The article stresses the need for systematic studies on the effectiveness and utility of products designed for the visually handicapped and identifies exemplary procedures and common methodological problems (using 7 Optacon--Optical to Tactile Converter--studies as a basis). Research methodology is discussed in terms of sampling techniques, data…

Discusses human ability to perceive repeated sensory stimuli in the visual system, and explains that its frequency fc has a critical value, under normal conditions, about 40 Hz. (GA)

A summary of evidence regarding the prevalence of visual abnormality among deaf students, appropriate planning for and implementation of vision assessment services, and the importance of follow-up services for visually impaired deaf individuals is presented. The results of seven assessment studies based in educational programs for the deaf are…

This article focuses on the mechanisms of the human brain whose function is vision. (SA)

A comparative study of conservation development in partially sighted, sighted, and sighted blindfolded children at four age levels was assessed. Conservation on tasks of mass, weight, and volume were evaluated using Piaget and Inhelder's prediction, judgment, and explanation questions. The significant differences were found between groups, task,…

In the study, eight random samples of respondents (236 adult Ss) from a small Western city were presented with questionnaires which requested that they evaluate the characteristics of a stimulus person who varied by sightedness (blind, totally sightless, partially sighted, sighted), and age (35 or 65 years). (Author/SBH)

Discusses reading specialists' responsibilities concerning children's vision problems. (MKM)

Suffered by 88% of those who use a computer for more than 3 hours a day, eyestrain is caused by direct and reflective glare, excessive lighting, improper ergonomics, low-quality or inappropriately adjusted video display terminals, uncorrected or improperly corrected vision, and insufficient or nonexistent eye care. Fatigue, errors, and lost days…

This article describes a setup smart access card that enables users with visual impairments to customize magnifiers and screen readers on computers by loading the floppy disk into the computer and finding and pressing two successive keys. A trial with four elderly users found instruction took about 15 minutes. (Contains 3 references.) (CR)

Analysis of language samples from four children with blindness, four children with low vision, and four sighted children (ages 4-5) revealed that the sighted group had greater complexity of utterances, lower frequency of inappropriate pronoun use, more variation in sentence types, and more instances of experiential narrative and imaginative play.…

The article describes a project in which blind and partially sighted children used a computer-guided floor turtle to develop spatial concepts such as right and left and accurate facing movements. (Author/DB)

The art of Edgar Degas is discussed in relation to his impaired vision, including amblyopia, later blindness in one eye, corneal scarring, and photophobia. Examined are ways in which Degas compensated for vision problems, and dominant themes of his art such as the process of perception and spots of brilliant light. (Author/JDD)

Using Macintoshes, 111 high school students completed 8 3-minute timed typings, twice under each of 4 conditions (normal, monitors off, keyboards covered, and both monitor off and keyboard covered). Fastest speeds were achieved with monitors off, the most accurate with full visual access to both monitor and keyboard. (SK)

A body of psychoeducational data were gathered on 11 children (ages 8-14) who were gifted and learning disabled. Results from brain imaging and vision testing for hyperacuity and contrast sensitivity suggest that the interaction of high ability and learning disability results in brain and vision patterns unique to the learning-disabled/gifted…

Techniques used by the Special Visual Assessment Clinic for the Handicapped at the University of California-Berkeley School of Optometry are designed to serve handicapped children and adults generally considered "difficult to assess." This article describes the clinic's assessment goals, clientele, and methods for assessing visual ability and…