Courses: Disability/Visual Awareness

Course Outline

Days and times:

Full-time  Daytime course.  Part-time  Daytime/evening course.

Length of Course: 35 Weeks.

Venue: OBAC 1st Floor Camberwell New Road. London SE5 0TA

Course outline:
This course is suitable for anyone whose role involves interaction with the general public.

We now have social , economic and legal reasons to ensure that businesses, national and local employers and institutions are meeting the needs of their customers. This highly participative and interactive course will give you more confidence and skills in dealing with blind and partially sighted clients.

This course is aimed at companies and organisations who would like to learn more about the needs of blind and partially sighted customers.

This course will include presentations, group work and hands-on practices.  Handouts will be provided from all sessions, and information about many surrounding issues and future courses will be available to take away.

This session will give an overview of how well-designed tactile diagrams, maps and pictures (tactile graphics) with supporting materials (Braille, large print or audio) can be vital for effective study for many blind and partially sighted students, whether for arts-based, or science-based subjects, and for effective independent living skills.  A variety of samples will be available for hands-on exploration and comparison of techniques.  The session will include information about how to obtain tactile graphics if you can’t produce them yourself; and if you need to design your own, what technology you need; good practice for tactile graphic design; and how best to support the use of tactile graphics in the lecture room.

Curriculum Access

This session outlines what is meant by ‘access to print materials’ for blind and partially sighted students, highlighting issues of production and use in the educational setting of large print, audio, Braille, and electronic formats.

The Physical Environment

Learn what FE/HE institutions can do to create an accessible environment for their disabled students and staff, how successful measures are implemented, and where to go for further advice.

Case Study – What to Do if you have a Visually Impaired Student at your Institution”
This session draws together good practice in preparing for and then supporting a visually impaired student at an FE/HE institution.  The session will include discussion of strategic planning and ways of enabling equal opportunities with reference to the QAA Code of Practice and disability legislation to create inclusive, supportive and accessible learning and teaching.

Visual Impairment & Implications for Education
This session gives an overview of the educational implications of different types of visual impairment, and presents an outline of effective study methods; materials and technologies, which may be used by blind and partially sighted students.

Technology for Blind & Partially Sighted Students

Experience a range of access technology, which can support blind and partially sighted students.  This will cover technology such as: Screen-Readers for Windows; Talking Web Browsers; Scanning and Reading Systems; CCTVs; Braille Displays; Braille Embossers and Translation Programs; Screen Magnification Software; Note-Takers and Personal Digital Assistants.  The actual products demonstrated may vary from this list according to what is available on-site.  Our aim is to have a range of technology available for demonstration.  Issues relating to IT training for students and staff will be discussed, and information will be given on suppliers of products and training
Tactile Diagrams, Maps and Pictures

OCN Level 1 Disability and Visual Awareness Training

Duration: 10 weeks

  • Introduction to Disability and Visual Awareness.
  • Implementing DDA (Disability Discrimination Act)
  • Disability equality and awareness training
  • Understanding visual impairment and the law
  • Equality and diversity training
  • Distribution of information in alternative formats
  • Overview of different sight problems and their impacts
  • Resources and help
  • Accessible information and communication
  • How to get greet and guide a blind person
  • Sight problems and work
  • Getting about and travelling.
  • Overview of different sight problems and their impacts
  • Barriers and Practical Issues and potential solutions
  • Technology - equipment and environments
  • Gain skills in guiding blind and partially sighted customers
  • The “social” and “medical” models of disability

OCN Level 2 Disability and Visual Awareness Training

Duration: 20 weeks

  • Implementing DDA (Disability Discrimination Act)
  • Disability equality and awareness training
  • Understanding visual impairment and the law
  • Equality and diversity training
  • Awareness training with disable staff & service users
  • The “social” and “medical” models of disability
  • Advice and training on disability awareness
  • Technology - equipment and environments
  • Barriers and Practical Issues and potential solutions

Entry requirments: There is no specific requarments, but participants must acquire at least GCSC at grade A-C and Some experience of using a Windows PC will be helpful. Complete newcomers should consider starting with our PC Foundation course.

Assessment methods: Coursework and exam.

Progression from this course: You can progress to university or work in areas like: Educational Institutions, Retails, Civil Service and cooperate organisations and self employment.

Enrolment details: How to apply for Admission?

Send completed application form to the OBAC Registration Department .You can download an application form from the website or send us an email or contact us and we will send a form to you either by email or by post. The student may fill the application form and either send it directly to OBAC or may submit it to the authorised local representative along with the following:

A copy of all qualifications attained.

  • Letters from past and present employers confirming work experience
  • Three passport size photographs
  • Non-refundable registration fee of £100 (for International Students)

Or Phone the administrative staff for further information about this course on 020 77353400

Student Expectations:

Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to attend and participate in each class session of the term. If a student cannot attend a class session, as a professional courtesy s/he is expected to contact the instructor in advance via email or phone. For more detail on policies concerning attendance, please refer to Section 8: Appendix of Additional Class Policies.

1. Requirements:  In addition to (1) attending classes, (2) completing reading assignments, (3) contributing to class discussions, (4) engaging in a tutorial, (5) completing technology integration mini-projects, (6) completing an Internet Research Project and Presentation with a co- student, (7) taking a final examination if they so desire. Additional information about these requirements is provided in section 4 of this course outline: Assessments of Student Performance and Mastery.

Access to computer and Internet Resources: Completing these course requirements necessitates regular access to computer technology and the Internet. If a student does not have a personal computer with Internet access, computers on the university campus are available for student use.

Deadlines for Assignments: Students are expected to turn in each assignment on or prior to the specified due date and time. Late assignments will not be accepted and will receive zero credit. Students are expected to complete assigned course readings prior to the start of each class.

Note that only 4 of the 5 assigned mini-Projects are required: one of the projects (to be specified by the student) is optional

2. Civility, Courtesy and respect: As professionals the instructor expects all class members to communicate in a professional and courteous manner. While everyone may feel passionate about a particular subject and is entitled to their opinions, classroom discourse must always be conducted in a respectful and civil tone. Ad hominem remarks or disparaging comments about gender, ethnicity, religion, etc. will not be tolerated.
Disruptive behaviours such as cell phones or beepers ringing, leaving and returning to class during lectures/presentations, arriving late to class, talking during lectures / presentations, eating or drinking in class, etc. will minimally result in substantial reduction in the participation portion of one's grade and a request that such students leave the class. Additional offences will result in the offending student's referral to the university's administration with the instructor's recommendation for disciplinary action. No children are allowed to attend class sessions. Please find alternative childcare facilities for your child (ren). No one who is not officially registered is allowed to attend.

3. Honour Code: Regulations on plagiarism and other forms of cheating are enforced. Since engaging in either activity usually results in a very serious penalty (e.g., a failing grade on the assignment or course and may involve dismissal from a degree program and the university), students should avoid both activities. Any assignment or work submitted for this class must not have been submitted for any other class. No written or digitally authored work may be submitted for academic credit more than once. If you have questions about how this may apply to an assignment you are considering for this class, please ask the instructor

4. Assessments of Student Performance and Mastery
Student grades will be assigned at the end of term based on the following performance criteria. Individual rubrics for each assignment / project will be posted here, linked to the respective assignment in the Course Schedule.
Class Attendance and Participation (20 points)
Weekly Posted Article Reflections and Responses (15 points)
Submitted Mini-Projects (4 of 5 projects, 5 points each, 20 points total)
Co-Teaching Assignment (15 points)
Individual Tutorial (20 points)
Internet Research Project and Presentation (10 points)
TOTAL: 100 Points

Students may complete an optional final examination, consisting of three essay questions worth a total of 30 points. If a student chooses to take the final examination, his/her final grade will be calculated based on 130 total points, rather than 100.
Grades (pluses and minuses may be used to indicate degrees of accomplishment within a range) are awarded as follows:

A - Performance indicates an excellent to remarkable understanding of the ideas and materials examined (93 - 100 points for assignment or course)
B - Performance indicates borderline to a very good understanding of the ideas and materials examined (85 - 92 points for assignment or course)
C - Performance indicates a somewhat inadequate understanding of the ideas and materials examined (77 - 84 points for assignment or course)
D - Performance indicates an unsatisfactory understanding of the ideas and material examined (70 - 76 points for assignment or course); and
F - Performance indicates an almost completely unacceptable understanding of the ideas and material examined (0 - 69 points for assignment or course).