Chapter Four: Working with People who are Visually Impaired or Blind

Approximately 70% of people with severe visual impairments are over the age of 65. Only a small number of people with visual impairments are completely blind. Visual impairments include cataracts, partial sight, and tunnel vision. People with visual impairments must rely on their other senses to obtain information about their environment. Thus, it is very important for you to give people with visual impairments directions that do not rely on sight but other senses.

Social Etiquette

Tell people with visual impairments when you leave, if even for a minute. Also identify how long you will be gone.

Identify to whom you are speaking if there is a group of people present. That way people with visual impairments know to whom you are speaking.

Explain to people with visual impairments where you will place tools and other objects that you bring with you for the installation process. Remember, their surroundings need to remain as consistent as possible to help avoid injury.

Do not move items without telling people with visual impairments. Moving items can be dangerous.

Try to give people with visual impairments options. Rather than telling people with visual impairments what to do, you should try to give them options.

When working with people with visual impairments who use a guide dog, walk on the side opposite the dog.

If people with visual impairments use a cane and have set it down, do not move it. Instead, ask them to move it themselves. Moving the cane may present a hazard to them if they need to move from one place to another.

Greetings

When you approach people with visual impairments, state clearly who you are in a normal tone of voice.

When extending a handshake, say ¿shall we shake hands?¿ so people with visual impairments know what you are doing.

Announce your presence by speaking first. Touch people with visual impairments lightly on the arm to indicate exactly where you are located. Sometimes it is difficult for people with visual impairments to determine exactly where you are because the acoustics of rooms vary.

Look directly at people with visual impairments. This may feel awkward at first because you are used to having direct eye contact with the person with whom you are speaking. People with visual impairments may not be used to looking directly at you, but you should still practice direct eye contact. If you keep direct eye contact, you help people with visual impairments stay focused on where you are in the room. In addition, if you keep direct eye contact, you ensure that you will be more easily heard because you are speaking directly to them.

Providing directions

Provide people with visual impairments verbal directions. Do not grab their arm and attempt to guide them.

When giving directions, be specific. For example, if you are approaching steps, state how many steps and if the steps go up or down.

Avoid giving directions that are clarified through body language. For example, if you say ¿over there,¿ you mean ¿look at where I am pointing.¿ If you say ¿by the green dumpster,¿ you are giving a visual clue. Instead, say ¿Take twelve steps forward, turn to your right, and take six steps forward¿ or ¿Just to the right of the dumpster which is twelve steps from your back exit.¿ You can use shape descriptions if doing so will assist people with visual impairment in understanding the size of an object.