A series of videos demonstrating the accessible technology blind and partially sighted people use to perform tasks in the workplace as well as their fully sighted colleagues.
Banking: What You Need to Know About Accessibility
There are a range of steps that banks can take to make their services accessible for you.
Make sure you have a good understanding of your own needs before shopping for a bank as not all banks offer the same accessibility options.
Products change very quickly, it’s always worth doing your own research, work out what’s important to you, and consider what you need from a bank.
Here are some of the adaptations and modifications banks may offer, you will need to contact your bank directly to find out how they can support your needs.
Modified bank cards
You can get bank cards which have a notch cut out to identify which way you put it in the chip and pin or ATM.
Coloured cards to be able to identify which bank card is which.
Cards with photos of your choice printed on them to help you identify them.
Large Print cards.
Cards with braille on them.
Contactless, there may also be an option to switch off contactless.
‘Chip and Signature’, you can sign a receipt instead of using a PIN number when making a purchase.
Modified bank statements
Online/paperless statements.
Large print black font on white paper.
Large print black font on yellow paper.
Braille (remember to request a standard statement in addition to the braille version so that you can present it to bank staff in the case of an issue).
Audio.
What else is available?
Cheque templates – a plastic overlay which tells you where and what to write in each section of your cheque, so you can write your cheques independently.
Card signing template – ensures your signature is within the designated box on your debit and credit cards.
Talking ATMs – cash machines that give you audible instructions on how to use them by plugging in headphones to the headphone jack/socket on the machine.
Keep security in mind
Not every product a bank offers will be suitable! A signature stamp may seem like a good idea but unless you have somewhere safe to keep it, you could be at risk from having your signature stolen, leaving yourself open to being the victim of fraud.
Thomas Pocklington Trust Student Support Community
This online community is for blind and partially sighted students, family and friends, education providers and other staff in the sector. It forms a supportive environment where relevant news, advice, questions and pieces of work can be shared to enable students with visual impairments to get the most out of their time at university.
