Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child's life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education--which fully engages all children in quality…

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to…

The rehabilitation of visually impaired persons can be conceptualized by a human systems approach. This paper explaines seven levels of human systems, related factors, and 10 assumptions that lead to high standards for rehabilitation workers and organizations. The concepts are applied to work with clients and use in rehabilitation agencies.…

The guide updates one section of a previously written manual on speech software for blind and visually impaired persons. The guide presents reviews of 14 specific commercially available software programs. Software is critiqued for IBM (Enhanced PC Talking Program, Soft Vert, Screen-Talk Pro, Artic Vision, Freedom 1, and Prompt-Writer), Apple…

Basic behavioral processes involved in motor control based on theories of motor control and learning are outlined using the teaching of two-point touch cane technique as an application of the theories. The authors assert the importance of repetition, practice, and sufficient learning time. (Author/CL)

The article describes ways in which visually impaired students can recruit readers on college campuses, make sure that they perform well, maintain productivity, and terminate them should it be necessary. (Author)

Reverse mainstreaming (integrating sighted children into a special class) can be an effective approach with visually impaired elementary students, both in terms of academic benefits (such as increased individualized instruction for sighted students) and social benefits (including a greater understanding of blindness). (CL)

The uses and effects of group therapy with elderly blind people are discussed and some ideas are offered for overcoming clients' resistance to mental health services and for facilitating their emotional adjustment to visual loss by using nontraditional group therapy techniques. (Author/DLS)

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…

The paper provides an overview of audiological terms and types of hearing impairments to help teachers of visually impaired preschoolers work more effectively with audiologists. Both functional auditory assessment and formal audiometric evaluations are discussed. (Author/CL)

The article describes the development of a type size transparency/overlay for visually handicapped children developed for use by teachers and librarians in school libraries and media centers. Samples of type sizes, an introductory letter regarding the development project, and a large print survey sheet are included. (Author/SBH)

The Teacher-Student Instructional Interaction Observation System was designed for use by supervising teachers, educational consultants, and psychologists to provide teachers with feedback for improving the learning of low functioning, visually impaired students. (Author)

The paper examines the applications of microcomputers to recreation programing for blind persons. The accessibility of microcomputers to this population is discussed, and the advantages as well as disadvantages of speech synthesis equipment are noted. Information is presented on the modification of hardware for Radio Shack and Apple computers.…

An eight-step decision-making paradigm appropriate for guiding decisions regarding selection of instructional programming alternatives for visually impaired multiply disabled children is presented. Brief case studies illustrate the application of the paradigm. (Author/DB)

Teachers of students with visual impairments share teaching ideas, including a high school student's quilting project (the quilt included raised Braille alphabet letters); development of a ball-tipped cane for travel on nonpaved surfaces, grocery shopping by students for a local food bank, and development of an in-school television news program.…