I'm a college teacher. I think teacher is actually a pretty good job for the blind, but not every environment is the same. At the college level you get a lot of control over the course and how you teach, assign work, and grade. In many elementary and high school situations, you have very little control. Being blind can also make it harder to deal with behavior issues, though I'm sure people find a way and there are plenty of sighted individuals who struggle with that. How you break into the profession might matter for being blind, I went through a PhD program which I think is a pretty good environment for the blind, but it's obviously not for everyone. Other more direct routes might be less available to you. And, yes, there is definitely discrimination, that's just reality and I see no way around it, except to be 3x better than the next person and to have a great network.

Have you ever thought about becoming a VI teacher?

Teacher here. Your success in the field will heavily depend on the field you decide to specialize in and the state you live in. I live in Pennsylvania and teaching is highly competitive here, unless you are a TVI. Then you can get a job just about anywhere. Basically assume that if you get training to be a TVI you can get a job anywhere. If you choose to do secondary ed or elementary Ed, a special Ed degree or second language will help you get a job a lot, but a simple teaching degree in one subject only with no specialties will heavily depend on what state you are in if you will get a job or not. I have never had a hard time getting a job in PA, but my friends with el Ed only have waited years and years for jobs. So select your specialities accordingly. I don’t think it’s a bad career choice, but you have to make sure your education level makes you competitive enough that you are the only choice when you apply for a job.

Thinking of teaching myself but not the same sort thinking of technical teaching assistive tech.

I’m working on making the career change into teaching. I have some usable vision but will never be able to drive. I’m working on being a social studies teacher to middle/high school kids. I specifically chose older kids so that my lack of vision wouldn’t be as much of an issue as it would be with elementary school age.

Currently training to teach computer science at secondary, called high school in America.

I have no useful vision. There are challenges but you find ways to do it.

Happy to chat about my experience

So I can't really provide any help or advice, but I know two blind teachers. One still has usable vision and teaches primary school aged children (that's elementary school for those in North America), the other is totally blind though I'm not sure what year level(s) they teach. So it is absolutely a possible career choice.

It depends on your resume. Your teaching degree won't be of use, unless you build your professional background before you graduate and start looking for a teaching job. Volunteer or work in summer camps, after school programs, tutoring labs, and look for a couple of mentors who can give you feedback. Most importantly, apply yourself in field experiences as that is when you'll realize if you have a chance at a job.

I work for the special Ed department at my school, and one of the SPED teachers I work directly with is severely VI, if not blind. I haven’t asked for specifics. I have my own vision issues as well, and don’t have many limitations for my job.

I was a middle school special education teacher for all of four days before I was “let go” because of my vision and having cerebral palsy (my state has not made workplace discrimination on the basis of disability illegal yet). I’m now about to take the exam to be a behavior analyst in a Telehealth group practice as well as going for my EdD and LCSW.

With all of that being said, special education is a wonderful field in which I strongly believe we need more disability representation. If I were to go back and teach again, I’d strongly consider a special education preschool class or maybe lower elementary (K - 2).

I worked with a teacher with similar level of vision. It was tough for her to her a job and they only hired her .3 on a term position. She taught middle school one day and elementary the other. Her elementary class only had six students. Some of the strategies she used was to get the students to say their name if they had a question vs raising their hand. She kept the same seating plan all year. Unfortunately she was not rehired the following year. The discrimination is real.

I’ve never heard of online teaching degrees, where are you that offers that? I did my special Ed degree online but already had an Ed degree which was done in person.