Guide
How to create accessible classroom posters for students with visual impairments
How to adapt classroom posters for students with visual impairments.
When I think of my elementary and middle school classrooms, I often remember the posters and anchor charts that covered the walls, dry-erase boards, bulletin boards and other surfaces with lots of bold colors and shapes. There was also text on these posters that had helpful information such as definitions of words, explanations of concepts, formulas and other materials meant to supplement learning, but I have no idea what any of the posters actually said because I couldn’t read them with low vision. Many years later, I was shadowing a teacher who told me about how they would put anchor charts and posters around their classroom to serve as learning supplements and provide hints on open-book quizzes, and how they had noticed their low vision student appeared to ignore these posters entirely, which the teacher then realized was because the student couldn’t see the posters either.
Creating accessible classroom posters and anchor charts for students with visual impairments ensures that all students have access to the same resources in the classroom, especially when it comes to working on assignments. I’ve curated a list of several resources that can be used to adapt classroom posters and make anchor charts easier to read for students with low vision as well as blind students who prefer non-visual formats. I’ve also included a few case studies and examples of how I’ve helped teachers across the country implement accessible posters and materials in their own classrooms, and how these strategies have benefitted their visually impaired students.
How to store accessible materials for VI students
Before I get into sharing how to make accessible posters and anchor charts for visually impaired students (inclusive of low vision/blind), it’s important to consider how the student will be accessing the final product.
For students that plan to use printed or paper copies of posters, storage options include:
- Keeping printed copies in a 3-ring binder, which can be added to throughout the school year and stored inside a desk
- Using a spiral-bound printed book, which can be stored inside a desk but can’t be expanded on later
- Giving the student a copy of the poster before a lesson, and storing the printed copy in a folder
For students that plan to use digital copies of posters, storage options include:
- Creating a folder in the image gallery for storing posters, which can be inserted into notetaking documents or enlarged later
- Providing a PDF with copies of all posters that students can access
- Sharing a Word document with copies of posters or emailing/sharing files in advance
- Posting copies of posters on the class website
Related links
- How To Create Accessible Assignments With Microsoft Office Sway
- Designing Accessible Documents With Microsoft Word
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials
Removing glare from laminated posters
While I was at a site visit for a graduate school project, I noticed that one of the learning areas had accessible posters with a large, easy-to-read font and clear photos, but the poster itself was very difficult to read due to glare reflecting off the page. Glare from laminated posters is a common issue, and I’ve helped several teachers reduce glare by using clear acrylic matte coating spray, which costs about $10 per bottle. I used about half of the 11-ounce spray in an upper elementary school classroom on all of the classroom decorations, though preschool and kindergarten classrooms that have a lot of decorations may need to use an entire bottle or two.
Related links
- Krylon K01305 Gallery Series Artist and Clear Coatings Aerosol, 11-Ounce, Amazon
- Reduce Glare In The Classroom For Low Vision Students
Scanning and taking photos of posters/anchor charts
One of the teachers I worked with would draw anchor charts and classroom posters that they would hang around the classroom, using bright, saturated colors and large text sizes. However, their student couldn’t read the posters from where they were sitting at their desk, and it wasn’t practical to have them walk around the room or stand on a chair to read the posters placed above eye level. The student was able to read the poster if it was on their desk, but not on the other side of the classroom.
To make it easier for the student to read the posters, the teacher scanned in copies of the posters/anchor charts using the Microsoft Lens app, a free scanning app that can be downloaded onto a smartphone or tablet that makes it easy to edit and adjust scanned content. From there, they saved copies of the posters as PNGs or PDFs, and created a folder on the student’s tablet where the student could view the posters up close, zooming in on images as needed.
Related links
Adapting scanned/digital copies of posters in accessible formats
Some teachers already have scanned or digital copies of classroom posters or anchor charts, but need to adapt them further so that a student can read them. Here are my tips for adapting graphics or images, excerpted from my post on How To Modify Accessible Anatomy Graphics:
Option 1: Enlarging existing graphics, no modifications
In this case, the student can see all key elements of the graphic and read text labels, but the graphic needs to be enlarged or scaled so that it is easier to read. For creating a larger page size, I copy the image into Microsoft PowerPoint and select a custom slide size, such as 11″ x 14″. From there, I can drag the image so it expands to fit the page, and print the graphics or save them as a PDF. I talk about this more in my post “How To Make Music Accessible With Microsoft PowerPoint”, which is linked below.
For digital graphics that I don’t plan on printing out, I prefer to use my tablet for reading accessible graphics, because I can use the pinch-to-zoom gesture and position the screen close to my face.
Option 2: Modifying text or graphic, two-page format
For students that need to modify the text of an image to include large print or different fonts, follow these instructions to modify text in a two-page format:
- Open up Microsoft PowerPoint
- Set a custom slide size of whatever paper size you need – I used 11 x 14
- Drag the image to fit on the page, taking care to avoid going outside the margins
- Write down the text in another program such as Microsoft Word – you’ll format it in step 6
- Crop the image so that only the diagram remains, and drag the image outward so that it expands to fit the page. You might need to put a white square over the remaining text
- In Microsoft Word, create a document with headings that show the different sections of the graphic/poster. For example, set Heading 1 as the poster title, Heading 2 for sections of information, and Heading 3 for sub-sections, writing text underneath each section
- For graphics that have additional labels, replace the text labels on the graphic with white textboxes that have large numbers. Write the corresponding labels in the Microsoft Word document
Option 3: Changing the color scheme
For students with color deficiencies or that need higher contrast color schemes, there are a few different types of image filters that can be applied. My favorite way to replace colors is to use the Color Replace tool in the PicsArt app to change solid colors, or use the Color Picker tool in Microsoft Paint to replace colors on my computer.
To replace colors in Microsoft Paint:
- Open Microsoft Paint (which is a separate app from 3D paint)
- Open an image to modify – this works best with clip art and simple graphics
- Select the Color Picker tool, which looks like an eyedropper
- Select the color you would like to replace in the image, which will be labeled as Color 1
- Select the Color 2 box and choose the color you would like to replace Color 1 with
- Select the Eraser tool
- Right-click and drag across the color you would like to replace, which will replace the Color 1 value with Color 2. Do not left-click, as this will erase items on the screen
Option 4: Collage-style tactile graphics
Several of these accessible anatomy diagrams can be used as the basis for tactile graphics, including collage-style tactile graphics made from art materials and everyday objects. Some examples of tactile graphic adaptions can include:
- Raised lines for the outlines of images/diagrams
- Tracing areas with a tactile pen, such as the Hi-Mark pen
- Using texture for shaded areas. For one of the anatomy graphics I adapted, I used glue with sand on top so that it would have a rough texture compared to the smooth lines
- Adding braille labels underneath or in lieu of printed text
- Drawing a pattern over colored areas to indicate shading/color changes
Related links
- How To Modify Accessible Anatomy Graphics For Low Vision
- How To Make Music Accessible With Microsoft PowerPoint
- How To Create Tactile Images With Everyday Objects
Text-only posters and anchor charts for braille and large print
For students that use large print, a screen reader or braille, text-only descriptions of posters can be given to the student to read with assistive technology, or passed on to the teacher of the visually impaired who can convert them into accessible formats or provide additional resources. Providing students with copies of educational posters and materials ensures that they have equal access to information and can access it at the same rate as their peers.
To create a text-only description of accessible classroom posters and anchor charts, type the following information into a Word/DOCX document:
- All text on the poster written verbatim. For posters that have headings, add the poster title at the top as Heading 1, and sections/sub-sections as Heading 2 and Heading 3 respectively.
- For math equations, use the equation editor to ensure that formatting is inserted correctly and that the equations can be recognized with assistive technology.
- If the poster has images that are related to content, write a short image description of what they look like. One of my friends and I created an accessible poster that listed all of the US Presidents and included short descriptions including their age when elected and other interesting visual details, such as Abraham Lincoln’s beard and George Washington’s white hair.
From there, the text-only posters can be enlarged to an appropriate font size for the student, or shared with the student/teacher of the visually impaired for reading with text-to-speech or braille.
Related links
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
Bonus – sharing accessible graphics
Another option for creating accessible classroom posters and anchor charts is to search for accessible graphics that can be shared with the student. I have an entire post about locating accessible graphics, and highly recommend the the APH Tactile Graphics Image Library. After creating a free account, users can explore and download free tactile image templates across a variety of subject areas, including math, science, social studies, health, independent living, and so much more- great for adapting classroom posters and promoting image literacy. Users can also request graphics through the feedback page or submit graphic templates of their own for other users to download.
Related links
- Tactile Graphics Image Library portal
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
More resources for accessible classroom posters and anchor charts
- Visual assistance apps can be used to recognize text on posters, but many of the apps require users to be over 13 or 18, so they may not be a viable option for the classroom. Learn more in All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- Looking for anchor chart inspiration? I love Pinterest for finding ideas and inspiration for accessible posters, and share a few on my account @veron4ica
- When introducing students to accessible classroom posters, I recommend spending time telling them about the different types of posters that are in the classroom, and how they can be used to help with assignments or studying. For lessons that include classroom posters, prompt the student to locate the poster that is being used for the lesson in their binder, file folder, etc
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
Updated August 2024; original post published February 2020.
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