Visual Activities and difficulties with Information Processing
Remember, disability is a highly individualised experience. People with the same disability may have very different capabilities and/or needs, so it is always best to discuss any adaptations to practice, the environment or equipment directly with the disabled person themselves rather than making assumptions about what adjustments may be suitable.
Information processing is a term used to describe the way the brain receives, interprets and stores information as well as organising the appropriate responses. Information is received via the body’s five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
People with certain disabilities and/or learning difficulties may experience problems in processing the information quickly enough to keep up with a visual learning activity. For these, it is important to use repetition; it is also helpful to break the task down into small chunks that are easier to process. For example, if the teacher plans to use a film in their session, they should be prepared to show it in small clips, and possibly have some question and answer sessions in between them to ensure understanding. It may also be useful to show the film clips more than once.
When using demonstrations or writing on the whiteboard, teachers should use simple language and they should also make effective use of images/pictures to supplement the text.
