Most people are aware of the challenges posed by Dyslexia or Color Blindness, but there are other, less well-known visual impairments that can also challenge a viewer's comprehension of visual information: Central Field Loss, Contrast Reduction, Peripheral Field Loss, and combined Peripheral & Central Field Loss.
The Museum of Teaching and Learning (MOTAL) is proposing an exhibit that illustrates this lesser-known, but equally challenging group of visual impairments. The exhibit, designed in collaboration with Chapman University Design Professor Claudine Jaenichen, will invite visitors to wear "tainted" glasses designed to simulate these various visual impairments, giving viewers a first-hand experience of the resulting altered comprehension.Visual learning disabilities may not always be easily accomodated by design solutions in the practical world, but they are worthy of keeping in mind when design is called upon to serve a need where there may be an increased number of visually-impaired users or audiences.