A successful outreach model for training rural teachers of the visually impaired includes an on-site, two-year course sequence leading to certification which results in: increased teacher knowledge about community resources; a supportive networking system among participating teachers; and the capability for meeting the needs of rural area,…

Social routines, which combined nursery rhymes with carefully planned action sequences, were used to help two young developmentally delayed, visually handicapped children acquire communicative responses. Midway through the 3-year project, one child responded to words for objects, people, and actions. (Author/SEW)

Reports on surveys of Maricopa County handicap-related agencies concerning the number of clients served and the specific services provided and of handicapped individuals, regarding desire to attend college, degree of disability, and special services needed. Estimates costs of providing special services to handicapped students in Maricopa community…

The assessment of behavior patterns and levels of functioning of visually handicapped students is essential for establishing effective educational programs. The article discusses the factors in formative assessment, the types of data to be collected, and the most appropriate measurement instruments that are available to evaluate a variety of…

To test a programed instruction in orientation and mobility, 44 multiply impaired low vision children and young adults (ages 5 to 28) were instructed over a six-week period. Instruction was in the areas of motor development, sensory training, concept development, and mobility skills. The experimental group using the materials showed significant…

This article presents an intersubjective developmental theory that focuses primarily on the development of the interworld between caregiver and infant and uses it to integrate and interpret the seemingly incoherent and contradictory research findings on the interactions between mothers and their infants with visual impairments. Implications for…

This study examined the personal networks and social supports of 316 blind and visually impaired youth, ages 14-23, in the Netherlands. The average participant had a personal network of 15 people (compared to 15-20 for sighted adolescents.) The oldest adolescents had the largest networks and blind adolescents had the smallest. For all adolescents,…

This study of the transition experiences of 102 college students with visual impairments (blindness or low vision), and of the services offered for students with disabilities at 66 colleges, found that the colleges provided most of the services students need to be successful. Students also identified areas in which visually impaired high school…

Natural history facts and concepts were presented to 160 multiaged individuals through tactual and/or visual interpretive stations along a nature trail. Individuals were tested to indicate knowledge retention after the trail experience. Visual, tactual, and visual/tactual approaches proved to be equally effective treatments in most cases.…

This position paper of the Council of Executives of American Residential Schools for the Visually Handicapped calls for stronger emphasis on instruction in literacy skills; individualized selection of the mode of reading, writing, and computing; technical assistance; continuing education; emphasis on literacy skill teaching methodology; and…

The article describes educational needs and services of visually impaired children in Latin America noting especially the lack of services for children under the age of seven. It proposes early identification, provision of basic services within the child's home and local environment, and training in basic teaching techniques for anyone willing to…

Developed and evaluated long cane mobility computer simulation as visual rehabilitation training device and research tool in graduate students assigned to instruction (BI) (N=10) or enhanced instruction (EI) (N=9). Found higher percentage of EI students completed simulation task. Concluded that students registered positive understanding changes,…

A survey of state agencies found that early intervention services to visually impaired children, aged birth-two and three-five years, were permissive or mandated in the 29 respondents' states or territories. All respondents used definitions of visual impairment similar to the federal definition, and all required a medical diagnosis. (JDD)

The paper examines the historical background, the current status, and the future possibilities of educational programing for gifted children with sensory and/or physical disabilities. Discussed are definitions, prevalence, child characteristics, identification methods, exemplary programs, obstacles, and influential trends. A model is proposed for…

Through seriation, verbal seriation, and conservation tasks, investigated blind, partially sighted, and sighted children's understanding of quantity. Subjects were 81 children equally dispersed through these 3 groups. Age range was 4 to 17 years. Found similarity in concept acquisition among three groups that extended beyond quantity conservation…