Low Tech
Colored overlays can be used over paper to help students read. They are said to steady words on a page so that there is less of a visual strain while trying to read. Certain color combinations also make words easier to read so it is important for teachers to pay attention to PowerPoints they create and documents they make. Overlays might not help a student with a severe visual impairment so it will depend on the severity of the disability. Students may be too distracted by the overlay and start playing with it instead of using it to help them. Another low tech tool is a magnifying glass. Students can use this to help them read small text or look at objects they are using. Some students may not want to use them or may not know how to use them correctly. It is important for students to receive proper instruction on how to use the magnifying glass before deciding on whether or not they want to use it or if it helps.
Mid Tech
Audio books are a good tool for students with visual impairments. Students can use headphones to listen to a story being read on the computer. There are a lot of audio book programs available that read a book to a student while highlighting the words that are being read. Students can also read along with a book as it is being read as pictured above. Some books come with a CD to listen to the story. The students have headphones plugged into a stereo system and are able to listen to the story while following along in the actual book. With audio books, students don't have to put much effort into reading which can lead to students being distracted while reading and then losing their place in the book. It is also possible for the CD's to break or get damaged. If the computer doesn't work right or the internet is down then students can't listen to audio books online.
High Tech
High tech devices such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech software are great for students with a visual impairment. Speech-to-text software allows students to say what they want and it will enter the computer as text. Students must make an effort to speak loud and clear so that there is not a mistake when it enters the computer. Text-to-speech software can be used as a self-checking tool to make sure that the speech was clearly understood by the software. Text-to-speech software can also be used for reading material. If a student is researching a topic on the computer and the font is too small or not legible, the text can be read to the student through the speaker system or headphones. Using text-to-speech with online documents may be risky because of inappropriate content that was not previously reviewed or advertisements that are read to the student and can then confuse them.