An overview of psychophysical studies on visual factors that influence normal- and low-vision reading is presented. General principles, such as the presence or absence of central vision, were found to predict reading performance despite the heterogeneity of low-vision conditions. Results suggested most low-vision subjects meet the visual…

Visual scanning behavior and efficiency of 22 children with visual disabilities and 25 children without disabilities (ages 3.5 to 10 years) were studied. Significant differences were found between groups in length of scan path and number of objects reported, but no significant differences in scanning efficiency. Coordinated binocular eye movements…

The paper stresses the significant role of vision in the general developmental and educational process for hearing impaired students with and without visual impairments. (Author)

The author traces the history of optometric vision training and its influences on academic performance and presents his views on the current controversy over the value of vision training for students with learning disabilities. He concludes with a list of approximately 50 references on the topic. (CL)

Six common visual dysfunctions are briefly explained and their relationships to reading noted: (1) ametropia, refractive error; (2) inaccurate saccades, the small jumping eye movements used in reading; (3) inefficient binocularity/fusion; (4) insufficient convergence/divergence; (5) heterophoria, imbalance in extra-ocular muscles; and (6)…

A model is proposed that organizes factors related to visual function into three dimensions: visual abilities, available resources and past experiences, and environmental cues. The model is explained to be useful in determining how to elicit visual behaviors or maximize visual function in persons with low vision. (Author/CL)

Discusses the following visual needs of learning: acuity, accommodation, neuromuscular coordination, visual motor integration, and other related factors. Urges professionals of all areas to pool their resources so that teachers can become more knowledgeable of certain information regarding the visual process that affects a student's learning…

A vision evaluation and enhancement program was used with 59 elementary multihandicapped students to prevent future problems in educational and social development. Ss with eye-movement difficulties, eye-hand coordination problems and/or difficulty in visual perception skills improved after program participation. (CL)

The role of visual imagery is explored as an information processing strategy, and its relationship is counterpointed to the linguistic system. The importance of visual imagery as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool to aid both visual and nonvisual performance and learning problems is discussed. (Author)

Offers three reasons as to why some children encounter difficulty with educational activities involving vision: (1) inability to perceive and hold detail in mind, (2) lack of time given to accomplish task, and (3) introducing too many activities at one time. (MG)

The study assessed transfer of visual training for myopia using two different training stimuli and a single subject A-B-C-A design with a male student volunteer. A procedure including stimulus fading and reinforcement (positive verbal feedback) was used to effectively improve performance on both behavioral acuity tests during the training phases…

The ability of 16 school-age children with visual impairments and their sighted peers to recognize faces was compared. Although no intergroup differences were found in ability to identify entire faces, the visually impaired children were at a disadvantage when part of the face, especially the eyes, was not visible. Degree of visual acuity also…

Studied spatial knowledge in fully blind versus fully sighted four- to nine-year olds. Found that blind children performed as well as sighted on all tasks but one. (ETB)

Thirty children with partial sight and 30 children with unimpaired sight (all 8- to 12-years old) received either verbal-mediation or visual-mediation training regimes. The verbal mediation training was superior to visual mediation training on a problem-solving task for both children with partial sight and children without visual impairments.…

The author reviews aspects of visual integration which should be assessed in students with suspected learning problems: visually directed and monitored movements, visual tactual integrations, visual auditory language integrations, and visual systems integrations. (CL)