Nic Smith is responsible for visual impairment support at InFocus. In this sit-down interview she tells us about the support InFocus offers and how technological advancement is helping young people at InFocus.
What is Vision Impairment?
Visual impairment (VI) is anything across the scale from moderate to no sight, at InFocus there are people across that spectrum. Every person with VI has a different experience, no two visual profiles are identical.
What is your role & what does it mean for people at InFocus
I am Head of VI Services. My responsibility is knowing the visual needs of each person at InFocus and making sure that they receive the appropriate support, that they can access the curriculum and most importantly the world around them.
How do we support young people with VI?
Support at InFocus is bespoke to each person. We offer anything from low vision aids, which magnify text or images for smart phones and tablets, to braille classes, canes and tactile resources. We also provide mobility classes, which aim to develop independent skills such as crossing roads safely or going to a café. The mobility team teach techniques which include-
- Trailing, where you use the back of your hand to trace a wall or handrail,
- Finding reference points- you can find these all over the InFocus campus, they’re often a distinctive plant bed or a piece of textured artwork
- ‘Squaring off’- where you stand with your back against the wall to anchor yourself before crossing a corridor or path in a straight line
Using these techniques, people at InFocus learn routes around campus, Exeter and across the country.
What is CVI & how is it InFocus’ specialism?
CVI stands for Cerebral Visual Impairment, which means that the brain struggles to process visual information rather than the eye. It also means that visual information can’t be processed if a person’s other senses are over stimulated, such as exposure to lots of noise.
At InFocus we have a high percentage of young people with CVI, therefore we have really good knowledge and experience of how to put the right support in place. We adapt our environment to achieve this by limiting clutter and reducing noise levels.
We also offer visual training activities to support our young people with CVI, a good example is an online simulation of a supermarket which tells users to find and track items with their eyes. The simulation’s busy and noisy setting enables young people to train their eyes to for real world situations, which helps them work towards independence.
Is there a piece of equipment or tech that impresses you the most & what does it do?
Eye Gaze technology, which enables people to communicate verbally using their eyes, impresses me. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace in VI, it’s really exciting. Some of our advanced braille users can use their mobile phones entirely independently using braille notes equipment, which is empowering. Ray Ban Meta Glasses have been developed to use AI voice assistant technology, which enables users to access a search engine, camera and audio description without even taking out their phone. Think how transformative that could be for people here!
What is your favourite memory about working at InFocus?
I have always been involved in the Summer and Christmas theatre productions at InFocus- they are truly the highlight of my year. We adapt classic stage shows, such as Wicked, Grease and Mamma Mia, into sensory dramas for parents and all at InFocus to enjoy. They are wonderful in bringing together our community, each is a joyous occasion.