I was delighted to meet Eithne Walsh, CEO of Féach Vision Support Services, to talk about improving supports for blind and visually impaired children in Irish mainstream schools. Eithne shares how her two children gradually lost their sight and how low expectations and limited expertise in schools pushed her to advocate for practical planning, expanded core curriculum skills, and assistive technology so her children could become independent learners. She explains Féach’s evolution from parent peer support into a charity offering school guides, webinars, SNA and teacher training, low vision awareness workshops, and VR immersive training, now supporting hundreds of schools. They discuss slow policy change, gaps in AT training, key recommendations from Féach’s access reports, and why braille remains essential for literacy alongside modern technology.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:24 Eithne Story and Diagnosis
03:00 School Expectations Shift
05:13 Building Independence Skills
06:28 Why Féach Exists
07:32 Féach Services and Training
10:47 Mainstream Progress and Gaps
13:20 Assistive Tech Push
17:49 Why Policy Moves Slowly
23:08 Toolkits for Teachers
24:16 Age-Appropriate Tech Skills
24:36 Typing Progression Plan
25:36 Audit Tools and Live Resources
26:55 North-South Training Collaboration
30:13 Annual Report Key Recommendations
33:07 AI and Accessible Tech Advances
35:55 Why Braille Still Matters
38:58 Big Questions for Education
41:42 How to Contact Feach
43:09 Closing Thanks and Wrap-Up
