Introduction: Eccentric viewing training has been a strategy, used by rehabilitation professionals, to help individuals with central vision loss move their eyes in such a way that they focus the incoming light on parts of the retina located away from the center area that has been damaged and improve visual functioning. A number of studies have…

This study was designed to address three hypotheses: (1) The reading speed of both readers of French braille and readers of French print will be faster in the silent condition; however, this gain in speed will be larger for print readers; (2) Individuals who acquired braille before age 10 will display faster reading speeds at lower error rates…

Foveal-sparing scotomas are common in advanced dry macular degeneration (geographic atrophy). Foveal preservation may be present for a number of years. Despite good visual acuity, these patients have reduced reading rates. Magnification may not be effective if the text becomes too large to "fit" within the central spared area. (Contains 2 tables…

Reading speed of 72 partially sighted adults was examined under conditions of simulated and real visual impairment. Visually impaired Ss with normal visual fields and defective central or peripheral fields performed similarly to normally sighted Ss participating in simulated visual impairment. It is concluded that reading speed depends on acuity.…

Two experimental reading development courses were conducted for six partially sighted students who read so slowly that they could not complete their study assignments. At the end of each course, the participants' proficiency in reading improved dramatically. (Author)

This study of 12 individuals with blindness or low vision extended earlier studies by Morton Heller concerning speed and accuracy of reading noncanonical (tilted) braille text. Results were similar for Heller's original character set (B-J), but the effect of orientation was reduced with other letters and whole words, especially for experienced…

Investigated was the page-at-a-glance speed reading phenomenon in two gifted adolescent readers with normal vision using only one eye. (KW)

Modeled after Project PAVE (Corn et al., 2003) in Tennessee, Project Magnify is designed to test the idea that students with low vision who use individually prescribed magnification devices for reading will perform as well as or better than students with low vision who use large-print reading materials. Sixteen students with low vision were…

In one of several 2-week workshops, 35 blind and visually handicapped persons increased their braille reading speed from an average of 138 words per minute (wpm) to 710 wpm. (Author)

This Australian study compared effects of relative-size magnification and relative-distance magnification on the reading rates of 24 adults with normal vision and 22 adults with low vision. For the subjects with low vision, the magnification method did not affect their reading rates, although subjects with normal vision showed slower reading at…

Evaluation of the use of repeated readings to increase the reading fluency of four elementary students with low vision found the intervention was effective in improving all four students' reading fluency without adversely affecting error rates or comprehension. Students' improved reading rates also generalized to classroom reading. (DB)

This article presents a systematic review of the research evidence on the effects of the characteristics of typefaces on the legibility of text for adult readers with low vision. The review revealed that research has not produced consistent findings and thus that there is a need to develop standards and guidelines that are informed by evidence.…

Intended for teacher educators, the document provides four presentations on the methods and effectiveness of the Braille Speed Reading Institute. A general background of the Institute by A. Ensign traces the development of the project from a request made by a teacher of the blind and partially sighted to the completion and finalization of details…

The article describes the monocular performance of two gifted school girls while reading at page at a glance" rates. It also investigated implications for teaching the partially blind to read more rapidly. (MF)