Performance of congenitally blind children and blindfolded children was compared on tasks requiring spatial reasoning and shape recognition. Blind subjects performed at least as well as blindfolded subjects on simple two-dimensional tactual processing tasks, but less well on more complex tasks requiring them to store, compare, and label objects.…

A survey of 20 colleges and universities gathered information about programs that prepare teachers of visually impaired children. The survey focused on program faculty, students, funding sources, courses, practicum placements, interest in national standards, and innovative programs. Most responses indicated a high level of consistency across the…

Forty blind children and adolescents had to learn two unknown environments and then externalize the spatial representation via two methods--building a scale model and verbally estimating distances. High correlations were found between the two methods and between those methods and two systems of measuring mobility. (Author/JDD)

A self-management approach (utilizing self-counting of behaviors, corrective verbal feedback, and contingent verbal praise) was effectively used to reduce stereotypical body rocking in a congenitally blind young adult. Positive results were maintained, with replacement of overt counting with covert counting and immediate with delayed feedback as…

A survey of 37 superintendents of residential schools for blind and visually impaired learners found that schools used federal funds under Chapter 1 (Public Law 89-313) to establish and maintain integration programs, remedial programs, adaptive technology, related services, and reading programs. The paper projects the impact of suggested federal…

A survey of the sexual knowledge of 104 visually impaired and 180 sighted adolescents in Taiwan found sighted adolescents were better informed than were the visually impaired and both groups were least knowledgeable about sexually transmitted diseases and most knowledgeable about anatomy. Sighted adolescents sought information mainly from peers,…

A 2-year study on the shortage of personnel serving children with visual impairments found a need for 5,000 teachers and 10,000 orientation and mobility specialists. Proposed action steps include preparing new and existing personnel, preparing new leaders and researchers, and expanding the capacity to recruit new and retain existing personnel.…

This article describes the establishment of Individual Development through Employment, Assessment, and Learning (IDEAL), a summer transition program for adolescents with blindness or visual impairments in Pennsylvania. The program emphasizes independence, work exploration, and social skills development. Data from participants, parents, and staff…

This survey examined benefits received by 56 vocational services customers through the Illinois Bureau of Blind Services (BBS). Consumers reported high levels of satisfaction with the services, substantial improvements in mobility and daily living skills, and a sense that the BBS had improved their overall quality of life. (PB)

A survey found a wide range of capabilities regarding the production of textbooks and instructional materials for students with visual impairments in 42 states. Shortages of qualified Braille transcribers and inadequate funding were cited as barriers to developing better services. The most effective model was a centralized production center.…

This study compared deception detection accuracy and confidence levels for 72 blind and 71 sighted participants with only audible cues available. Participants from a community blind center and a small western university judged stimulus tapes, which consisted of deceptive and truthful audio messages. Deceptive messages were induced by implicating…

To determine whether the impressive rates for speed reading (e.g., 500 words per minute) can be approximated in speed listening, two experiments compared the comprehension level of material heard at a normal speaking rate with that heard at accelerated rates. In the first experiment, the major demonstration experiment, three groups of college…

The literature on symbolic forms of communication was reviewed, and an experimental program was designed to teach a single set of vocabulary to a group of four institutionalized profoundly retarded blind/mute adults through the use of gestures. Literature about deaf/blind persons suggested the use of coactive movement techniques and facilitation…

Examination of the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of three cooking skills by three multiply and severely handicapped blind adolescents revealed that a "whole task" approach was successful in teaching the subjects to boil an egg, grill cheese, and cook a TV dinner. These skills also generalized to other cooking products. (Author/CB)

Forty visually impaired college students and older people were surveyed concerning improvements in Norway's educational system. The survey focused on attendance at mainstreamed or special schools, counseling services, braille books and talking books, and the need for a personal reader. (Author/JDD)