Phones and tablets

We live in a society where almost everyone can access a smartphone or a tablet. The good news is that these handheld devices have accessibility features that can enable someone with low or no vision to have access to the same information as their sighted peers. The challenge lies in knowing about the accessible features and then how to activate them, but don’t worry, Visibility Scotland is here to help.

When booking an appointment at our Glasgow office, please ask for the digital skills group or Switched On, our virtual session on Android and iOS.

Employment

Only 25% of vision-impaired people are in employment, a statistic that has not seen a significant change in the last 20 years (RNIB, 2020). This statistic highlights the pressing need for progress.

Access to Work

Access to Work is the government’s scheme to help people with disabilities and conditions get or stay in work. The Access to Work support assessment process can be frustratingly long. To support you in navigating this complex system we provide one-to-one support with the application and IT training and vision rehabilitation recommendations. If you are unable to travel to our Glasgow office, we can provide advice over the telephone or virtually via Zoom or Teams. If you require support to complete the Access to Work application form, we can provide this service but there is a cost. This will be discussed during your consultation.

If you’d like to learn more about Access to Work, visit our Knowledge Centre page linked below:

Access to Work – Visibility Scotland’s Knowledge Centre

Assistive technology

Our assistive technology employment support is split into two categories:

1. Text-to-Speech software
2. Magnification

Please ask for an employment appointment if you want to know more about our employment service. It is always helpful to know what type of support you require.

Education

We support adults with vision impairments who are either in education or preparing to pursue further education. Support includes help accessing and applying for the Disability Student Allowance and opportunities to try a variety of assistive technologies including digital magnification and text-to-speech software. In addition, we can provide vision rehabilitation for orientation and mobility on campus.

For more information about vision rehabilitation, visit our Knowledge Centre page linked below:

Vision Rehabilitation – Visibility Scotland’s Knowledge Centre

To access this support, please contact us and let us know that you are either in education or about to embark on further education.

What is available at our digital suite

At our main office at 2 Queen’s Crescent, we have a dedicated digital suite that provides access to a large variety of digital equipment designed to help people with vision impairments. This equipment and support can help you with reading, using your mobile phone, social media, IT, education, and employment. All the equipment can be purchased directly from our team. Any profits go directly back to the charitable arm of our service delivery, effectively acting like a kind donation.

Within the digital suite we have a large selection of Cocoons anti-glare glasses available to try on. These glasses have proved to be a big hit for anyone and everyone! To find out more about Cocoons visit their webpage linked below:

Cocoons UK

To book an appointment at our digital suite please contact us by calling 0141 332 4632 or emailing info@visibilityscotland.org.uk. When booking your appointment please tell us the type of support you would like assistance with. 

What to expect

The video below gives an overview of some of the technology and advice available through our EyeT service. The format of this video is a question and answer session. This is similar to most of our meetings.

Testimonials

• “Over a six-month period, thanks to dedicated support customised to my particular needs I am now in a position where I am starting back at work in the role I previously held.  In that time, I have dealt with multiple hospitals, specialist consultants, general practice and additional support from physiotherapy because the loss of eyesight has also impacted on my coordination and balance.  Including my own opticians, no one has come even close to the level of knowledge that I have found at Visibility Scotland.”

• “This equipment has been totally life-changing for me.  I was very emotional for a few weeks after receiving it, as I was able to rekindle a lot of hobbies and passions I thought I had given up.  I was trying to learn Italian a few years ago but couldn’t read back my notes or books, so I had stopped this. Grazie!”

• “I can do my own paperwork and letters and not have to ask people or feel like I’m missing things using a small handheld magnifier and going back over everything multiple times.  It’s also personal, so it’s not necessarily information I want to share with others.  I have my confidence back.”