Information access for visually impaired persons: do we still keep a "document" in "documentation"?

At the same time that global economies and multimedia technologies provide impetus for increasingly visual communication, the information needs of persons with limited vision may require communication to shift from graphics back to text, or on to audio or tactile forms. To understand documentation issues related to this shift, one must understand the varied forms of visual impairment, available assistive technologies, and the resultant design considerations. Efforts to prepare more effective materials for visually impaired users may yield "universal design" benefits by identifying and reducing sources of confusion for all users.