Accommodations For Employees Wth Visual Impairment

Accommodations

Questions to Consider

1. What limitations is the employee with the vision impairment facing?
2. How do these limitations affect the employee and the employee’s job performance?
3. What specific job tasks are problematic due to these limitations?
4. What accommodations are available to overcome these problems?
5. Are all possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations?
6. Has the employee who has the vision impairment been consulted regarding possible accommodations?
7. Would the employee who has a vision impairment be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations and to determine whether additional accommodations are needed?
8. Do other employees need training regarding employees who have vision impairments?

Additional Considerations

No vision considerations:

• Does the individual read Braille?
• Does the individual use a cane, navigational aid, or animal to assist with mobility?

Low vision considerations:

• Is the individual’s condition progressive or stable?
• Does the individual benefit from magnification?
• Does the individual use corrective lenses or assistive devices?
• Does the individual use a cane, navigational aid, or animal to assist with mobility?

Color vision deficiency considerations:

• What colors does the individual have difficulty distinguishing?
• Would the individual benefit from special red contact lens worn on one eye or prescription glasses?
• Do the individual’s job functions need the use of talking products that scan a color and announce a description of the color?

Accommodation Ideas

===Reading Printed Materials

Low Vision:

• Closed circuit television (CCTV) system, which is also known as an electronic or video magnifier
• Hand, stand, or portable magnifier
• Information in large print (font size to be 16-18 points)
• Photo copier enlarged paper material
• Color paper, acetate sheet, or overlay to increase color contrast between printed text and document background
• Optical devices such as monoculars or binocular systems, loupes, or prism spectacles
• Frequent breaks to rest eyes when fatigue is a factor

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Auditory versions of printed document
• Braille formatted document
• Reformatted document that displays as accessible Web page
• Optical character recognition (OCR), which scans printed text and provides a synthetic speech output or text-based computer file
• Hiring a qualified reader
• Tactile graphic document

Accessing Computer Information

Low Vision:

• Increased operating system font size with large-size computer monitors
• Screen magnification software
• Locator dots and/or large print keyboard labels for keyboard navigation
• External computer screen magnifier
• Flicker-free monitor
• Anti-glare guard and computer glasses to reduce glare
• Frequent breaks to rest eyes when fatigue is a factor

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Screen reading software
• Computer Braille display
• Qualified reader

Accessing a Telephone

Low Vision:

• Large print/color labels or tactile markings on telephone to identify keys and lines
• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Telephone light sensor or vibrator, which is held over a phone line to indicate if a line is lit steady or blinking
• Talking telephone console indicators and message displays

Working with Money

Low Vision:

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier

• Task lighting or headlamp

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Talking money identifier, cash register, coin counter/sorter, calculator
• Training on how to fold money for identification purposes

Reading from Instrument or Control Board

Low Vision:

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier
• Large print/color labels or tactile markings on telephone to identify keys and lines
• Task lighting
• Glare reduction

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Braille/tactile labels or indicators
• Qualified reader
• Instrument modification by manufacturer, rehabilitation engineer, or employer

Repairing, Constructing, Assembling Pieces/Parts

Low Vision:

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier
• Task lighting
• CCTV

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also):

• Braille/tactile labels or indicators
• Talking multimeter, micrometer, caliper, stud finder, level, tape measure
• Tactile ratchet-action wrench

Mobility

• Service animal and/or mobility aid (e.g., cane, electronic aid)
• Mobility and orientation training
• Detectable warning surfaces
• Colored and/or textured edges on stairs
• Improved area lighting
• Traveling/evacuation partner
• Tactile map of evacuation and common routes
• Talking landmark or global positioning system

Driving

• Shift change to daylight hours
• Driver (e.g., hired driver, volunteer, coworker)
• Public transportation or carpool
• Modified or flexible work schedule to meet public transportation needs
• Reassignment
• Telework

Working with Light Sensitivity

• Lower wattage of overhead lights
• Task or alternative lighting
• Full spectrum lighting and/or filters
• Flicker free lighting
• Tinted optical wear
• Workstation relocation
• Window treatments

Distinguishing Colors

• Labels
• X-Chrome lens
• Prescribed glasses for color discrimination
• Colored acetate sheets
• Assistant to identify colors such as a volunteer or co-worker

Other Accommodation Considerations

• Training materials or company correspondence in alternate format (e.g., large print, Braille, CD-ROM, audiotape)
• Time off for training on adaptive technology, mobility training, and/or service animal training
• Additional training beyond what is typically given to others
• Accessible versions of employee related Web sites or Intranet material