Special needs · Visual impairment

Bigger, clearer and easier to follow by ear

Pencil Spaces supports students with low vision with zoom, full-screen apps, softer board colors, keyboard shortcuts and recordings, and is clear about its limits.

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Area

Sensory needs

Who it helps

Students with low vision or visual impairment, teachers of the visually impaired, tutors, schools and families

What lessons need

Magnification, contrast, spoken description, keyboard access, time

In Pencil Spaces

8 features available today

Part of

Special needs, need by need

What do students with visual impairment need from an online lesson?

Visual impairment ranges from low vision to blindness. Most students with low vision need things bigger, clearer and steadier, plus a teacher who describes what’s on screen. Students who are blind rely on audio, touch and screen readers.

Zoom in on anythingMove & Zoom · AvailableZoom the board with the keyboard, and enlarge the app to 200% in the browser without losing content.
Full-screen contentFull-Screen Apps · AvailableApps in the web viewer open full screen, so small text stays readable on any device.
A board color that suits their eyesBoard Backgrounds · AvailableChange the paper color, or use ruled and grid paper, and make it the default.
Fewer, bigger toolsChild Mode · AvailableChild Mode shows a few big tools and hides the rest, which can make them easier to find with low vision.
Keyboard in place of the mouseKeyboard Shortcuts · AvailableMore than 30 keyboard shortcuts cover tools, cursors and locking items, so less depends on precise mouse control.
Follow along by earSession Recording · AvailableRecordings let students listen again, pausing and rewinding as they need.
Real objects up closeDocument Camera · AvailableA document camera or phone can magnify a page, a map or an object for the student.
A view everyone sharesViewport Indicator · AvailableA dotted outline shows the teacher what every student has on screen, so no step is written out of view.

The features behind it

Why can online lessons be hard for students with visual impairment?

Online lessons are visual by default: small text, thin pen strokes, fast-moving boards and a pointer that vanishes. Students with low vision spend the lesson trying to find where to look.

For students who are blind, the whiteboard is the hardest part of any virtual classroom. Spoken description and accessible materials matter more than any tool.

What does a lesson look like in Pencil Spaces?

A vision teacher sets the board to a soft cream color and writes in thick, dark strokes. She zooms in on each step and describes it as she writes.

The student follows on a large monitor at 200% browser zoom. Afterwards, he listens to the recording to review.

Tips for teaching students with visual impairment online

Describe out loud what you write and point to.
Use thick strokes, large text and strong contrast.
Share materials in advance, in the format the student uses.
Use text-based PDFs, not scans, so screen readers can read them.
Keep the layout the same, so the student knows where things are.

Good to know

Pencil Spaces has been audited against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA. Screen reader testing covered NVDA only, and freehand drawing on the board can’t be read by a screen reader.

Typed text, chat and spoken description are the alternatives. More on our accessibility page.

Questions people ask

Can students with low vision use Pencil Spaces?

Yes. Students zoom the board with the keyboard and enlarge the app to 200% in the browser without losing content. They can open apps full screen and change the board color, and teachers can show real objects up close on a document camera.

Does Pencil Spaces work with screen readers?

Pencil Spaces has been audited against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA using a keyboard and the NVDA screen reader. Results for JAWS, VoiceOver and TalkBack aren’t published, and freehand drawing on the board can’t be read by a screen reader.

Can students use the keyboard instead of a mouse?

Yes. More than 30 keyboard shortcuts cover tools, boards, panels and the call, such as muting and raising a hand. They work in Chrome, Safari and Firefox on Windows and macOS.

How can teachers make online lessons accessible for visually impaired students?

Describe what you show, use large text and strong contrast, share materials in advance and use text-based PDFs rather than scans. In Pencil Spaces, adjustable board colors, zoom and recordings help students follow and review.