The final report provides a detailed description of the development of the Peabody Mobility Kit for Infants, which provides programmed instruction in orientation and mobility for multiply impaired blind infants. It describes the development of the criterion referenced assessment scales and instructional activities, the empirical validation of the…

This report supports amending the proposed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Rule on Over-the Counter (OTC) Drug Advertising to insure better protection for children, illiterate populations, the deaf and the blind, from advertising on the air-waves. Several points are addressed: (1) the difficulties of combining the rule making schedules of the Food…

Described is a home teaching program at the Boston Center for Blind Children which provides assistance to families of children (0- to 3-years-old) who have visual impairments, often accompanied by severe developmental disorders such as seizures and psychomotor ratardation. It is noted that during home sessions the teacher instruct the child,…

Responses of certification officers of state departments of education (N=50) regarding policies for teachers of blind or visually-impaired students indicated that 45 states offered vision-specific certification and that policies varied greatly among states. (Author/CB)

This report examines policy issues related to the preparation of educators working with children who are blind or visually impaired. Forty-five state directors of special education were surveyed on the status of personnel serving children with blindness and low vision, recruitment and retention efforts, certification and credentialing, accuracy of…

In a single-subject design with replication across Ss, teacher prompts were used in an attempt to increase the rate of social behavior of three severely and profoundly retarded adolescents who were legally blind. Training took place in the classroom on successive school days with the teacher prompting each S to engage in positive social…

Four tests evaluated the need for and effectiveness of detectable warning surfaces at curb ramps for pedestrians with blindness. Results found that the effectiveness of the detectable warning surfaces depended on other aspects of the design of the intersections and on factors such as the density of traffic and the traveler's skills. (CR)

Parents of 372 visually impaired children in Scotland were surveyed to determine the parents' knowledge of the child's eye condition, educational placement of the child, and registration status as blind or partially sighted. Results indicated that 50 percent of parents were dissatisfied with explanations of their child's visual impairment or…

A survey of 41 residential schools for blind people found a variety of services offered to local day school programs including professional development services, special intervention programs, preschool services, summer school programs, and book, equipment, and supplies services. (DB)

Fifteen congenitally blind subjects were involved in a route-finding experiment in a complex architectural setting. Compared to sighted controls, subjects planned the journey in more detail, formulated more decisions, and used more units of information. On a cognitive mapping exercise, the blind subjects performed virtually as well as sighted…

This article discusses the psychological processes that may underpin successful travel and adjustment of newly visually impaired young adults. A survey of 71 subjects identified the following 5 clusters of feelings: self-efficacy, vigilance, role acceptance, disorientation, and cognitive effort. (Author/DB)

This survey of university training programs, public schools, and hospitals found that neither educators nor employers favor encouraging individuals who are quadriplegic or blind to train for or apply for careers in speech pathology. Educators rated individuals who were blind lower than did employers. (JDD)

This study examined employment, lifestyle, and quality of life of 70 graduates of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Although two-thirds of the graduates were unemployed, high levels of satisfaction, independence, and community integration were reported. (Author/JDD)

This survey of 62 graduates of a private residential school for students with blindness found that 79% were placed in competitive employment, supported employment, work activity centers, or day-care programs. Many graduates were not receiving competitive wages. Most graduates lived with their parents and were not looking to change this…

Provides an overview of TESTLAB, a cooperative project of libraries in Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom that addresses improved library access for visually impaired users. A sampling of TESTLAB projects is presented, and a TESTLAB survey on electronic service provision is described. Future efforts and implications are…