The term “visually impaired” is usually met with a perception of complete blindness. The common misconception is that such a person is at the mercy of other people because he/she cannot see anything. A stereotype image of a person with dark glasses and a cane persists.
However, there are different types of visual impairment. For example, a person with low vision can see objects, but only if they are large; details may not be easily identifiable.
Today, technology plays a great role in aiding the visually impaired in their day-to-day work. The computer is almost indispensable these days, and there are several tools that are available to help the visually impaired. Two examples are the magnifier, which allows the text on the computer to be
enlarged, and JAWS, which is a popular screen-reading software. All these and more help the visually
impaired to become trained and ready for employment.
There are several jobs that can be taken up by the visually impaired. These include, and are not restricted to, the following:
More than a hundred VI people have been placed in these types of jobs successfully. Any new kind of job is studied carefully, and “workplace solutions” using available tools and process modifications, are devised to ensure that the visually impaired are able to perform their functions in the best possible manner. Adequate training and preparation make the candidates job-ready.
Thus, visual impairment is neither a deterrent nor a stumbling block to both obtaining and retaining a job.