Introduction: The roles and responsibilities outlined in a white paper by Mazel et al., outline a scope of practice for vision professionals when learners are diagnosed with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). The goal of the current study was to identify teachers' knowledge and skills to apply these roles and responsibilities in practice. Methods:…

People who are visually impaired (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) use a wide variety of sensory information to understand the world around them. Hearing is a particularly useful sense because of its range. Many visually impaired people use some form of echolocation to monitor the space around them (for example, the sound of a cane…

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan (2006), there are 379,000 persons with visual impairments (both those who are blind and those with low vision) in Japan. Of these persons, 30% travel almost daily, 30% travel two to three days per week, 22% travel two to three days per month, and 11% travel several days a year; in…

Using a standardized assessment instrument, the authors compared 182 adults with congenital deaf-blindness and those with acquired deaf-blindness. They found that those with congenital deaf-blindness were more likely to have impairments in cognition, activities of daily living, and social interactions and were less likely to use speech for…

This article reviews the literature on the various components of long canes and reports on a study of the knowledge and preferences of 100 adults with visual impairments regarding the various components and types of canes. Results indicated that the terrain of a route, weather conditions, mobility demand, and purpose of an outing are important…

This study compared the observational skills in orientation and mobility (O&M) of nine university students and nine certified O&M specialists using a digital video assessment. The students differed from the O&M specialists in their stylistic observations and the details of their responses. Implications for the improvement of video assessments are…

This study investigated the musculoskeletal consequences of travel aids, particularly white canes and guide dogs, as perceived by 21 individuals (ages 27-68) with visual impairments or blindness. They experienced a variety of negative physical effects that they denied, ignored, or minimized because of benefits derived from being independently…

Four tests evaluated the need for and effectiveness of detectable warning surfaces at curb ramps for pedestrians with blindness. Results found that the effectiveness of the detectable warning surfaces depended on other aspects of the design of the intersections and on factors such as the density of traffic and the traveler's skills. (CR)

A survey of 84 families of children with visual impairments aged 4 months to 4 years found the children demonstrated delays in all gross motor milestones but that the greatest delays were in mobility milestones such as cruises around furniture, walks independently, and walks up and down stairs. (Contains 6 references.) (CR)

Presents proactive strategies to help educators deal with challenging behaviors of children with visual impairments and neurodegenerative diseases. Strategies are provided for general noncompliance, difficulty with changed or novel routines, difficulty maintaining physical movement, significant variations in affect, and intense tantrums and other…

This article discusses the unique contribution of orientation and mobility instructors and rehabilitation teachers in enhancing employment opportunities for individuals who are visually impaired. The ability of these professionals to complement the rehabilitation counselor's role by identifying consumer's interests in employment is explained and…