A single-participant multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of verbal rehearsal and graduated guidance to teach youth who were blind how to cross the street. This study replicated intervention procedures across settings along with the staggered entry of participants. Individuals learned to cross one or two…

Introduction: In this study, executive function of school-aged children with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) is examined in the context of behavioral problems and communicative competence. Methods: Teachers assessed the executive function of a sample of 226 visually impaired students from mainstream schools and…

Adults with visual impairments experience a loss of balance and mobility, which presents a barrier to independence and is associated with the fear of falling. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which visual status, age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and the strength of quadriceps and hamstrings contribute to compromised…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans aged 60 and older. The loss of central vision from AMD can decrease visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, color discrimination, and the ability to adapt to changes in lighting conditions. Older adults with vision loss often have other chronic,…

Offers guidelines for systematically planning and teaching visual efficiency to students with low vision, then outlines specific skills that are needed for orientation and mobility, and suggests games and activities that will promote visual efficiency. (DB)

This article describes the physiological mechanisms involved in three-dimensional depth perception and presents a variety of distance and depth cues and strategies for detecting and estimating curbs and steps for individuals with impaired vision. (Author/DB)

This collection of innovative ideas for rehabilitation of individuals with visual impairments or blindness describes procedures for making a custom desk for a low vision learner, teaching orientation and mobility to blind individuals with multiple disabilities, and teaching music notation using cuisenaire rods. The paper makes a request for…

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) causes restriction of the visual field, progressive vision loss, and night blindness. This article presents an overview of the most common problems in orientation and mobility (O&M) for individuals with RP, appropriate interventions, vision science discoveries related to RP, and the impact of RP on functional visual…

This study compared effects of visual occlusion on the motor and spatial learning of 28 legally blind adult males, half due to acuity loss and half due to peripheral field restriction. For both groups, occlusion appeared neither to facilitate nor impede motor learning but did significantly impair acquisition of spatial relations. Results have…

Eighty-eight children (either totally blind or with residual vision) estimated directions between landmarks in a large scale layout of objects. Children experienced the layout either directly by walking around it or indirectly by examining a tactile map. Use of tactile maps considerably facilitated the performance of the blind children. (Author/DB)

Offers directions for 10 play activities that enable young children with visual impairments (blindness or low vision) to practice moving and orienting themselves properly in relation to others and their surroundings and to prepare them for social interactions with sighted children. (DB)

This manual is intended for people who are preparing to work with older American Indians with visual impairments and who have limited or no training in this area. Emphasis is on basic orientation and mobility skills and daily living skills. Preliminary information covers the following: the eye, definitions, the visually impaired population, and…

A study was done to identify the level of independent travel considered ideal by three older adults with visual impairments. Results found that the ideal level of functioning is different from that implicitly used in traditional orientation and mobility programs. (CR)

An analysis of questionnaires completed by 94 partially sighted children and their parents attempted to identify the visual environmental adaptation problems (VEAPs) of children in regular classrooms. Significant VEAPs were found in classroom tasks, in tasks that required the resolution of fine detail, and in some mobility tasks. (Author/DB)

Analysis of 41 questionnaires completed by graduates of either undergraduate or masters degree programs in orientation and mobility training of people with visual impairments found that most respondents were still active as mobility instructors, most were in school programs, and most expressed a need for more knowledge of training students with…