- Allow the students to sit near the blackboard if he/she finds this
helpful.
- Allow more time for completing tasks and assignments. As the student
cannot easily scan the page, additional time for reading may be needed.
Also, the student may require time to rest his/her eyes as a result of
vision fatigue. Slow light to dark adaption times should also be borne
in mind. Additional time for tests and examinations is legally
permissible.
- Large print may be helpful and macular students should use black
felt tipped markers. It is also helpful to have any printed or copied
materials printed on white paper with black ink, as a high contrast is
easier to read. An enlarged copy of text books may be necessary.
- Become familiar with the various visual aids that may benefit your
student. An aid can be something as simple as writing paper with bold
lines, or as sophisticated as a closed circuit television set which
greatly magnifies print.
- Adequate lighting in the classroom and other areas is very important.
Lighting is even more important at night, when students with RP may
have the most difficulty. The student should be prepared for entering
any dimly-lit area. The student may be able to make better use of his
vision sitting near a window or with the light behind him. A desk lamp
may also be useful.
- Be aware of low obstacles in the classroom or hallways, and remove
them if possible.
- On class field trips, be sensitive to lighting and obstacles in the
student's path. Steps can be a problem when they are the same colour as
the surface ground.
- After showing slides or films in a darkened room, begin to turn on
the lights immediately, rather than continue the lesson in semi-darkness.
Assign a note-taker when the room is not well lit, or allow the child to
use a tape recorder if appropriate. Abrupt changes in lighting can be
very uncomfortable.
- Taped books may be requested from specialist organisations for the
visually handicapped. Recruit volunteers to read some assignments on
tape.
- Feedback between the student and teacher is essential. The student
needs to communicate to the teacher any problems, just as the teacher
needs to point out any areas where improvement is needed.
- Avoid treating the student as "special". Acknowledge that the student has special needs, but make your expectations for him/her clear. Other students or siblings may resent any special treatment given to the student above and beyond what is necessary. Learn to think of the student with RP as just that - a student who has a visual impairment. This assists the student in learning to define himself in a healthy way. Encourage honest discussion so that needs and emotional problems will be identified and rectified as soon as possible.
Education of RP and Macular Children
Some patients may choose specialised schooling for their children,
but RP students usually cope well in main stream schools. Each child's
emotional and visual state needs to be considered. In some cases subtle
monitoring of the classroom environment may be all that is required.
Some useful tips that will assist parents and teachers are:
