With the availability of computers in the classroom, more and more teachers are requiring that students locate web sites and use the information to complete research papers. Although the Internet is as visually unique as the people who create the web pages, it can be challenging and sometimes impossible for the student who is blind to fully access it. In the past, students who are blind relied heavily on sighted peers to locate Internet sources and access the information. Independent use of the Internet can easily occur when students know how to locate accessible web sites, and how to move around in the web environment. The Process Four students have been selected from four different school districts.
Visual abilities range from legal blindness to total blindness.
All students are Braille readers in junior high or high school. Students are encouraged to talk with their teachers about upcoming assignments that require Internet sources, or other projects they are interested in completing for a grade. Instruction includes lecture and hands-on interaction, but one of the greatest benefits of the class is that students have the opportunity to learn from each other. As the incidence of blindness is low, typically there is not more than one student who is blind in any given building. In summary, students can complete research projects using Internet sites and sources independently.