Overview

Assistive technology for visual impairment

Paths to Technology is designed to assist educators and families in learning and staying current on ever-changing technology for students with visual impairments and blindness.

Wherever you are in your technology journey, you will find help with our library of resources designed to define and disseminate best practices, training, and support for teachers of the visually impaired, braille transcribers, other education professionals, parents, and students themselves.

Choose your path

Paths to Technology has thousands of free resources dedicated to assistive technology for visual impairment, including multimedia books, a lesson library, non-visual digital maps, tactile graphics, and guides to using a variety of technologies for blind and low vision access in the classroom and beyond.

Homework with an A+ on it

Classroom success

 Have a student that is blind or visually impaired in your class? Learn how to create accessible materials and implement classroom strategies for supporting students with visual impairments in specific subject matter courses.

Square root symbol

Accessible digital math

A must-have for math, including how to create digital assignments, how to complete assignments with a screen reader, free accessible math lessons, and so much more for students of all ages (PK through college)

Free resource library

A library of free accessible digital classroom materials created by and for teachers! These materials are perfect for in-school instruction and remote instruction. Get started with one of our four collections: maps, books, lessons and tactile images.

A calendar

Seasonal activities

Explore seasonal activities and holiday-inspired lessons developed by our experts that incorporate must-have technology and access skills and Expanded Core Curriculum concepts in a fun and engaging way.

A digital drawing of a toolbox labeled "Hudson's Tech Toolbox." Inside the box are tools with labels representing assistive technology: a saw labeled “iPad,” pliers labeled “Juno,” a hammer labeled “Color ID,” a wrench labeled “Monocular,” and a measuring tape labeled “Computer.”

Latest from Student Voices

Hudson has low vision and blue cone monochromacy. In this Q&A-style interview, he talks about the tools in his tech toolbox and his experiences with low vision and colorblindness.

University building

Latest from Professional Perspectives

Free resources, tips, and strategies for finding colleges to apply to, researching disability services, and shortlisting colleges, written by a visually impaired student

An abacus

Latest from Events and Webinars

Educators are increasingly asking about tools that promise meaningful math engagement—but finding digital math tools that are truly appropriate for students who are blind or low vision requires careful consideration.

An iPad screenshot of the sonified line dragging lesson in the BLV FirstSteps App: A rubber duck on the left and the bathtub on the right with a thick green line between them.

Latest from TEAM Initiative at Perkins

Teach VoiceOver gestures and screen reader concepts to young students through a gamified app!

Technology curricula

Technology curricula and training resources to assist teachers of the visually impaired to teach technology skills using various devices and software and to track a student’s progress as they develop technology skills.

Start with technology

What does it take for students with a visual impairment or blindness (VIB) to succeed in a digital classroom? How should students be evaluated for a particular device? How do you get started with a new device?

Curricula and resources

Browse complete manuals, directions to complete specific tasks, video tutorials, and specific lesson plans for a variety of devices and software such as JAWS, BrailleNote, NVDA, and iPad.

Quick reference guides

The Quick Reference Guide page contains lists of commands for mainstream technologies and AT software such as JAWS, magnification, Google products, and more.

Checklists and assessments

Basic and comprehensive checklists and assessments designed to help teachers of the visually impaired to track a student’s technology skills and determine technology related IEP goals.