College Preparation Tips for Blind and Low Vision Students
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Preparing for college can be daunting, especially if you’re blind or have low vision. However, this article aims to simplify this process by offering guidance as you prepare for and embark on this new journey. It will highlight college-preparedness strategies through first-hand perspectives of blind/low vision college graduates and professionals who work on college campuses. We aim to provide a ready-to-use guide for students seeking information about higher education preparation.
Step 1: Campus Navigation
When selecting where you plan to attend college/university, get a lay of the land to learn the environment in which you will live and learn for the next 4+ years. Think about where you currently live. Is it rural? If so, what are your feelings about moving to a different setting, such as a city? Importantly, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the institution in an urban or city setting?
- Is it in a suburban or “college-town” environment?
- Is the university in a more rural setting than you currently live in?
- What types of public transportation or transit are available in the area?
- What’s the layout of the campus environment? Is it a large, sprawling campus or a smaller campus footprint?
- Is the campus central to resources you may need, like the grocery store and pharmacy, or is it farther away from necessities that you would need/want to be able to walk or take a bus to?
Once you determine the location of your university, you’ll want to identify how you plan to navigate the spaces on and off campus.
Preparing to Navigate Campus
Navigating the new college/university environment can be an adventure best accomplished before classes start, if possible. You can familiarize yourself with the spaces you’ll need and grow more comfortable and confident in your mobility. Requesting the assistance of an Orientation & Mobility Instructor may be of benefit to you.
Jackie Cortez-Garcia, a Clemson University graduate student, shares: “You will want to look for any resources that you would need on campus before you actually get there. Figuring out where lecture halls are, where the testing center is [for example,] just so that you would be more prepared and not so stressed the day-of. I would try to do this by myself because I could take my time and really take this [information] all in. [What I thought] about a lot was mobility; big city areas vs. college-town areas. Look into transportation systems on and off campus. Proximity of restaurants, etc” (J. Garcia-Cortez, personal communication, June 2024).
Orienting to the Campus
In order to set yourself up for campus navigation, you will likely want to address your mobility questions ahead of time.
Dr. Brandi Levingston, Interim Director of the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO) office at Virginia Commonwealth University, notes, “Go to the campus and familiarize yourself with the campus. Once classes begin, it becomes more difficult to familiarize yourself with campus” (B. Levingston, personal communication, June 2024).
By navigating the campus environment before the start of a new semester, students can learn the daily routes that they’ll need to navigate to and from campus locations that are important to them. For example, you can learn the path to the dining hall and/or campus eateries from the residence halls, how to find important campus centers like the disability services office and the library, etc.
Encountering O&M Challenges
When learning how to navigate the campus environment, it’s also important to remember that you may encounter some challenges when you get to campus. However, knowing that these hiccups may arise and how you might work through them is foundational to your transition to college.
For example, you may encounter construction work on campus that could change the route you must take to class. Or your campus may host an event wherein you’ll need to find detours to get to and from the dining hall. Addressing your central routes to and from campus spaces is important, but understanding that there may be unforeseen obstacles and how you plan to navigate them is an important step in the daily task of getting to and from your classes.
Campus navigation is just one piece of the puzzle you’ll want to get a head-start on. It’s important to note that learning how to navigate independently around an unfamiliar environment is always a learning process. Be kind to yourself on this journey – you’ve got this, as Cortez-Garcia reminds us: “Just be nice to yourself – be patient with yourself. It’s going to be OK. You will continue to adapt” (J. Cortez-Garcia, personal communication, June 2024).
Step 2: Assistive Technology
Whether you attend online or in-person college classes, your technology will often be a central feature of your higher education experience.
“Assistive tech! Get it! Use it! Know how to use it! Whatever [your technology] is, make sure that you have it and know how to use it”
Dr. B. Levingston, personal communication, June 2024
As a blind or low vision college student, you are the expert in the technology that will work best for you. As a result, you’ll want to ensure you arrive on campus equipped with the technology you plan to use in college.
Your technology will likely be the most utilized item in your college career. For example, you will need to use your technology to retrieve course materials, read your textbooks, work on your projects/homework assignments, write your papers, and complete your exams. You’ll want to ensure your assistive technology is compatible with the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). To do this, you may need to connect with your college or university’s disability services office to familiarize yourself with the LMS for your institution and/or to explore the types of materials you’ll encounter in. your classes to ensure that they are accessible to you.
Technology Compatibility
However, there may be instances where your technology does not work with the class you are taking or where your course materials are inaccessible due to their format or design. If this happens, you’ll want to know how to troubleshoot using your campus services office and/or local vocational rehabilitation services office.
Dr. Levingston shares the importance of connecting with these resources early and often: “Connect with your local vocational rehabilitation services before starting college. They can connect you to everything. That, along with your college’s disability office, would be my two starting points. You’ll want to figure out your options when your technology will not work. This would be [a conversation] with the accessibility services office on your campus. When you arrive at college with a clearer understanding of the type of technology that works best for you, this will help inform your discussions with your campus accessibility services office and your professors about how you will engage with course materials. Remember, resources are available to help get you started on your assistive technology journey in college” (B. Levingston, personal communication, June 2024).
Step 3: Accessibility Services
As a blind or low vision college student, you’ll likely need to set up a discussion with your campus’s disability services office in advance of the start of the semester. An early meeting will allow you to discuss your assistive technology plans and your accommodation needs in the various facets of college life and explore any challenges you may experience.
You’ll want to work closely with your services office to gather information on course materials like textbooks in case you need to obtain your books in an alternative format, which may take some time. Your campus services office will be able to work with you and your professors to proactively plan for the semester ahead.
Preparing for the Meeting
In preparation for meeting with the services office on your college campus, it’s important to review the specific guidelines that they have in place for when you are requesting accommodations.
For example, the disability services office may require that you provide documentation of your disability. Documentation could include (but is not limited to) previous accommodation information from high school and/or a letter from your medical provider that discusses your vision and how it impacts you. The office at your particular institution will have its own guidelines regarding documentation, so it’s important that you know what those guidelines are before requesting accommodations.
Once you’ve registered for classes, your office will meet with you to discuss your access needs further and explore various accommodations. Once you’ve established accommodations (if you choose to use them in college), you can always work with the office if you encounter new challenges.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve decided to embark on the journey of attending college. This is an exciting and challenging time. As you prepare for this new chapter, it’s important to remember the following: campus navigation and mobility, assistive technology, and accessibility services. These elements work together to allow you access to your college education. It is now your job to continue to reach for the sky!