By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated April 7, 2020

Independence in dressing is an important skill for everyone including individuals who are blind or visually impaired. It may take  longer to master these skill but it is essential to encourage independence and avoid the urge to do the task for the person in a rush to complete the activity. It is also important for the individual to develop clothing management skills.

Clothing Identification

Students will need to learn methods for marking their clothes to make it easier to identify and select them. There are methods that can be used for braille readers as well as non-braille methods. Whatever method is used, place the pins or indicators in an inconspicuous location. Keep a master list of your coding system in an accessible format. 
  • Braille labels can be used to mark their clothing for braille readers. Braille tags are commercially available and can make identification easy. These tags are small metal tags that have color words and pattern words. The tags can be sewn onto the tag or the inside seam of the clothing. The tags may irritate the skin so it may help to sew them to the bottom hem as long as they are concealed. Alternatively, a label can be made by brailling on durable, but not too thick, plastic. 
  • ​For non-braille readers, buttons of different shapes can be used to match items or a certain shape can represent a color. The button, like the braille tags, can be sewn in the inside hem of the shirt. Iron-on tape is another method of labeling clothes. Cut the tape into various shapes and have a system for matching shapes similar to the button method.
  • Safety pins can be used as a coding system to identify color. Use one pin to stand for one color, two pins to stand for another color and so on.  

Dresser Drawer Organization

Keeping clothing organized is an important skill for students to learn. When setting up the student's drawers, it may be easier to designate drawers for particular kinds of clothing. ​
  • Group clothing items and put them neatly in drawers.
  • Braille/print labels can be placed on the lip of the drawers to help with organization.
  • Boxes, bins and other organizers can be used to keep groups of articles separate within drawers.
  • Plastic ice cube trays can be used to store or separate small items such as jewelry, watches, earrings and tie tacks.
  • Plastic bags can store and separate gloves, hosiery, scarves, earmuffs, handkerchiefs, etc.

Closet

  • Tactual cues can be used to identify a student’s hook or a plastic separator can be placed and a tactual label can be placed on bars to group similar clothing.
  • Take advantage of commercially available clothing organizers and pair with labels to help the student maintain the organization. 

Laundry Tips

  • Label the basic settings on dials by adding a Bumpon blister or create a template that fits over the dial. Transparent markers are necessary so sighted household members can still read the markings. 
  • ​Use mesh lingerie bags to keep undergarments together. 
  • Use detergent pods to eliminate the need to measure or pour laundry detergent. 
Picture
Sock Locks are GREAT for keeping like colored socks together when doing laundry! It can be difficult for students with low vision to have a difficult time discriminating blues and blacks and other similar shades as well as for students who are blind.

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