Working with visually impaired students

From: Lois Siegel <[email protected]>

I made a film about blind young adults who are multi-handicapped.

"Extreme Close-Up"

http://www.siegelproductions.ca/lois/ecu.html

Before I made the film, I thought that blind people didn't go to films. This
was incorrect. They go to films but they check how much dialogue there will
be.  If there isn't that much, they go to the film with a sighted person who
can explain what is happening on the screen.

One visually impaired person in the film had a magnifying screen that he
could place on the TV set. He had 10% vision.  This way, he could see what
was happening on the screen.

I would suggest having an aide sit next to the student to describe what is
happening on the screen when necessary.

I had several deaf students.  One year, one was in a film studies course I
taught. My school provided someone to perform sign language for this
student. Because the room was dark, I brought a small lamp to shine on the
lady who was doing the sign language so that the student could see her
signing. I may have bounced the lamp off a wall. I can't remember.   She sat
at the front of the class so that the student could see her.... she faced
the student.

One note. One day I was showing the film 'Lonely Boy" about singer Paul
Anka.  A film about music was impossible for the deaf student. He couldn't
hear the music. Probably didn't know what music was - the singing.  It was
too frustrating for him.  I told him he could leave the class that day and
apologized for not realizing this and warning him ahead of time.

I also had a deaf student in my film animation class.  This was not a
problem. There were three boys from the same family who were all deaf. They
were all actually models in the fashion industry.  I had one of them in
class.

There's was a new invention. A kind of microphone. The deaf student used the
microphone and could actually hear me better.  He didn't seem that
responsive during the class, but it turned out he produced one of the best
animated films. He did a moon walk featuring 'Michael Jackson' moving on
screen using a clay figure.

If your school orders my film, I can send you a copy :)

Cheers,
Lois