Orientation and Mobility

ORIENTATION & MOBILITY

Orientation and mobility (O&M) training designed to promote safe, independent movement of persons with blindness or visual impairment. Orientation training is designed to help such individuals determine their location in space and how to plan travel from one point to another. Mobility training involves teaching visually impaired persons to move safely from one place to another, which often requires the use of a mobility device, such as a long cane. Using a combination of orientation and mobility techniques, persons who are blind or visually impaired can learn to move around their homes, communities and the world at large with greater independence. There are a variety of skills that help persons with visual impairments to achieve greater independence. Orientation and Mobility Specialist provide instruction or recommendations to maximize independent movement, services include :

• filled up Disability Assessment Questionnaires

• Evaluation of O&M needs or skills

• Basic sighted guide  Self protective techniques

• Public transportation use (city buses, taxis, trains)

• Orientation to school campus, routes or job sites

• Residential and business travel skills

• Indoor/outdoor cane skills

• Street crossings

• Route travel

• Use of landmarks and clues

• Route planning and travel

• Map reading skills

• Use of compass directions

• Environmental assessments

• Use of white support cane. Long cane if appropriate, if not a short cane will be rdered.

• Rural travel skills