|
Adjustment |
Barrier it addresses |
What the teacher does |
What to avoid |
|
Accessible, structured documents by default |
Scanned image-only PDFs are entirely unreadable by screen readers |
Produce every document as tagged, structured text |
Distribute scanned image-only PDFs as standard practice |
|
Verbal description of visuals |
Diagrams and slides convey information invisibly to a screen-reader user |
Describe key visual content aloud, and follow up with a text description |
Say 'as you can see here' without describing the content |
|
Equipment matched to the individual |
Standard equipment packages can be unusable or unwanted for a specific student |
Ask the student directly what support helps, and adjust accordingly |
Issue a default equipment package regardless of fit |
|
Verified exam accessibility |
An adjustment agreed on paper does not guarantee it reaches an invigilator |
Confirm with everyone delivering the assessment that the adjustment is in place |
Assume an agreed adjustment will be automatically applied |
|
Extra time / accessible exam format |
Adapting inaccessible material in real time costs significant extra time |
Apply agreed extra time and accessible formats consistently |
Provide accessible formats only when a problem is flagged |
|
Examination panel representation |
A written assessment process alone can disadvantage some blind applicants during admissions or entrance testing |
Where relevant, involve a specialist representative in exam design or panel review, as some institutions already do |
Assume a standard exam process is neutral by default |
|
Oral assessment alternative |
Some written formats create barriers unrelated to subject knowledge |
Offer verbal delivery of questions and oral response as an alternative where appropriate, with note-taking support as needed |
Assume a written-only format is the only valid way to assess understanding |
Most barriers here are about how materials and systems are built, not about vision itself — building accessible formats in from the start removes the need to rely on individual adjustments working perfectly every time.