Guide
Ten spooky inaccessible assignments and how to fix them
How to identify problems with inaccessible documents and fix them with ease - self-advocacy!
As a student in middle and high school, I would often get inaccessible assignments that I couldn’t read with my low vision, and I had trouble explaining what the exact problem was with the assignment- which is perfectly reasonable given it’s hard to be an expert in document accessibility as a teenager. As I got older, I was able to develop solutions to fix these inaccessible assignments and find ways to ask for help without seeming like I was going against the teacher or making excuses. In honor of Halloween, today I will be sharing ten spooky inaccessible assignments and how to fix them, along with polite ways to ask for assistance in fixing them.
Faded/ghost text
The problem:
Let’s say you make a copy of an original document and then use that copy to make another copy. Over time, the quality of the document will begin to degrade from being copied over and over again, and this can lead to faded or ghost text that appears to be barely there.
The solution:
Use the original document whenever possible for creating copies, and ensure the document is high contrast. If the assignment can’t be recopied, trace over the letters with marker or re-type the assignment so it can be read. Contrast settings can be changed on the copier itself or on the computer- read more about how I improve contrast of music here.
What to say:
“The text seems really washed out and is hard to see, can you help me figure out what it says?”
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Reading Handwriting With Assistive Technology
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- My Large Print Music Binder
Double sided assignment with bleeding Sharpie
The problem:
Once upon a time, someone decided to print all of my assignments for the week on both sides of the paper. When I wrote with my Sharpie pens, they bled through the paper and I didn’t notice there had been text printed on the back. As one of my teachers put it, I did half of my assignment really well, and didn’t realize there was a second half.
The solution:
For students that use Sharpie pens, markers, or other high contrast writing utensils, ensure that assignments are single-sided and information is only printed on one side of the paper so the ink doesn’t bleed through.
What to say:
“I didn’t realize there was a second side to the document since my pens bled through, can you tell me what’s on the other side?”
Related links
- Writing Utensils and Low Vision
- What’s In My High School Backpack As A Low Vision Student
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
Information cut off
The problem:
Often times, I don’t realize that a word or music note has been cut off of a page until someone else points it out to me, which makes sense since how else would I know my assignment was wrong? I’ve also had questions and question choices eliminated from assignments because of things being cut off. This can be stressful, especially if I know I have the right answer but can’t find it on a test since the correct choice was cut off!
The solution:
Double and triple check to ensure that all information is present on the page. One way I do this is I verify the last word/music note on each line with my teacher so if something is missing, we can fill it in.
What to say:
“Just to confirm, what is the last word in question 14? And are the answer choices 14, 16, 18, and 20?”
A regular assignment in the center of 11 x 17 paper
The problem:
Be careful what you wish for! I remember when I first transferred to my new school, I asked for my assignments to be printed on 11 x 17 inch paper so that way they would be scaled to fit. Instead, someone just put the original assignment on the copier and pressed the copy button, so the assignment was in the center of the page and surrounded by lots of blank space, almost like a frame.
The solution:
Be very specific about how you want assignments enlarged. For example, I found that enlarging most assignments to 250% or slightly higher on 11 x 17 paper would result in images and text large enough for me to see. No one will know what you want unless you tell them exactly.
What to say:
“Thank you for putting my assignment on enlarged paper, but I need the assignment enlarged to scale as well.”
Related links
- Paper Size and Low Vision
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
Crooked pages/lines
The problem:
Sometimes, paper ends up being crooked when copies are created and it causes everything to be angled to one side. This means the reader will have to tilt the paper or put their head in an awkward position in order to read information, and it is highly likely that said information has been cut off in some way as a result.
The solution:
Ensure documents are properly aligned or use a scanner that automatically corrects paper alignment. Microsoft Office Lens will automatically align documents and photos before they are scanned.
What to say:
“I’m having trouble following along since the text is crooked. Can someone reprint the assignment with text on a straight line?”
Related links
- Why Every Student Needs Microsoft Office Lens
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Blurry/foggy images
The problem:
Remember the ghost text I mentioned earlier? The same problem can happen with images, especially low resolution ones. When a low resolution image is enlarged, it looks very blurry or pixelated, so it can’t be distinguished. It’s like I’m trying to look through thick fog at an image.
The solution:
Use the highest resolution images possible or have them available digitally. Image descriptions are also tremendously helpful for confirming what is in an image.
What to say:
“These images appear to be very blurry and I’m not sure what’s in the picture. Can you help me draw it larger?”
Related links
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Users With Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- No-Tech Solutions For Drawing Graphs With Low Vision And Dysgraphia
- Using An Overhead Projector For Standardized Testing
The paper has a lot of glare
The problem:
White backgrounds on black text can contribute to glare and eyestrain over time, since the white is such a sharp background. This is especially true for students who have photosensitivity in general and find bright lights and objects to be overwhelming.
The solution:
Colored or tinted backgrounds can reduce glare on paper and make text easier to read. At first, my case manager had me use bone-colored paper but soon found that colorful paper in shades of yellow, pink, and blue were easier for me to see and helped me with organizing my assignments since I got a different color paper for each class.
What to say:
“My eyes hurt when I look at the page, can you please print it on different paper?”
Related links
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- Reduce Glare In The Classroom For Low Vision Students
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
Exponents and other essential information are not enlarged
The problem:
While all of the other numbers and letters were enlarged, exponents and other traditionally smaller numbers/letters were not enlarged. If they are enlarged, it can be hard to tell how an equation is formatted since all of the numbers and letters look the same.
The solution:
Use color coding to identify exponents, or add an exponent sign and adequately space out each segment of the equation to show which exponent belongs to which number. This is a common problem for me in math.
What to say:
“I can’t see the exponents. Can you rewrite the equation larger and write the exponents in a different color?”
Related links
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- How I Show Work For Math With Low Vision and Dysgraphia
- Strategies For Using Lined Paper With Low Vision
- My Favorite Free Math Websites For Low Vision
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
Letters look strange or distorted
The problem:
Sometimes, letters or numbers can look like they are in a distorted mirror and can appear stretched out, very small, or like they are running across the page. This is common for people with print disabilities, which affects the ability to read standard printed materials. Read more about print disabilities here.
The solution:
There’s a couple of different ways to fix this issue. One is using a print disability friendly font for assignments so they can be read more easily and without eye strain- read more about free fonts to use here. Another is using technology to make reading easier. I like Immersive Reader which is built in to Microsoft Edge, though there are many other solutions available.
What to say:
“The letters look funny and appear to be double and blurry. Can you change the font to Arial?”
Related links
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
- How I Use Microsoft Immersive Reader With Low Vision
- Using PicsArt To Simulate Low Vision
- What I’ve Learned About Print Disabilities
Someone forgot to enlarge the assignment
The problem:
It’s practically impossible to complete an assignment if it’s in an inaccessible format. While theoretically the teacher should give the student more time to complete an assignment if they have to take the time to enlarge it, the reality is that some teachers will just give their students a zero. This is why self-advocacy is so important.
The solution:
Everyone is human, and there will be times that assignments don’t get enlarged on schedule. Ensure that this is documented and have the teacher write a note, or find another way to complete the assignment- have a friend read it, get it in a digital format, or use a video magnifier. I also would sometimes put the inaccessible document in my backpack so I could document that it wasn’t enlarged.
What to say:
“I didn’t get a copy of the assignment, do you have a digital copy that I can enlarge? If not, please make sure this doesn’t count against my grade.”
Related links
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Why I Prefer My Schoolwork Digitally: Updated Edition
- Tips For Handling Academic Ableism In The Classroom
- Six Ways I Collected Documentation For IEP Violations
Spooky assignments like these can show up at any point in the school year and for any subject. By understanding how to explain and fix inaccessible materials, students can practice valuable self-advocacy skills and understand how to request materials in the future.
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
Updated October 2023; original post published October 2018.
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