A fundamental part of the orientation and mobility curriculum is the acquisition and retention of skills in using a long cane automatically and proficiently to detect and negotiate obstacles and drop-offs. Using practitioners' experiences and the principles of learning theory, instructors can monitor students' advancement and adapt teaching…

This study assessed the ability of people with visual impairments to reliably detect oncoming traffic at crossing situations with no traffic control. In at least one condition, the participants could not hear vehicles to afford a safe crossing time when sound levels were as quiet as possible. Significant predictors of detection accounted for a…

This article proposes an approach to teaching street crossing to students who are visually impaired that considers the risks, ambiguity, and complexity of today's intersections. Thirty or 40 years ago, street crossing was a straightforward task for travelers with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision). The…

This paper presents methods for visually impaired pedestrians assessing safety of street crossings in the absence of traffic controls, considering both limited detection ability and the difficulty of judging when approaching traffic is distant or slow enough to allow crossing. Alternatives for "uncrossable" streets and teaching methods are…

Discusses using the Timing Method for Assessing the Detection of Vehicles (TMAD) to help individuals with visual impairments develop the ability to judge their safety for crossing streets with no traffic control. Functional criteria for assessing risks are discussed. (CR)

A survey of 69 people investigated their response to individuals with deaf-blindness holding cards soliciting aid for crossing the street. Results found travelers should stand at the curb facing the street, hold the card up at the shoulder, and the card should first state the desire to cross the street. (CR)