Quick Tips and Resources for Visual Impairment

Print and Projection Considerations

Font: Use a sans serif font or APHont.
Text size: Use large print, i.e. 18-24 pt for printed matter, 24 pt or more for text projected on a screen.
Color contrast: Use a dark or black font on a white background, or conversely, use a white font against a dark or black background.
Color: Avoid using green, red, and pink which are difficult for many to see.
Line spacing: Add white space around words by using a line spacing of 1.5 or 2.
Images: Avoid using pictures or graphic images under or around the text.

Large-Print Availability

Have several large-print Bibles, hymnals, and Sunday bulletins in the church foyer and make sure greeters know where they are.
Consider creating large-print versions of all the church’s materials: programs, study outlines, prayer lists, announcements, etc.
Send materials to the person with visual impairment as much in advance as possible.

Accessible Formats

Ask a person if an audio version of the Bible or study materials may be the most helpful.
Provide text-only files of all materials to persons with screen readers or braille printers.
Use file formats that those devices can read: .doc, .docx or .rtf files. PDFs cannot be read.
Consider putting materials on a memory stick which persons with screen readers can pick up in the church foyer to use in their devices.

Usher and Greeter Training

Introduce yourself before offering assistance to move about the building.
Ask the person where you should stand.
Offer your arm and walk at the person’s pace, no matter how fast or slow.
Tell the person ahead of time when a change in walking patterns is coming up, e.g. door, steps, slope, obstacles in the hallway, etc.
Be descriptive so the person can “see” through your words.

Building Considerations

Add lighting to dimly lit areas such as stairways, hallways, alcoves in the sanctuary.
Consider reflective tape on the edge of stairsteps.
Make sure you have braille elevator buttons.

Bible Resources

Optasia Ministry

optasiaministry.org – 641-750-2070 – tom.vos@optasiaministry.org
Provides free Bibles and a very large number of other Christian materials in digital form that can be read using screen reading software.

Lutheran Braille Workers

lbwinc.org – 800-925-6092 – lbw@lbwinc.org
Provides free braille and large print Bibles, audio Bible studies, and other materials in over 30 languages.

Aurora Ministries

auroraministries.org – 941-748-3031 – bibles@auroraministries.org
Offers free or low-cost audio, text, and DVD resources in many languages to “qualified visually-impaired and print-disabled individuals.” Formats include audio CDs, mp3 files, cartridges for Talking Book Players, and free Audio Bible Players.

Braille Bibles International

braillebibles.org – 800-522-4253 – info@braillebibles.org
Offers free braille Bibles, concordances, children’s storybook Bibles, and other discipleship materials. Also offers free and for-donation audio and large-print materials.

Distance Education

Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired

hadley.edu – 800-323-4238 – info@hadley.edu
Non-profit international distance education school that provides a free education to “anyone with a visual impairment, as well as families and professionals serving them.”

Be sure to download our large-print version (MS Word document) of this article in .docx format.