Technology For Independence: How the CFVI Supports Visually Impaired Students

Hi! My name is Zehra and I’m one of Thomas Pocklington Trust’s Student Voices. I want to talk to you about the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment, or CFVI for short.

The CFVI outlines 11 areas blind and partially sighted young people should receive help and support with. The area I’m going to talk about today is area 7 Accessing Information. This area of the framework considers the teaching of methods children and young people can use to access, manage and produce information as independently as possible.

From my personal experience, this area is important to me because as a visually impaired student, having access to accessible information opened up a whole new world for me.

For some people, accessing information includes the need for assistive technology. For me, this took the form of using my laptop with screen readers and a braille displayer. I also learned to use tactile graphs and resources in my maths and science lessons through assistive technology. Access to eBooks and digital resources allows me to read without the need for reading support, giving me greater independence and confidence. I have also developed a range of digital organisational skills through assistive technology for studying and revision, including file management tools, accessing online calendars, and bookmarking. These skills support me to manage my time effectively and keep up with my work.

Before learning how to use assistive technology, I had to rely on others to help me with my homework and to make notes for me, which meant that I sometimes missed out on important work.

Having access to assistive technology and information in accessible formats now means that I can read my books and course materials independently, complete my university work, and no longer rely on others to access information that’s essential for my studies.

The impact of the CFVI, particularly Area 7, is significant. It helps young people become more independent learners and ensures they can access learning opportunities in the same way as their peers.

Make sure you, your parents and carers and staff at school, college or university are aware of the CFVI as it can help you in lots of different areas if your life, not just health and wellbeing. Find out more information on TPT’s website.