Visual Perceptual Deficit
A disorder that affects the understanding of information that a person sees, or the ability to draw or copy. A characteristic is seen in people with learning disabilities such as dysgraphia or non-verbal LD, it can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/ hand coordination.
Signs and symptoms
- May have reversals: b for d, p for q or inversions: u for n, w for m
- Has difficulty negotiating around campus
- Complains eye hurt and itches, rub eyes, complains print blurs while reading
- Turns head when reading across the page or hold paper at odd angles
- Closes one eye while working, may yawn while reading
- Cannot copy accurately
- Loses place frequently
- Does not recognize an object/word if only part of it is shown
- Holds pencil too tightly: often breaks pencil point/crayons
- Struggles to cut and paste
- Misaligns letters: may have messy papers, which can include letters colliding, irregular spacing, letters not on line.
Strategies
- Avoid grading handwriting
- Allow students to dedicate creative stories
- Provide alternative for written assignments
- Suggest use of pencil grips and specially designed pencils and pens
- Allow use of computer or word processor
- Restrict copying tasks
- Provide tracking tools: ruler
- Use large print books
- Experiment with different paper types: pastels, graph, embossed raised line paper.
