The 2007/2008 Parents of Children with Severe Special Needs Survey is conducted to obtain opinions from parents of children with severe special needs to assess their satisfaction with key areas of the education system. A random sample of 816 parents of children with severe special needs completed the survey. Severe special needs descriptions…

Matters related to commission fees paid to the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and to the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) were reviewed. These fees were paid by sheltered workshops that employed blind or other severely handicapped individuals and produced goods and services under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. The…

The report summarizes the evaluation made of six special occupational education programs (five for the deaf and one for the blind) funded under Vocational Education Amendments of 1968, Part B, Section 4(B) of P.L. 90-576. Section I provides an overview of the observational techniques used to conduct the evaluation. The overview identifies what was…

In order to develop a profile of the readership served by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), and to identify readers' interests and concerns as an aid to future program planning, a users survey was conducted during the autumn of 1979. After a questionnaire was designed and tested, NLS members were surveyed…

A study was conducted in 52 African countries to determine the extent of braille facilities for the blind, with the aim of choosing a location for a central braille producing facility. To make the selection, the factors of ease of communication (i.e., central location), political stability, and extent of already existing organizations for the…

Described are the American Foundation for the Blind 2-day workshops for school psychologists which emphasized various techniques, adaptations, and specific information necessary for effective assessment and understanding of school-aged blind and visually handicapped children. The program and a list of participants for each of three workshops are…

Social workers at the Boston Center for Blind Children function in the following areas: supportive casework with the parents of handicapped, visually-impaired children; coordination of services and resources to the children and families involved; and dissemination of information to the staffs of other agencies regarding Boston Center. The most…

Reported is an international survey on training and employment opportunities for the visually handicapped. Described are responses to a questionnaire carried out jointly by the Committee on Professional and Urban Employment of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, The International Labor Organization and the Swedish National Labor Market…

This study used case closure data to investigate the demographic and disability characteristics, service, and outcomes of 36,497 consumers who are blind or visually impaired served in state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. By contrasting key measures reported by separate blindness agencies and general agencies, findings indicate:…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined employment issues for people with serious visual impairments. The study reviewed data from the 1994 and 1995 National Health Interview Survey that included 128,001 people (ages 18-69) with and without visual impairments. Chapter 1 highlights age (seen as lifestage) and health status as…

Differences in how the two hemispheres of the brain handle spatial information were studied with blind subjects and blindfolded sighted subjects. The performances of all groups declined as the relative disorientation between the target and its duplicate increased, suggesting that visual imagery is not crucial to mental rotation. (Author/SEW)

Self-help groups of elderly persons (N=42), who had been blind for several years, met by phone for short-term problem solving and discussion of coping methods. Results indicated task-centered assignments helped the majority meet their goal of decreasing feelings of hopelessness and increasing social activities outside of the home. (Author)

Describes the work of Viktor Lowenfeld in developing creative art experiences for the handicapped, particularly using sculpture with the blind. The bulk of the article consists of excerpts from Lowenfeld's own writings, including a case study of his work with a deaf blind child. (SJL)

A study involving 50 rehabilitation professionals, 264 rehabilitation clients, 90 adults with blindness, and 267 employers, identified factors that lead to or impede competitive job placements for clients of a state blindness rehabilitation agency. Also identified were services that employers felt would assist them in hiring or retaining clients.…

The study evaluated positional concepts and balance performance in 67 blind/visually impaired children, age 6-13, to determine the most important conditioning factors. The study also evaluated the effects of 2 pedagogical situations: 1 with more cognitive activity and less motor activity, and the other with more motor activity and less cognitive…