Lucy Mardel, British Council UAE
I teach English to blind and partially sighted students in a training centre for the visually impaired in the UAE so I am lucky enough to know a lot of the assistive technology that is available to your student.

Firstly Juan I would like to reassure you, I don't think there are many EFL teachers who are trained to teach the blind - so no one is expecting miracles from us.

The key to being able to successfully include visually impaired students in a sighted class is a) knowing exactly what your student's needs are, b) planning ahead and c) flexibility.

Establishing your student's needs

• How long has your student been blind?
• Is she a Braille reader? (only a fraction of the blind are)
• Does she know how to use a screen readersuch as JAWS http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp and doesshe have this software herself?
• What assistive technology does she use that she would like to be able to bring to your class? (i.e. BrailleNote http://www.humanware.com/Products/Notetakers/BrailleNoteBT.asp / laptop with screen reader / magnifier if she has low vision / a Braille labeler / Dictaphone).
• If she writes in Braille how will she get it to you in a format you can read?

She will certainly have a good idea of her studyneeds from her experience at school. Talk to her. In our centre training in IT is always given before the English classes because it is crucial to the learners' independence. If your student needs help with using the new software your local Blind Assoc. Argentina Federation of Institutions for the Blind and Visually Disabled People, ASAC - Asociacion de Ayuda al Ciego, or Instituto Helen Keller may be able to help with providing training.

Planning ahead
Once you know in what format your student will access the coursework you can provide it for her in the format she needs, which will almost certainly be in soft copy before the lesson. This means: emailing your worksheets to the student before class; contacting publishers for the word files of the books you use; and planning ahead as far as you can. If she is going to make Braille copies this may take some time - so plan for this delay.

Being flexible
Be flexible in supporting your student to learn the way that is best for her. Do not be flexible in expecting less from her than other students. Your blind student will need support to be able to access all the areas of the course that your sighted students take for granted, she may need to use technology in class that other students are not allowed to, she may need more time to do reading and writing tasks, (as an indication of how much time - our students are given 100% extra time to complete the IELTS exam) - your task is to provide that support without making her feel she is causing problems for you and without the other students feeling they are not getting enough attention. It is a balancing act - but it is possible and having a visually impaired learner in the class can be an amazing learning experience for everyone.

Different ways of Producing written work
Email is a great resource for marking written homework - but if your student hasn't had IT training she could always tape it, or dictate to a scribe. In tests most of my students work independently using screen readers or their BrailleNotes. This means that you will need to produce the test in soft copy. For external exams such as the Cambridge suite, where this is not possible a human reader is needed. Is there a volunteer agency you can ask to help you provide this?

Including the other senses
Because all my students are visually impaired I rely almost entirely on the other senses to input and practice language in context. There are many ways to do this. You can use sound files instead of flash cards (search for these using http://www.findsounds.com/). The students use modeling equipment, such as plastercine and wikkistix (www.wikkistix.com/ ) to make graphs and charts (very good for IELTS prep) maps and simple pictures. The RNIB (http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/) sells pens with a different smell for each colour. Many films on DVD are now being produced with an additional track which is an audio description for the blind, soon these will be as common as subtitles for the deaf, but for now you need to check the back of each DVD to see if it is included.

There are also machines which can produce tactile visuals - of course they are not cheap, so it is unlikely that the institution where you teach will have access to one, but if you contact the Argentinean Blind Assoc. they may be able to tell you who has one or who can make these graphics in your area.


Amy Newell
I understand the challenges you are facing, as I have worked with a few visually impaired students. Here where I live, in Spain, the ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles) is a strong, dynamic organization with a wealth of material related to the needs of the blind. Perhaps you could find a similar organization in your country to help you, or you could contact the ONCE or visit their website for information and ideas (www.once.es). Since you are from a Spanish-speaking country, this should be easy for you. Good luck!

Glynnis McCourt, ESOL Team Leader, City Campus, Manchester
There is a new publication out (NIACE / DfES) called ESOL Access for All that is part of the Skills for Life materials. The Access for All is a support curriculum for the national ESOL curriculum but covers all sorts of aspects of working with students who have learning difficulties for whatever reason. At the moment it is hard to get hold of, but I have seen it and it does exist! Also the LSN (old LSDA) has done research on working with ESOL students who have learning difficulties so might be worth going onto their website: http://www.lsneducation.org.uk/. Hope that helps.

Clement U. Chukwudifu, Loyola Jesuit College, Nigeria.
Juan, your case is not peculiar. I have successfully taught English to, and I am still teaching, blind students in the same class with sighted ones, for over twenty years. First, I taught blind students at King's College, Lagos and now, at Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.

All you need is the courage and energy to prepare specially for them by making more use of auditory rather than visual examples. You need to record on audio tapes, the comprehension passages for them. This may take your time but the reward is wonderful.

On the other hand, there are softwares for the visually impaired nowadays in the market. You may have to explore the possibility of securing one for your student/s. You may also have to ask for the Brailling of their textbooks and resource materials. There are charitable organisations that produce them these days. Check the net for them and you will get the help you need.

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