Blindness
Progress:
Ten Need to Know Facts about Blind Students
- There are several varying degrees of vision loss and blindness that can be the result of varying eye-conditions and circumstances. For example, some blind or vision impaired people may see some colours better than others, but these colours are not always the same. Example, yellow may be a colour that stands out for some, but not for others.
- Not all blind and vision impaired people use a cane or a guide dog. Just because someone does not use a cane or a dog does not mean that they are not vision impaired.
- Some people may have been blind since birth, whilst others may have experienced vision loss at some stage during their life.
- Many blind people will tell you that simply being blind does not mean that their other senses are automatically amplified. For example, sometimes people assume that a blind person will have supersonic hearing to make up for their blindness when in reality a blind person’s sense of hearing may just be more refined because it is used more often than the average sighted person may use their hearing.
- Don’t ever try and avoid using words such as “look”, “see”, or “watch” in front of blind people or phrases like, “Sorry, I know you can’t really have watched it, but did you hear that program on TV last night?” Blind people use these words all the time so don’t think you’ll offend them by using these normal words!
- Blind people can and do go to the movies!
- Ask a blind person what they can do before you assume that they can’t do something. For example, most blind people (unless they have an additional physical disability) are perfectly able to use stairs and do so every day!
- Not all blind people are slow walkers!
- If a blind person is using a cane it is a tool to help them get around. Try not to touch the cane or use it to guide the blind person or show them where things are with it. Describe where it is and let them find it, or direct them to it without holding the cane.
- Some blind students may prefer to be guided, while others may not. If unsure, ask the student if they wish to be guided, don’t just grab their arm.
About this Guide
This Guide has been written by University of Melbourne students.
It is intended to provide academics with a student perspective on how their condition affects their studies at the University.
Enquiries
If you have any enquiries about this course or accessibility in general, please contact Andrew Normand, Web Accessibility Program Leader.
Email: anormand@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9035 4867