Sample Interview Questions for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Student Name:
First Language:
Approximate language or literacy level:
Educational goal:
- What do you know about the students’s level of vision?
- Can he/she see anything?
- Can he/she see black and white line drawings?
- Can he/she see photographs?
- Does he/she have a limited field of vision?
- Has the student been blind since birth?
- If no, when and how did they experience vision loss?
- Is it degenerative?
- Was it the result of a brain injury?
- How recent is the vision loss?
- What do you know about the student’s use of assistive technology?
- Does he/she own a small audio recorder?
- Can he/she use a computer?
- Has he/she ever used any kind of magnifier?
- Does he/she have a talking watch?
- Has he/she ever used a talking dictionary?
- What do you know about the student’s literacy?
- Is/was he/she literate in his/her first language?
- Has he/she ever learned to read Braille in any language?
(If yes in English, grade 1 or grade 2?) - Did he/she start learning English before the loss of vision?
- Does the student use any special visual aids? Do they use a dark pen or
dark-lined paper? - What size print can the student read comfortably? (Have a few samples available.)
- How long can the student read print before experiencing eyestrain?
- Is the student able to read print from the blackboard comfortably?
- Does glare keep the student from seeing objects correctly?
- Is the student able to write and read back what they’ve written?
- Can you see colors? What color or type of background helps make objects easier to see?
- Does the student have any other disabilities that may interfere with their ability to learn? (hearing impairment, head injury, diabetes, etc.)
- Does the student have someone to help them at school and/or at home?
- How do you usually read? (regular print, large print, Braille, or cassette tape)
- If the student reads Braille, when and where did they learn it?
Does the student read Grade 1 or 2? - How does the student take notes? (paper and pencil, slate and stylus, laptop, Notetaker, Perkins Brailler, tape recorder or other)
- Does the student have experience using a computer or JAWS?
- How many years of schooling did the student complete? Where did the student attend school and what were their favorite subjects? Grades/marks? Did the student receive a diploma or equivalent?
- What languages are spoken at home? What languages does the student know how to read and write?
- What do you know about the student’s mobility?
- Does he/she use a white cane?
- Can he/she find his/her way around a new building? Around a familiar building?
- Does he/she use public transportation, metro mobility, or rides from family members? What do you know about the student’s support system?
- Is he/she a client at State Services for the Blind?
- Is he/she taking any other adaptation to blindness classes at this time?
- Does he/she live with family members? Do any of them speak English?
- What do you know about the student’s educational goals?
- Has he/she attended school before? In the U.S. or elsewhere?
- Why do you want to come to our program/school?
