Abstract
This paper summarizes my experience with teaching a first-year, General Chemistry course to a visually impaired student. This includes accommodations and modifications for both the lecture material and the laboratory. Included are also examples of formats and syntax for txt-based quizzes, tests, and laboratory reports, as well as other general accommodations for both the student and the service dog.
Highlights
Students with disabilities, including students who are blind and have low vision (BLV), are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) (Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering, 2017; Isaacson & Michaels, 2015). While it is not well understood why a smaller percentage of students with disabilities pursue a degree in STEM fields than the general population, it is important to support those that do (Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering, 2017)
The American Disabilities Act has laid out general guidelines for accommodations for students with disabilities; these guidelines set out broad and practical considerations such as suggestions for selecting accessible textbooks and providing electronic versions of handouts (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, n.d.)
Specific adaptations for BLV students in laboratory are available (Supalo, 2010; Kroes, Lefler, Schmitt, & Supalo, 2016; Miner, Nieman, & Swanson, 2001; Supalo, Mallouk, Rankel, Amorosi, & Graybill, 2008), as well as limited literature that includes the perspective of BLV students (Harshman, Bretz, & Yezierski, 2013; Supalo, Humphrey, Mallouk, Wohlers, & Carlsen, 2016)
Summary
Students with disabilities, including students who are blind and have low vision (BLV), are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) (Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering, 2017; Isaacson & Michaels, 2015). S was able to comment on some of the lab-specific observations, especially if they were perceived by other senses including smell and heat (Supalo, 2005). S received power point presentation files, which included text and visual representations (figures) of concepts.
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