Large-scale social surveys of visually impaired people often explore participants' mobility and travel behaviour. What is methodologically more challenging is gathering participant-centred data in relation to their own interpretation of the barriers they face. Findings from a national survey of visually impaired people are presented in this…

Face field evaluation provides insights into the presence and location of the preferred retinal locus, as validated by comparisons with findings from microperimetry. This technique requires no special equipment and can be used in a clinic or at a person's home by clinicians and low vision rehabilitation specialists. (Contains 2 figures and 2…

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)

Fifty adults (ages 28-86) with macular degeneration were given the Low Vision Reading Comprehension Assessment (LVRCA) to test its reliability and validity in evaluating the reading comprehension of those with vision impairments. The LVRCA was found to take only nine minutes to administer and was a valid and reliable tool. (CR)

This study assesses the validity of an interview questionnaire designed to predict performance by low-vision adults (N=41) on tasks of finding, detecting, scanning, and tracking. Subjects' ratings of difficulty with these tasks were compared to ratings of trained professionals. Results indicate self-report may be of some value in predicting…

Designed for educational psychologists, the paper discusses the range of tests used for assessing visually handicapped children. Specific tests used in Britain for preschool children (including the Williams Intelligence Test for Children with Defective Vision and the Social Maturity Scale for Blind Pre-school Children) and for school aged children…

As follow up to a study which compared forced-choice preferential looking (FPL) with pattern visual evoked potential (VEP), this study increased the VEP success rate and improved agreement between the FPL and VEP acuity estimates by using horizontal bar stimuli for young preverbal children (n=17) with nystagmus. (Author/DB)

This consensus statement on best practices for choosing low-vision devices is a product of a 10-member expert panel which brought together a variety of disciplines as well as consumers for the purpose of synthesizing available scientific information to improve services to people with low vision. After an introductory section, the remaining…

This article considers the visual rehabilitation of patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries. Characteristics, symptoms, and associated neuromotor difficulties of posttrauma vision syndrome are listed, as are common posture and gait adaptations. A neuro-optometric rehabilitative and orientation/mobility evaluation is recommended, as is…

Analysis of scores of 118 visually impaired children on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence (Revised) found a consistent response pattern suggesting that the verbal as well as the performance tests provide useful assessment information. (Author/DB)

Discusses diversity in the population of individuals with visual impairments, the changing role of orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and the broadened definition of O&M. An overview of best practices and model demonstration programs for providing O&M services to a diverse population of persons with visual impairments is presented. (SM)

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.…

This paper used a case study approach to explore the value of an objective procedure to evaluate the relative effectiveness of reading large print and reading regular print with low vision devices for 6 students (ages 8-16) with low vision. Data were collected on oral and silent reading rates, working distance, and oral reading miscues. (Author/DB)

A procedure was developed for gathering objective data on specific reading behaviors, to assist multidisciplinary teams in comparing the effectiveness of large and regular print for low-vision students. Case studies of six elementary-aged students with low vision found that the procedure was useful in making decisions concerning print size.…

Designed to assist in the selection of appropriate literacy media for students with visual impairments, this guide outlines the essential elements of learning media assessments. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the learning media assessment (LMA) process. Included is a discussion of Texas law and regulations that govern LMA. Chapter 2 documents…