authority oversees the development and maintenance of Braille codes and specifications used in Australia’. - Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register
‘The Register collects accurate information on children who have been formally diagnosed. This information is used to establish the number of affected children, the causes and levels of vision impairment and whether these children have additional disabilities. The information is vital when planning for better services and treatment for children’. Find all details here. - Blind Citizens Australia
‘Our mission is to achieve equity and equality by our empowerment, by promoting positive community attitudes, and by striving for high quality and accessible services which meet our needs’. -
Retina Australia
‘Retina Australia is committed to raising funds for research into the detection, prevention, treatment and cure of inherited retinal dystrophies’. - Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind
‘Australia’s premier provider of educational services to children with hearing and/or vision impairment’. Their Internet Resources list is worth visiting. - Seeing Eye Dogs Australia
‘Seeing Eye Dogs Australia provides Australians who are blind or vision impaired with the opportunity to participate as active members of the community’. -
Support Groups
‘Support groups exist to ensure that people who have vision loss or who have been newly diagnosed as blind or having low vision have the opportunity to meet with others who may be experiencing similar feelings’. Several state listings are given as well as a national listing. - The Fred Hollows Foundation
- Vision 2020 Australia
‘A partnership of over 50 organisations from the eye health and vision care sector working together to eliminate avoidable blindness and improve vision care’. - Vision Australia
‘Largest provider of blindness and low vision services in Australia, enabling more than 41 000 children and adult clients to live the lives they choose’.
State Bodies
- Association for the Blind of WA
Also includes Guide Dogs WA. Information, publications, personal stories. - Blind Citizens Australia
Victorian. Branches, consultants, equipment, other links. - CanDo4Kids
‘We provide a range of community services to South Australian children and young people who have sensory impairments’. - Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Guide Dogs and more in vision impairment. - Guide Dogs Victoria
Guide Dogs and more in vision impairment. - Queensland Blind Association
Information multiple directories, topics from Adaptive Technology to Queensland Support Groups. - The Royal Society for the Blind
‘Providing services to South Australians who have a severe vision impairment. These services are delivered by a professional, committed and highly qualified team supported by volunteers’.
International Sites
- Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Working ‘to increase awareness of rights and responsibilities, so blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted individuals can have equal access to the benefits and opportunities of society’. - American Foundation for the Blind
Information grouped under 4 main headings plus a search engine. If something needs to be covered then you will find it here. - Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Information, resources. In English and French. - Foundation Fighting Blindness [Ireland]
‘The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa [RP], macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases’. - National Federation of the Blind
‘The largest and most influential membership organisation of blind people in the United States. Improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence’. - Royal National Institute of the Blind
UK organisation. An array of information and resources. - Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
‘New Zealand’s primary provider of vision-related services to blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people’. - Sightsavers International
‘Works to combat blindness in developing countries, restoring sight through specialist treatment and eye care’. - SPEVI
‘South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment Inc acts as the professional body in matters pertaining to the education and support of children and young people who are blind or have low vision within the South Pacific region. This includes children and young people who are deaf-blind and those with vision and additional disabilities’. - World Blind Union
‘The only organisation entitled to speak on behalf of blind and partially sighted persons of the world, representing 162 million blind and visually impaired persons from about 600 different organisations in 158 countries’.
Education Sites
Sites covering education and schooling. Check other relevant state/territory links on the main Special Education page.
- ACT Disability Education Section
Covers special education including those with a visual disability. - Disability Programs NSW
Covers all aspects of special education including those with a visual disability. - Program for Students with Disabilities
Handbook
Victorian. Information, downloadable documents, vision impairment support, guidelines. - Special Options SA
Information, downloadable PDF files showing special class, unit and school locations, including those for Vision. - Vision Brochure - TAFE NSW
Covers blindness and vision impairment assistance available for TAFE students. For other help in finding Services at individual institutes of TAFE in& NSW, use this link. - Vision Impairment ?
Education Queensland. Information search, publications, activities, support strategies. For more information on Vision Impairment ?, go here. - Vision Impairment - Northern
Territory
Overview then links to further information.
Selected Schools & Teaching Centres
- Kilparrin [SA]
‘Kilparrin Teaching and Assessment School and Services provides on- preschool and school programs and a statewide support service for learners with complex sensory impairment/s and additional disabilities’. - Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind
One of Australia’s largest educators of children with special visual needs. - St. Edmund’s [NSW]
‘A co-educational Catholic special high school for students who are blind, vision impaired or with other special needs’. - St Lucy’s School [NSW]
‘Excellence in education for children with disabilities’. Primary. - South Australian School for Vision Impaired
Information includes this specific school and services which it co-ordinates across the state. - Vision
Impairment Service [Tas]
‘Works collaboratively with all participants in the support of children with a vision impairment and their families in home, school and community settings’. Overview and contacts.
Vision Technology
Low Technology
Includes aspects such as audio and large print, braille, etc..
Braille
- Braille
Multiple directories including Fact Sheets, General Information, Instruction, Transcription, Books & Magazines, Other Indexes. - Braille [Wikipedia]
The alphabet, the Braille Cell, writing Braille, Braille transciption, Braille for other scripts, links. - Braille
Bicentenary
‘Braille, how Braille works, learning braille, resources for schools and more. From the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the UK. - Braille Bug
Helps primary level children, without vision difficulties, gain a better understanding of Braille. - Braille Factsheet
Better Health Victoria in conjunction with Vision Australia. - Braille Resources
Introduction to Braille, companies for Braille products [mostly US], other tactile applications, resources & organisations. - The Tactual Learner
Information, Tips & Tricks, Reference Sheets, those with additional impairments including the Australian Braille Authority.
- Materials in Alternative Format
Links, many Australian, under both headings. Includes audio books, etc.. - Technology Information
Sheets
‘Technology for people with sight problems. Download the technology information sheets’. Several are provided such as Mobile Phones.
High Technology
Includes areas such as software, technical equipment, etc..
- Access Technology For Students with Vision Impairments
‘Products and support available for students with vision impairments - includes computer access [voice, enlargement, braille, scanning etc.], calculators, curriculum support materials [dictionaries, e-text, atlases, literacy tools etc.], electronic magnification devices’. - Adaptive Technology
Brief description of several formats. Links to suppliers. Most are international. - Adaptive Technology Links
Annotated links for suppliers, information and specific technology from books to high tech materials. - Assistive Technology - General
Annotated links to information and technology. - Professional Learning SVRC
‘A reasonably priced annual program of Professional Development activities which is open to Visiting Teachers, class and subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, parents, students and members of the wider community’. - Suppliers of Assistive Technology
Australian and international suppliers. Contact details or web sites provided. - Technologies for the Visually Impaired Inc.
‘An exciting array of adaptive devices, software and accessories specifically designed for use by blind or visually impaired individuals’. -
Trekker
‘A revolutionary system that uses GPS and digital maps to help blind persons find their way in urban and rural areas. GPS lets them know their location, anywhere in the world, with continually growing precision’. Fits in the palm of their hand. - Software : check the Education Software pages for software in this area.
References
- 1. Vision Impairment - What is vision impairment [VI] ? Education Queensland, 18 Sept. 2007. Web. 20 Jan. 2010. http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/learning/disability/generalinfo/vision/vi2.html.