Science Education

Science teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired will find advice, encouragement, and general teaching techniques in this section.

Below is a list of topics you'll find in this section. Click on a title to jump to a specific topic.

Tips for Teachers

Stories of Successful Scientists who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Increasing Accessibility to Science

Organizations and Resources to Explore: Science Education

Tips for Teachers

SciTrain Accessible Science Classrooms, The Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access
This free online course helps all "teachers make their classrooms universal and accessible to students with and without disabilities." The section on learners who are blind or visually impaired includes advice for making the science classroom and curriculum accessible.

Advice for a Mainstream Science Teacher, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
Aimed at science teachers with students who are blind or visually impaired in their classrooms, this article addresses common questions: How can I cope? What shall I do for the next lesson? How will my role as a teacher change?

Making Use of Other Senses to Help Teach Science, Royal National Institute for the Blind
The author shares a list of excellent tips for using hearing, touch, and smell to teach science to children with visual impairments.

Science for Students with Visual Impairments: Teaching Suggestions and Policy Implications for Secondary Educators, Electronic Journal of Science Education
This paper offers "suggestions for modifying science instruction and instructional materials to meet the learning needs of visually impaired students," with "relevant examples in physical, chemical and biological sciences"; includes discussion of policy implications, alternative assessment and educational technology.

Science Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments, ERIC Digest
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Authors David D. Kumar, Rangasamy Ramasamy, and Greg P. Stefanich offer suggestions for the classroom and modifications for teaching physical science, chemistry, and biology.

Teaching Lab Courses to Students with Disabilities, Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking & Technology (DO-IT)
Sheryl Burgstahler examines some of the specific challenges that students with disabilities face in both gaining and demonstrating knowledge. She lists accommodation suggestions for students with visual impairments.

Teacher's Manual for Adapting Science Experiments for Blind and Visually Impaired Students, Visual Impairment Knowledge Center
This 59-page manual by Matthew Dion, Karen Hoffman, and Amy Matter includes these sections: Teaching the Blind and Visually Impaired, General Guidelines for Making Adaptations, Laboratory Adaptations, Specific Experiments, and a Resource List.

Teaching Science to the Visually Impaired: Purdue University's VISIONS Lab, Rochester Institute of Technology
The VISIONS Lab produces educational materials for visually impaired students and develops new adaptive technologies; this site discusses accommodations for college-level organic chemistry and calculus.

Topic Spotlight: Teaching Light, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
This article discusses "some ways to introduce and teach the subject of light" to pupils with visual impairments, with suggestions for some of the most useful areas to cover.

Working Safely in Science - Experiments with Blind and Partially Sighted Pupils, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
The author tells teachers how "to help ensure pupil's safety in science lessons," including specific suggestions for mobility, group size, and the use of specialized equipment.

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Stories of Successful Scientists who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Blind Kids Do Science Too, Braille Monitor – National Federation of the Blind
This site features two newspaper articles about "small but significant breakthroughs" in science education for students who are blind: Camp Eureka, a natural history camp in Montana; and a dissection class at Colorado Center for the Blind.

Science, Blindness, and Evolution: The Common Theme Is Opportunity, Braille Monitor – National Federation of the Blind
Geerat J. Vermeij, a blind marine biologist who teaches at the University of California at Davis, discusses what a blind person needs in order to succeed in science.

Science Is Golden: Interviews with Four Scientists Who Are Visually Impaired, AFB Access World
This article describes people with visual impairments who have become successful in many scientific fields, including engineering, physics, oceanography, chemistry, and astrophysics.

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Increasing Accessibility to Science

Science, Perkins History Museum—Perkins School for the Blind
Find out more about the history of teaching science at Perkins School for the Blind, including a tactile museum featuring objects from the natural world and science disciplines.

Sounds of Science, AFB Access World
The New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York, is a hands-on science museum that is designed to improve people's understanding of science and technology through exhibits, programs, and various media.  Learn more about some of the accessibility features of this museum in this article.

Teaching Science to the Visually Impaired: The Visions Lab, Braille Monitor—National Federation of the Blind
This article describes the Purdue's VISIONS Lab, (Visually Impaired Students Initiative on Science), which is a research laboratory dedicated to providing access to the numerous science courses at the university.

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Organizations and Resources to Explore: Science Education

Accessible Science: Life Science, Perkins School for the Blind
In this webcast, Perkins science teacher Kate Fraser outlines teaching strategies and adaptations to make science lessons and activities accessible to students who are visually impaired. Find even more resources more at www.perkins.org/accessiblescience.

Accessible Science, Perkins School for the Blind
This site offers a wealth of practical suggestions to help teachers engage students who are blind or visually impaired in the study of science. It includes ideas for activities in biology, chemistry, physical sciences, and technology & engineering, as well as information on resources and materials.

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
AAAS publishes the journal Science, as well as other publications. They have a large number of programs designed to bring science literacy to all.  They have resources for businesses, scientists, teachers, and students.  One of their many endeavors, Project 2061 has developed highly regarded science curriculum benchmarks. 

AccessSTEM: The Alliance for Access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking & Technology (DO-IT)
"The AccessSTEM website is a space where K-12 teachers, postsecondary educators, and employers learn to make classroom and employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) accessible to individuals with disabilities, and share promising practices."

Entrypoint
Entrypoint is a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, providing internship opportunities in science, engineering, math, computer science and some fields of business for students with disabilities. Many program alumni are now working in the science fields.

Inclusion in Science Education for Students with Disabilities, Strategies for Teaching Students with Vision Impairments, West Virginia University
This site includes general strategies, as well as specific accommodation suggestions for the laboratory, field experiences, and research.

National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS)
NCBYS drives "innovation in education and employment to the blind in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] subjects and careers by serving as a national clearinghouse of resources and expertise related to nonvisual scientific exploration." It includes sections for students, teachers and parents, resources, programs, and careers.

National Science Education Standards (NSES)
This document includes the following links: Science Teaching Standards, Standards for Professional Development for Teachers of Science, Assessment in Science Education, and Science Content Standards.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
NSTA "is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all."  The site contains resources for parents and information on teaching students with disabilities.

Science, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
This resource list includes information on assessment, curricula, instructional strategies, instructional aids, Nemeth code, and tactile graphics.

The Science Access Project (SAP) University of Oregon
SAP develops "methods for making science, math, and engineering information accessible to people with print disabilities"; includes information on products and projects, publications, and current research topics (braille and DotsPlus® Braille).

Science Education for Students with Disabilities (SESD)
SESD "exists to promote and advance the teaching of science and the development of curricula and instructional materials for students at all levels, with any manners of disability in the learning process"; includes teacher resources and an online newsletter.

Tactile Learning
This site is "dedicated to visually impaired science education and contains descriptions of hands-on activities, projects, science modules, and lesson plans for visually impaired, tactile, and special needs learners." 

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