A teacher training program in blind education is described which is based on Piagetian concepts of cognitive development. It is explained that the teacher is trained to be more concerned with process than with content. Four competencies of a process-oriented teacher (including skill in administering Piagetian reasoning instruments) are outlined,…

The assessment profile of a 9-year-old blind child with normal intelligence is presented to illustrate activities useful in remediating lags in reasoning. Described are six activities from a module entitled "The Long and The Short of It", which provides the student with opportunities to use arbitrary units of measure and thereby…

This study compared orthoptic vision development and balance performance of nonhandicapped and learning disabled children between the ages of 10 and 13 years of age. Each subject was individually administered two orthoptic vision screening tests (Cover Test and Biopter), a dynamic balance test using a changing consistency board, and two static…

Comparison of a variety of vision screening methods used with preschool children led to modification of the standard Snellen E test called the Blackbird Vision Screening System. An instructional story using an "E-bird" was developed to teach children the various possible positions of the E. The visual confusion caused by the chart was…

The paper analyses issues in the hearing assessment of multihandicapped deaf-blind children. The experiences of the authors as consultants to centers for deaf-blind children are briefly noted. Advantages and disadvantages are considered for two basic approaches to hearing assessment: the electrophysiologic in which electricity from neural…

The authors address the conditions of mainstreaming visually handicapped students in regular schools in Quebec. Types of schools for the visually impaired in Quebec are briefly described. Reported are findings from a study which evaluated different aspects of the mainstreaming of visually impaired students, including the perceptions of the…

The author describes a Swiss special school program for visually handicapped children, briefly comments on the concept of integration, and discusses current endeavors to make practical, appropriate integration work. Considerations for more comprehensive integrated programing are listed. (Author/SBH)

The paper reports on a study aimed at developing: (1) a compendium of environmental sensing skills and behaviors, (2) a set of selection procedures and performance trials for matching blind candidates with electronic travel aids, (3) a standard evaluation of pre- and post-training performance, and (4) training guidelines. The materials are noted…

Twenty-seven blind college students were interviewed on notetaking and studying techniques and were asked to participate in a study of voice indexing, which facilitates access to segments of audio tape. A programed text in recorded form on voice indexing was then pretested by 12 blind participants and revised, based upon findings. The text…

The document contains materials from the Jefferson County (Alabama) vision and hearing screening program to identify students with sensory impairments, to monitor "at risk" students, and to provide appropriate educational intervention. The package contains the following: instructions for the principle on vision screening; procedures for…

Two experiments were conducted with 80 college students to examine factors associated with the crossmodal facilitation of learning Braille symbols when the visual modality is utilized. In Experiment 1 subjects using the haptic mode were informed of both the structure of the braille cell and the range of dot numerosity of the symbols to be…

The paper reviews problems and challenges in serving blind children in mental retardation facilities. Incidence figures for institutionalized blind multiply handicapped children are cited, and problems of assessing such residents are seen to include uneven development and lack of standardized evaluation measures. The impact of ward management and…

This paper reports on a study of visual acuity among radiologists. Twenty-eight radiologists had their visual acuity tested by an optometrist. One week later, 70 medical school faculty radiologists were asked to respond to a printed questionnaire that elicited information about: (1) the date of the respondent's immediately previous examination;…

Modifications of educational programs can enable visually impaired learners to benefit from career planning from elementary through secondary grades. Exploration and mobility issues are critical, and the student must acquire personal awareness in respect to the environment before basic work tasks can be performed. Classroom adaptations that…

The study involving two visually impaired developmentally delayed infants, investigated the role of child/adult interaction in eliciting intentional (goal-directed) communicative behavior. It was hypothesized that child/adult interaction would increase the child's awareness of how his or her actions influence adult behavior and would lead the…