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.
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