The article reviews two issues in special education service delivery and the impact on children with visual impairments: the Regular Education Initiative and the Least Restrictive Environment. The concept of "educational deficit" as a requirement for services is seen to be inappropriate for this population. (Author/DB)

The article discusses influences on the development of education for the visually impaired in Nigeria including the contributions of voluntary agencies, the traditional community, and the government. All three influences must be considered in evaluating the development of educational services for this population. (Author/DB)

Based on visits and teaching experiences in more than 15 different countries, the differences in philosophies of education, changing attitudes in regard to persons with visual impairments, and service delivery systems are discussed. Stressed is the development of low vision services in recent years. (Author)

This article presents a literature survey and conceptual model of the perceptual-motor performance of children with visual impairment, in relation to their social development. The relationships between visual impairment and orientation, visual impairment and mobility, and motor performance and social integration are examined. (Author/SW)

This summary of 1987 and 1988 seminar meetings on service delivery to people with blindness or visual impairments addresses: (1) service delivery systems (principles, the population served, and providers of services); and (2) the services provided, focusing on the blindness system as a system under siege. (DB)

This summary of a seminar meeting on the demographics of blindness or visual impairments addresses demographic data as "hard facts" (three studies are compared) and implications of the demographic "facts" related to the nature and location of clients, barriers to service receipt, independence versus interdependence, and the need for greater…

This article discusses factors related to individuals with sudden blindness, focusing on the visually impaired client's readiness for rehabilitation, the reactions of family members and friends, and personality variables. Two cases illustrate the adjustment process and eventual rehabilitation. (DB)

The article reviews the history of mainstreaming visually impaired students, claims the needs of visually impaired children have been neglected for the last eight years by the Office of Special Education Programs, and proposes that policymakers and advisory committees consider the needs of children with low incidence disabilities. (DB)

A nurse educator specializing in diabetes recounts her own experience with vision loss resulting from diabetic retinopathy, considers the roles of rehabilitation specialists and diabetes educators, and urges the two professional groups to work together more closely. (DB)

This article shares comments made by Mary Nelle McLennan, an executive editor of RE:view and a former teacher of young students with visual impairments, when she accepted the Mary K. Bauman Award in 1998. She discusses her belief that children learn through discovery and experience, not lecture, and makes recommendations to fellow teachers. (CR)

Reports the results of a survey of 50 academic libraries that have Kurzweil Reading Machines and discusses librarians' responses to both factual and opinion questions about use of the machines. The questionnaire used in the survey is included. (Author/CLB)

A college teacher with a recently developed visual impairment discusses four aspects of living and working with the disability: reading problems (research, preparation of course materials, and written assignments); the classroom (replacing the lecture method); lighting problems; and the attitudes of those around him. (MSE)

The paper presents a brief history of the education of teachers of visually handicapped students and reviews recent trends and adaptations, such as the changing characteristics of the population of visually handicapped children and closer communication with parents. (Author/DB)

The paper summarizes the reasons given for the decrease in Braille literacy and analyzes them as indicators of faults in the system of educating children with visual handicaps. Reasons include undercounting visually handicapped children, emphasizing use of vision, attitudes toward Braille, teacher competency, service delivery via itinerant…

As a viable supplement to traditional campus based personnel preparation programs, university outreach training programs can help meet personnel needs for orientation and mobility specialists serving visually impaired children in rural areas. (DB)