Republic of the Philippines

Philippine National School for the Blind

Schools Division Office - Pasay City

Visual impairment means a person has a level of vision loss that affects daily activities, learning, or mobility. It includes low vision and blindness.

Causes include congenital conditions (from birth), illnesses, accidents, refractive errors, and age-related eye diseases. Some causes can be corrected, while others cannot.

Low Vision
A person with low vision still has usable sight but has difficulty seeing even with eyeglasses. They may see blurred shapes, limited details, or only within a small area. 

Blindness
Blindness means a person has very limited vision or no functional vision at all. Some may still detect light, shadows, or movement, while others may have no light perception. 

• Give verbal descriptions of visual content

• Provide Braille, large print, or audio materials

• Use hands-on and tactile learning

• Allow extra processing time

• Include assistive technology like screen readers

They may use:

• Braille

• Large print

• Screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)

• Audio books

• Note-taking devices or tablets

They may answer through:

• Braille test papers

• Large-print versions

• Oral exams

• Audio format

• Digital tests using screen readers

• A reader or scribe, if needed

• Accessible learning materials

• Extra time for written tasks

• Clear seating near the teacher

• Clutter-free paths in the classroom

• Assistive devices (magnifiers, tablets, tactile tools)

• Offer your elbow instead of pulling them

• Walk at a natural pace

• Warn them about stairs, uneven floors, doors, or obstacles

• Do not rearrange the classroom without telling them

• Orientation & Mobility

• Assistive Technology

• Independent Living Skills

• Career Education

• Social Interaction Skills

• Recreation and Leisure

• Sensory Efficiency

• Self-Determination

• Read aloud what is written on the board

• Describe images and charts

• Provide digital copies for compatibility with screen readers

• Use tactile materials

• Give enough time for note-taking and movement