When it comes to the use of technology such as smartphones and tablets in the workplace, it’s important for employers to account for employees who are experiencing vision loss by adapting their policies accordingly, says Jennifer Teague, vice-president of research and education at the Canadian Standards Association.

A new report by the CSA Group examined how people who are blind, deafblind or have low vision learn to use personal digital technology and how well they’re supported by current instructional materials.

According to Teague, individuals with vision loss struggle in four areas: choosing a device, learning how to use it, installation of applications and troubleshooting. While built-in device instructions is the most preferred form of support, the human element is still appreciated and necessary to support these employees.

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“We all work with devices and technology — most of us for the majority of the day. Some technology we’ll use on a regular basis and some technology we use only at certain times. In all of these instances, when you’re thinking about onboarding somebody new or somebody who has to go back to a task that they haven’t done for a while, it’s important to support that person so they can understand what they’re supposed to do, especially for people who have a disability.”

The human element is particularly important in light of the report’s findings on the quality of built-in device instructions. It found while many devices now include strong accessibility features, the instructions that accompany them still require improvement to meet the needs of people with vision loss, with many individuals citing difficulty in finding information, inconsistencies in quality, outdated guidance and instructions that appeared tailored to sighted people.

For employers, its starts with awareness and education on the technology used in the workplace as well as the challenges faced by workers experiencing vision loss, says Teague.

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“They have to educate themselves on what accessibility features are there and human resources departments also need to understand what’s needed to support all employees in order to create an equitable experience, so that people can work competently and efficiently. It’s the responsibility of organizations to have somebody with an interest in learning the basics in terms of accessibility.”

It’s also important for employers to remember that not all disabilities are obvious, adds Teague. “For example, somebody may be sighted but have visual processing disabilities that prevent them from being able to read text and so they have to use a screen reader.”

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