The prevalence of students with visual impairments varies across the United States, yet limited analysis exists on how many students receive special education services. The following study collected population data on students with visual impairments for the 2017-2018 school year and ran focus groups with state-level administrators to understand…

To examine how individuals with visual impairments understand space and the way they develop cognitive maps, we studied the differences in cognitive maps resulting from different methods and tools for spatial coding in large geographical spaces. We examined the ability of 21 blind individuals to create cognitive maps of routes in unfamiliar areas…

Students with visual impairment (VI) were taught to request using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and tangible symbols. Participants were four males with additional disabilities, 5 to 11 years old, who had little to no functional vision. A functional relation between PECS Phase 1 and requesting was established using a multiple…

The association made between the meaning, spelling, and pronunciation of a word has been shown to help children remember the meanings of words. The present study addressed whether the presence of a target word in Braille during instruction facilitated vocabulary learning more efficiently than an auditory-only instructional condition. The authors…

This article reviews studies on variables that are related to the motor skill performance of children and adolescents with visual impairments (VI). Three major groups of variables are considered (child, environmental, and task). Thirty-nine studies are included in this review, 26 of which examined the effects of child, environmental, and/or task…

Using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SRI International, 2002), this study estimated reading growth trajectories in a nationally representative sample of 3,421 students with disabilities ages 7 to 17 representing 11 federal disability categories. Reading achievement in all disability categories increased with age,…

Fifteen legally blind preschoolers and 15 sighted controls matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status were observed with novel and non-novel toys. Analysis of the exploratory behavior revealed no significant differences between the interaction of each group with either toy except in patterns of sensory utilization. (CL)

Suggestions and recommendations are made for using the Perkins-Binet Tests of Intelligence for the Blind for low vision and blind children. Suggestions cover such aspects as organization and preparation prior to administration and scoring. (CL)

The article explores the effects of mainstreaming four visually handicapped preschool children in a sighted preschool. The need for extensive preparation is stressed as vital to the success of a mainstreaming program. (PHR)

A 10-year followup of 49 deaf-blind children provided indirect comparisons of classifications of mental retardation, hearing loss, visual loss, and major communication mode. Results suggested problems with the methodology and indicated the need for new instruments to analyze current functioning as it relates to past evaluation data. (CL)

Investigated was whether partially seeing children see the Snellen E, printed in selected colored inks on various colored backgrounds, at different distances in terms of initial recognition and best focus. (Author)