LEaD heroes eliminate Glass Boards against all odds

In 2023, LEaD recommended that the old Glass Boards in 18 existing learning spaces be replaced with a low-gloss dry wipe board, now standard (DALI) specification at City St George’s. 

This was to address several complaints made by students to the Students Union, Learning Environment Committee and Digital Accessibility Working Group, about their difficulty in viewing board work. Glare from lights onto the Glass Boards and the need to record board work via Lecture Capture has proved problematic. LEaD researched the issue of Glass Boards and visual acuity, which depends on factors such as eye health, lighting, and contrast sensitivity. 

One student with impaired vision found rooms with Glass Boards hard to use. In some cases, teaching staff asked to be moved from rooms with very bright lighting and Glass Boards, to more up-to-date learning spaces. 

The University places a large emphasis on the need for whiteboards and dedicates a significant amount of wall space to them, often locating multiple boards together. The image below is an example of a typical City St George’s space, utilising wall space for both students and staff. 

During the summer of 2025, LEaD managed the installation project for the replacement of Glass Boards in 18 different learning spaces. These have now been replaced with more modern and accessible low-gloss dry wipe boards.  

These new boards offer students and staff reduced glare from overhead lighting, improved visibility for all students, including those with visual impairments and supports better integration with Lecture Capture.