Visual Impairments (VIs) are ranked as the fourth most common disability in the United States and are viewed as the most common restricting condition during childhood. It has been reported that 17% to 25% of school-aged children have some degree of a vision problem, thus interrupting their potential to reach optimal growth and learning in school.…

Five reproducible puzzles are presented which test students' skills in math, visual discrimination, and decoding. (MT)

The manual was intended to help school personnel (either an educator of the visually handicapped and/or a certified orientation and mobility instructor) evaluate the functional use of residual vision. The manual is organized in three major sections, which cover the following: (1) the general areas addressed in functional vision evaluation (such as…

Included is information on establishing a system or upgrading existing services, selecting appropriate screening tools, referring persons in need of professional vision care, obtaining appropriate treatment, and providing follow-up services required to ensure that all persons with severe handicaps receive the best possible vision care. (Author/SB)

Shows that visual acuity is a function of the structure of the eye and that its limit is set by the structure of the retina, emphasizing the role of lens aberrations and difraction on image quality. Also compares human vision with that of other vertebrates and insects. (JN)

This article reports on a study of the methods that 21 ophthalmologists used to assess the visual acuity of children with multiple impairments and the difficulties they encountered. Additional means of assessing visual function and alternative means of communicating the results are suggested. (Author/DB)

The study assessed variations in the indoor and outdoor locomotor mobility of 22 low-vision adults, under normal and reduced illumination. Subjects' visual fields and contrast sensitivities accounted for 39 percent of the variation in mobility performance, whereas their visual acuities were not related to mobility performance. (Author/JDD)

Intended for teachers of deaf-blind and severely handicapped students as well as for resource or itinerant teachers in the area of vision who have recently begun to serve low functioning students, the manual provides information on vision and on vision assessment. The manual serves three functions. It: (1) prepares teachers for participation in…

Many students have undiagnosed vision problems despite passing school vision screening. Traditional screening may miss problems with close vision, eye-hand coordination, and smooth eye coordination. The article discusses what teachers should look for, how to proceed if there is a problem, and how to create vision-friendly classrooms. A list of…

These materials constitute part of an active, interdisciplinary, place-based curriculum that introduces fourth and fifth grade students to the concept of landscape and heightens awareness of the relationship between landscape and people. This photo packet contains nine color photos of the Boston-area landscapes that students use with "Picture…

This study found that, of 18 children with severe visual and multiple impairments assessed using the Acuity Card Procedure (originally developed for assessing the visual acuity of infants), 42 percent responded. A similar group received a simple instructional intervention prior to testing and that group's response rate was 85 percent. (Author/DB)

Strabismus and amblyopia are two common childhood vision conditions requiring early identification and treatment. Screening devices include external examination of the eye, ability to track, a cover test, acuity tests, and stereoscopic tests. Treatment includes patching therapy, use of glasses, orthoptics, CAM vision stimulator, or a combination…

The visual acuity of 8 children, aged 2-7, with low vision and multiple handicaps was effectively tested using the Teller Acuity Cards and a preferential-looking procedure with operant modification. This inexpensive procedure was found to be suitable for at-home testing by itinerant vision specialists in developing countries or rural areas. (DB)

This article describes addition of a "learn a routine" procedure to functional visual assessments of children with severe neurological and physical disabilities. The procedure capitalizes on the child's interest of the moment and provides information on the child's patterns of responses, ability to accommodate to variations of a stimulus, and…

A collection of papers on teaching English listening comprehension includes: "The Use of Authentic Sound Materials for Beginners" (Anuska Nakic); "Empathetic Listening" (Mario Rinvolucri); "The Pedagogic Authenticity of a Text" (Henri Besse); "A Team-Teaching Approach to Lecture Comprehension for Overseas Students" (A. Dudley-Evans, T. F. Johns);…