Colour Blind Awareness is a Community Interest Company, formed for non-profit making purposes, to raise awareness of the needs of the colour blind in the community. All profits from the company will be used to provide free colour vision testing in schools and provide educational supplies suitable for colour blind students. The Company is striving to convert to a registered charity shortly.
Colour Blind Awareness was founded by Kathryn Albany-Ward after she discovered that her son was colour blind. When she started the campaign she believed he had a common form of the condition but since had discovered he has the severe form of deuteranopia. Having first discovered that her son was colour blind, Kathryn was very surprised to learn that not only have teachers never been taught about the effects of colour blindness in school, but that children are generally not tested for colour vision deficiency at school entry, the condition is not even considered to be a Special Educational Need and therefore colour blind children are generally overlooked in school.
Once Kathryn saw computer images simulating the world of the colour blind and subsequently discovered just how much information in school textbooks is inaccessible to colour blind students, she resolved to raise awareness of the condition in the population in general and in educational circles in particular.
This has resulted on the establishment of Colour Blind Awareness CIC and the production of this website, to give greater accessibility of information on colour blindness to parents like Kathryn who may have suspicions that their child is colour blind and are not sure what this might mean or how to support their child. Information to allow teachers to tailor support for colour blind pupils is also a major element of the website.
Colour Blind Awareness is now working with, amongst others, Buckinghamshire County Council Specialist Teaching Services, The Prince’s Trust, Magdalen College School, Headington Preparatory School and Aylesbury Grammar School.
The issue is being strongly supported by The Speaker of the House of Commons Rt Hon John Bercow MP and also been brought to the personal attention of the Education Secretary Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Sarah Teather MP Minister of State responsible for Special Educational Needs and the former Secretary of State Ed Balls MP.
As you will see from the Attain article mentioned below, progress has also been made at Galore Park, producer of textbooks for Common Entrance Exams and sole publisher of Common Entrance Examination papers. We continue to try to raise awareness with other producers of educational products and toy manufacturers.
The Awareness campaign in the media commenced in September 2010 with the publishing of the first of a series of articles aimed at parents and teachers (see Press Releases) in Attain magazine (www.attainmagazine.co.uk). Since then we have had several articles published in educational magazines including Early Years Educator, SecEd and Prep School Magazine. More articles will be published shortly aimed at business.
The Organisation has also advised the BBC’s The One Show, the BBC News website, Radio 4 and BBC West Midlands.
This is just the start! If you are interested in supporting the campaign please contact us.
