Students
If you have colour blindness and it affects your academic work, for example by making charts difficult to read, there may be adjustments which would be helpful. Contact your Tutor or Director of Studies in the first instance.
Following that, if you are studying a STEM subject, a discussion with your Health and Safety Officer maybe helpful. If you are studying Medicine, Veterinary Science or for a PGCE, then raise the issue with Occupational Health when you visit them.
Testing
If you would like to be tested for colour blindness speak to your Optician.
Exams
If you have concerns about interpreting graphs or data on the exam paper then speak to your College Tutorial Office. They may be able to make an application for exam access arrangements on your behalf.
Staff teaching colour blind students
The charity Colour Blindness Awareness has some useful examples of the difference in vision for a student with colour blindness, and explains the difficulties students with colour blindness may experience. http://www.colourblindawareness.org/teachers/secondary-school-higher-education/
Contact the student regarding the difficulties they face with interpreting colour, and adjustments that may be helpful.
Some simple adjustments to consider
- Use secondary indicators e.g. labels, outlining, underlining, cross-hatching, to differentiate, rather than or in addition to colour.
- Use strong contrast on whiteboards – avoiding red, green and pastel highlighting,
- Avoid marking in red and green
- Avoid ‘traffic light’ systems without secondary indicators
Colour Blindness is not considered a disability under UK law. The Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre supports students who are disabled according to the Equality Act (2010), for more information on this see https://www.disability.admin.cam.ac.uk/thinking-about-disability/law-and-higher-education-sector-guidance