Reading speed of 72 partially sighted adults was examined under conditions of simulated and real visual impairment. Visually impaired Ss with normal visual fields and defective central or peripheral fields performed similarly to normally sighted Ss participating in simulated visual impairment. It is concluded that reading speed depends on acuity.…

The author discusses the advantages and made to measure microcomputer programs for the partially sighted student. Several strategies for using the microcomputer in the classroom are suggested. (SW)

The article describes a three-part driving program for low vision persons in which potential trainees are first interviewed for problems which may interfere with success, then trained to recognize objects through a bioptic lens system, and finally trained on road signs and markings. (Author/CL)

Two experimental reading development courses were conducted for six partially sighted students who read so slowly that they could not complete their study assignments. At the end of each course, the participants' proficiency in reading improved dramatically. (Author)

The author discusses the current status of driving for persons with low vision, both with and without using a bioptic telescope. Licensing criteria, training sequences, and problem areas are considered. (Author/CL)

Demographic projections indicate that the population of the Western world is aging, and evidence suggests an increase in the incidence of conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), that produce visual impairments and result in low vision (Maberley et al., 2006). It is expected that in the United States and Canada, the annual…

The capacity of the visually impaired to perform normal tasks is the basis of a new classification system proposed to supplant the current legal definition of blindness, now based on arbitrary numerical values used to measure visual acuity and angular field. A discussion of the current plight of the visually impaired focuses on the failure of the…

A hand-operated mechanical device, called an X-Y Platform because of its ability to undergo orthogonal planar motions reminiscent of X and Y coordinates, permits design simplifications and lower costs when used with RANDSIGHT-type closed circuit television to enable the partially sighted to read and write. This paper presents a detailed discussion…

This article provides a guide to sources of large type books for the partially sighted adult and child. Several catalogs as well as other sources are discussed. (STS)

An overview of psychophysical studies on visual factors that influence normal- and low-vision reading is presented. General principles, such as the presence or absence of central vision, were found to predict reading performance despite the heterogeneity of low-vision conditions. Results suggested most low-vision subjects meet the visual…

The study examined question frequencies and types in language samples from 36 sighted and visually impaired children (4-10 years old). Results demonstrated significant differences between blind/sighted and low vision/sighted groups in the ratio of questions asked. Comparison of question types indicated some minor distinctions of type of usage by…

The Perkins-Binet Test of Intelligence for the Blind, Form U; the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), Verbal Scale; and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) were administered to 52 low-vision children in the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. Results indicated that the mean ten scores on the two tests of intelligence…

Active and passive perceptual training methods were tested with 30 macular degeneration patients to improve their residual vision. The main conclusion was that perceptual training may contribute to successful visual adjustment and that the effect of training is not limited to a particular level of visual impairment. (Author/CL)

A model is proposed that organizes factors related to visual function into three dimensions: visual abilities, available resources and past experiences, and environmental cues. The model is explained to be useful in determining how to elicit visual behaviors or maximize visual function in persons with low vision. (Author/CL)