How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Study if You're Blind or Visually Impaired

Both specialized and non-specialized schools of all levels have plenty of resources to help you study if you’re blind or visually impaired. From assistive technologies to test taking accommodations, there are lots of options to help guarantee your educational success. Talk to your teachers and school’s disability support office about help with taking notes and accessing tools like textbooks with audio recordings. Set yourself up for success by keeping your study materials organized and managing your time effectively.

EditSteps

EditTaking Notes in Class

Ask your teacher to help you prepare for each lecture. Talk to your teacher at the start of the term to discuss how they can help you get the most from each lecture. If possible, make arrangements to show up for class early to preview that day’s lesson.^[1]
- Tell them, “Meeting 15 minutes before class starts to preview the lesson’s main points would be helpful. It’s easier to take and review notes when I know the main aims of a class session.”
- Ask if they use outlines for class sessions and if they’re willing to provide you with them.^[2]
Tell your teacher if you’re using an audio recorder. If you record lectures, talk to your teacher about how they can accommodate you. Test your device with them before class starts to make sure you get a clear recording.^[3]
- Be sure to ask your teacher to verbalize anything they write on chalkboards or other visual aids they use. You can also help your teacher remember that moving around too much or talking with their back to you might muffle the recording.^[4]
Ask for a notetaker. Have your school’s disability support office appoint someone to take notes for you. They can assign you a notetaker, typically another student, and give the note taker a special carbonless notebook to easily create copies of notes.^[5]
- It’s usually easier to study from notes that are already reduced to an outlined, bullet point form. Audio recordings of lectures are great for getting a full description, but it can take time to consolidate a recorded lesson into a quick study outline.
Aim to understand the material. It can be tempting to just try to memorize your notes and recordings. However, you’ll have much more success if you aim to understand the material instead of simply memorizing it. Listen to your recording, pause it, say it to yourself out loud, and write down any questions you need to ask your teacher or personal tutor.^[6]
Attend all extra help or study sessions. Do your best to go to any study sessions that your teacher or peers offer. These will give you more opportunities to ask questions than a typical class session. You can go over your notes or listen to a lecture recording, identify areas where you need clarification, then get a better understanding in study group.^[7]
Meet with your teacher during office hours. If your teacher or professor has office hours, do you best to make regular visits. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions or get clarification on topics giving you trouble. You can also ask about the most important points to study, which will help you organize and consolidate your notes.

EditStaying Organized

Create a comfortable study space. Use a comfortable chair, and choose an area with enough room for adequate desk space, your equipment, and storage for your notes and books. Keep your equipment (such as a reading machine or computer) and storage shelves within arm’s reach. Make sure everything you use, from audio recorders to laptop plugs, has a designated home to reduce the time it takes to locate them.^[8]
Keep your filing systems well-organized. If you use paper storage for your notes, keep them organized by class and date. Label your filing folders using a tactile pen for easy reference. For your digital storage, create file and folder names that include a course title, date, and brief description of their contents.^[9]
Manage your time effectively. Make a study plan at the start of the week and stick to it. List that week’s assignments and break up work into nightly tasks. For example, if you know you have a test on Friday, designate an hour each evening to study each unit included in the test.^[10]
- Remember to pace yourself and take breaks so you don’t spread yourself too thin. It can be taxing to convert text documents and use technological interfaces, especially for long reading assignments.
Reward yourself for meeting your study goals. Come up with small incentives that will help you meet your time management goals. You could have a favorite snack or treat, give yourself time off from schoolwork, or schedule some time for your favorite activity. If you don’t meet your study goals you don’t get your reward, but try not to be too hard on yourself.^[11]

EditUsing Resources and Technology

Meet with your school’s disability support office early. Build a relationship with your school’s disability resource team before the start of the term. They will inform your teachers (with your permission) about any necessary accommodations and help you acquire audio recordings of your textbooks. They can also offer any equipment training you might need to improve your ability to use assistive technologies.^[12]
Arrange test-taking accommodations. When it comes time to take a test, ensure that you’re afforded the proper testing accommodations. These may include the use of readers, scribes, word processors, print magnification, and extra time to take tests.^[13]
- The disability support office will help you arrange accommodations. In addition, their staff will likely administer your tests in a separate, quiet setting.
Use mobile apps that convert text to voice. Assistive apps make it easier to study your notes and textbooks, and are especially useful for materials that don’t already have an audio component. Consider downloading apps for your iOS or Android device such as TapTapSee (http://ift.tt/2jnucEt) or KNFB Reader (http://ift.tt/1tmcyRG).
- You can also find guides for using a variety of assistive technologies here: http://ift.tt/2siVDDe.