7 Special Lighting
Definition
Conscious decisions about lighting use in the classroom to affect the student experience
In action
Familiarize yourself with students’ sensory needs, level of vision, and general preferences and work with them to determine the type of lighting needed for a task.
Support Strategies
- Work with relevant school personnel to obtain appropriate tools (e.g., desk lights) to keep in the classroom
- Work with IT department to manage glare and screen brightness when the student is using technology
- Ensure student is seated within appropriate proximity to ceiling lighting, windows, etc.
- Use daytime or equivalent lighting for engagement-required tasks
- Consider alternatives to fluorescent lighting
Case Study
Student: Grade 6 student with low vision in a homeroom class.
Content: The class has an occasional teacher for the day who assigns a group task.
Problem: When the class gets into groups, the student with low vision is unable to see as well as they could from their original seat.
Solution: The classroom teacher communicates with the occasional teacher ahead of time about maintaining the original seating arrangement for access to optimal lighting.
Additional Resources
- Information package on supporting students with blindness or low vision from CNIB
- Description of effective learning spaces, including lighting suggestions
- Research article describing some limits on blue light covers
- Tips to improve the physical environment (including lighting) for inclusion from Reading Rockets
- Description of potential sensory impacts on learning from the Child Mind Institute
