ABSTRACT
Typically, children learn a lot by watching people in practical activities or watching peers play – associating actions and speech to form ideas. But social and play environments are often fast moving and fluid, so when visual impairment limits scanning, it inhibits responses and imitations, disrupting play and practical learning. There will be some pupils with more profound disabilities whose perceptions are very significantly disrupted by eye conditions that reduce or distort sight (e.g. focus or field of vision). Some children experience problems with vision that stem from neural rather than optical difficulties – though their eyes work, their brain processing is disrupted. Pupils need environments that minimise perceptual stress from glare, visual clutter, etc., and communication strategies akin to intensive interaction that use engaging resources and tactile/visual support such as 'objects of reference', pictures, symbols and cards to help them orientate themselves towards participation.
