Doing laundry is an important component of independent living skills for individuals transitioning from school to adult life. However, laundry can be a challenging experience for individuals who are blind or low vision. Labeling laundry appliances for accessibility and finding a strategy to use detergent safely are some ways of navigating these challenges, but oftentimes students have challenges around concept development.
In order for students with vision impairments to do laundry independently, it can be helpful for them to first have a concept of what laundry appliances look like, how they work, what features all washers and dryers have in common, and how they may differ from one appliance to the next. Many transition-aged students with vision impairments have little to no laundry experience, even in their own homes. Furthermore, familiarity with a home washer and dryer does not necessarily mean that it will be easy for a student to use laundry machines in other places. This activity aims to address concept development in order to promote independent living skills.