Patients with homonymous visual field defects experience disabling functional impairments as a consequence of their visual loss. Compensatory visual exploration training aims to improve the searching skills of these patients in order to help them to cope more effectively. However, until now the efficacy of this training has not been compared to…

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…

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 article proposes helping visually handicapped clients make optimal use of remaining vision for travel in unmodified environments. Structured discovery learning exercises covering pattern recognition, depth perception, central acuity, and central field vision with peripheral field loss are offered. (Author/DB)

This article presents a practical guide to help professionals develop techniques and materials that motivate preschool-age children to learn to use low vision devices. Skills for optical-device training and sample training activities for monocular and magnifier use are outlined. (Author/DB)

A visually impaired rehabilitation teacher describes a model developed in Maine for providing low vision services, with emphasis on teaching the use of near-point aids to assist on near-point tasks. The article addresses preevaluation services, assessment of clients with low vision, and follow-up when the client begins using the aids at home. (DB)

Discusses the development and implementation of the low-vision-therapist certification through the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Credentials for professionals in low vision are described, along with required written examination, and the role of the low-vision therapist. (CR)

This article describes the High Vision Games, a habilitation model for youth with low vision which involves a pregame training phase; the games, where participants demonstrate their visual skills in high tech, low tech, or no tech versions; and postgame follow-through activities. The approach has had positive training, social, and professional…

The article describes the development of a visual assessment and training program designed to predict initial and final low-vision mobility performance. The program's tasks were determined to be better predictors of visual performance than existing clinical measures, and task learning could be transferred to real-life mobility situations.…

This project examined whether the rehabilitation of reading recognition allowed comprehension of print for 38 low vision adults (ages 37-87) who were former readers. The project developed training strategies for enhancing reading comprehension. The paper concludes that instruction in comprehension has value as part of low vision rehabilitation for…

This study evaluated two methods of presenting a videotaped lesson on the care of residents with low vision to 87 staff at long-term care facilities. Both versions of the videotape, one which presented information in a narrative format and one which used text overlay to highlight ideas, were equally effective. (Author/JDD)

Two visually impaired children, aged 8 and 10, appeared to have severe difficulty in recognizing faces. After assessment, it became apparent that only one had unusually poor facial recognition skills. After training, which included matching face photographs, schematic faces, and digitized faces, there was no evidence of any improvement.…

To develop a battery of tasks to predict and improve mobility performance, a series of functional vision tasks (texural shearing, degraded images, embedded figures, and parafoveal attention) were generated by a microcomputer. Sixty visually impaired subjects given either computerized task training or real-life training improved their low vision…

Project VISION (Visually Impaired Students and Internet Opportunities Now) was a 2-year effort to develop and test methods and strategies by which blind and visually impaired students can use assistive technology to gain access to the resources found on the Internet. The project produced a manual and a videotape. Nine students were provided with…