Noelle Paredes-Plaza
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Ontario Tech University
Abstract
This chapter explores the role of assistive technology in supporting the academic pursuit of students with visual impairments in post-secondary education. Research shows that assistive technology most used by students with visual impairments includes screen readers, scanners, and text magnification apps. Moreover, ubiquitous mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops are becoming popular tools for their built-in assistive features. Despite technological advancements, students continue to face learning barriers such as accessibility and lack of training. Therefore, to meet the needs of students with visual impairments, educators should apply various frameworks when implementing appropriate assistive technologies in the curriculum.
Keywords
accessibility, assistive technology, disability, higher education, mobile technology, post-secondary, visual impairment
Introduction
A national survey on disability found that over 1.5 million Canadians aged 15 or older reported having a visual impairment (VI) or a sight disability (Statistics Canada, 2018). A visually-impaired person has a sight condition that cannot be fixed by standard corrective eyewear, such as glasses or contact lenses (Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2018). Furthermore, a person is considered legally blind when they possess one-tenth of their 20/20 vision or have a range of peripheral vision less than 20 degrees (Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2018). Although VI encompasses several eye conditions, from low vision to complete blindness, visual impairment does not describe “what an individual can do but, rather, acts as a classification system that describes how well an individual can see” (Colclasure et al., 2016, p. 1).
The survey also revealed that roughly 48% of youth and young adults with a disability relied on at least one type of assistive technology (AT) to aid them in their school work (Statistics Canada, 2021). Assistive technology refers to devices designed or adapted to help people with disabilities perform activities that “might otherwise be difficult or impossible” (University of Washington, 2022, para. 1). Post-secondary students with disabilities (SWD) have used various AT since the late 1990s. Cost and compatibility issues, however, often presented barriers to accessibility (Fichten et al., 2014). Nevertheless, several researchers have noted the integral role of AT in providing students with disabilities flexibility and independence in achieving their learning goals (Lamond and Cunningham, 2020). Although AT have gained mandatory status in higher education (Heiman & Shemesh, 2012), they must be carefully implemented and assessed through appropriate frameworks to ensure that assistive technology effectively dismantles academic barriers for students with visual impairments.
Background Information
Barriers to Education
While assistive technologies have enabled SWD to engage acad