Learning French in Quebec is not just a choice; for immigrants, it is often a necessity. The province strongly promotes French as the common public language, and integration into society, employment, and even social life depends heavily on French proficiency. While this goal is understandable and important, the system does not work equally for everyone especially for blind people.
My name is Suleman. I moved to Canada in 2022, and I have been living in Quebec for almost four years now. I am blind, and I genuinely want to learn French. I believe in integration, and I want to be part of Quebec society. However, despite my strong motivation, I have not been able to find a French learning system that truly works for someone like me.
This is now my second attempt to enroll in government-funded French classes. Unfortunately, once again, I am not satisfied with the teaching methods. I feel excluded in the classroom. Most of the teaching is based on visual materials: writing on boards, handouts that are not accessible, group activities that assume everyone can see, and teachers who are not trained to adapt their methods for blind students.
The teachers may be good at what they do for sighted students, but they are not prepared to teach blind learners. The focus is always on the majority of the class, and I often feel invisible. There is no structured accommodation, no adapted curriculum, and no real understanding of how a blind person learns a new language.
What is most surprising and disappointing is that this is happening in a developed country like Canada, in a province that invests heavily in integration and education. I come from a developing country, and honestly, I do not see much difference in teaching accessibility here compared to back home. The attitude and lack of preparedness feel very similar.
The first time I enrolled in French classes, I eventually dropped out due to the same issues: lack of attention, no adapted support, and a feeling of being left behind. It took a lot of courage for me to try again, but after experiencing the same problems, I am seriously considering leaving the classes once more.
This leads me to a very important question:
Does MIFI (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration) in Quebec not have specialized programs, schools, or trained teachers to teach French to blind people?
I am not someone who is refusing to learn French. In fact, it is the opposite. I want to learn. I am motivated. I attend classes. I make the effort. But the system is not designed for people like me. It feels like French education in Quebec is built on the assumption that everyone can see.
Accessibility is not just about ramps and elevators. It is also about education, communication, and inclusion. A blind person needs:
- Accessible learning materials (screen-reader compatible documents, audio resources)
- Teachers trained in inclusive and adaptive teaching
- Teaching methods that do not rely solely on visual content
- A classroom environment where disability is understood, not ignored
Without these, blind students are technically “included” but practically excluded.
I want to be very clear: I am not saying that teachers are bad. I am saying that the system is not ready to teach blind students. There is a big difference. Good intentions are not enough if there is no training, no tools, and no institutional support.
If Quebec is serious about integration and about making French the common language for everyone, then it must also take responsibility for making French education accessible to everyone including blind people.
Otherwise, the message becomes contradictory:
“You must learn French, but we are not prepared to teach you.”
That is not integration. That is systemic exclusion.