Recognizing Visual Impairments

Visual Impairment Tutorial & Assessment

This tutorial helps parents recognize if their child may have one of four different visual impairments. The simulation activity is self-discovery providing parents with glimpses of how children with visual impairments might see a particular scene. Parents can visually experience some of the observable impairment symptoms and read why the impairment occurs and some available treatment options. This exploratory exercise provides parents with relevant and meaningful facts—combined with explanatory images—to assist with knowledge transfer and retention.

Audience: Parents with young children

Skills used: Instructional Design, E-learning Development, Visual Design, Storyboarding, and Mockups

Tools: Adobe Captivate and Adobe Photoshop

Problem and Solution

Most parents are usually quite observant of their young child's health and well-being; however, it's not uncommon for them to overlook observable symptoms of a visual impairment until a permanent condition develops. Often, parents can take steps to improve the impairment if symptoms and behaviors are recognized early on.

After interviewing several couples with young children who had developed permanent visual impairments, I learned nearly all of them had not recognized common impairment indicators and allowed their children to go untreated for months, sometimes even years. Once I had identified the need, I determined that parents would benefit from a short simulation activity where they could learn to help recognize when their children might have a problem with their vision. After completing the activity, parents can reference it again at any time as a quick refresher.