Support for pupils with visual impairments and blindness
If your child has limited vision or is blind, everyday school life presents particular challenges – in terms of finding their way around, accessing materials and participating in lessons. A school support worker can provide assistance precisely where barriers arise, without taking away your child’s independence. Our guiding principle: as much support as necessary, as little as possible.
How visual impairment and blindness manifest in everyday school life
Most obstacles arise not from the visual impairment itself, but from an environment designed for sighted people.
- Finding one’s way around the school building and classrooms: routes to classrooms, the canteen or the toilet, changing seating arrangements and confusing corridors can be unsettling.
- Accessible materials: Worksheets, books and assignments must be available in the appropriate format – in large print, in Braille or in digital form for a screen reader.
- Taking in content on the blackboard and in presentations: What is shown on the blackboard, whiteboard or via a projector is often difficult or impossible to make out from a distance.
- Participation in lessons and break times: Rapid group work, pointing gestures and spontaneous interactions during breaks are often purely visual.
- Safety on the way to and from school and during PE: Stairs, the school playground and PE lessons present situations where obstacles and procedures are difficult to assess.
How our support helps
We address the very points where barriers arise, whilst at the same time fostering your child’s independence.
- Reliable structures and described procedures: We establish recurring points of reference and describe routes and lesson steps in a clear and understandable way → Structuring
- Promoting orientation and independence: We practise safe routes within the building, provide support with assistive devices and step back as soon as your child can manage independently → Independence
- Ensuring access to content: We adapt blackboard diagrams and materials so that they can be used via large print, Braille or screen readers, and describe visual content verbally.
- Close coordination with schools and special educational support centres: We work together with teachers and special educational support centres to ensure that materials and methods are seamlessly integrated → Cooperation
- Independence as a goal: We withdraw our support as soon as your child no longer needs it.
Legal basis & application
In the case of a physical or sensory disability, integration support is usually an option – the social services department is generally responsible, and the legal basis is Section 112 of SGB IX. The relevant funding body decides whether school support is appropriate and eligible for approval in each individual case. We will guide you through the process.
Qualifications of our support workers
Our support workers undergo a multi-stage selection process and are trained at our own Splash Academy. For support relating to visual impairment and blindness, we prepare them specifically for these conditions – for example, in using assistive devices, preparing materials and ensuring safe navigation. This ensures the support is tailored to your child’s needs.
Frequently asked questions
Does the school support worker do the learning for my child?
No. They provide support with accessing content and with orientation, but do not do the learning for your child. The aim is for your child to be able to participate in lessons as independently as possible.
Can the support worker provide materials in Braille or large print?
We adapt existing materials to make them accessible and describe visual content. We coordinate the provision of specialised resources closely with the school and the support centre, which have the specialist resources for this.
Does the support worker also accompany your child during PE lessons and in the playground?
Yes. The support is particularly important in situations where there is a greater need for guidance and safety – such as PE, journeys to and from school, and break times – and ensures greater safety.
Does this also work in mainstream schools?
Yes. We provide support at mainstream and special schools and coordinate with the relevant teachers and special educational support centres.
How much does school support cost?
If the school support is approved as an integration assistance measure, the funding body covers the costs. During an initial consultation, we’ll discuss your child’s needs, the application process and the next steps with you – free of charge and with no obligation.
Let’s talk about your child
In a free initial consultation, we’ll discuss your child’s needs, the application process and the next steps – with no obligation.
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Our own Splash Academy · Multi-stage selection process · Support at mainstream and special schools
This page is for information purposes only and does not replace medical or legal advice. The decision as to whether school support is appropriate and eligible for funding is made by the relevant funding body on a case-by-case basis.