This article addresses teaching students with visual impairments metacognitive learning strategies to improve their academic performance. Topics discussed include intrinsic motivation and self-concept; structuring and activating schemata; using cognitive modeling and verbal self-instructional procedures; teaching self-regulatory procedures; and…

The responses of two experts in the field of visually impaired education to a recent council position paper address aspects of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, alternative placements, local school district versus residential school placement, supportive integration, and a rationale for the maintenance of both special and regular…

The article provides recommendations to personnel at residential schools for children who are blind and visually impaired, concerning (1) the impact of the difficult child (erosion of trust, increased demands on personnel); (2) the difficult child as policymaker; and (3) the role of consultants in helping the residential school and the difficult…

Assessment of psychosocial and academic adjustment of 30 undergraduates with visual impairments and 43 nondisabled undergraduates revealed no intergroup differences on psychosocial adjustment. The mean grade point average of subjects with visual impairments was higher than that of nondisabled subjects. Blind/low vision students scored higher than…

The expertise of rehabilitation teachers and diabetes nurse educators can complement each other in components of diabetes management for people who have become visually impaired. The role of each professional involves education; integration of diabetes self-management into a comprehensive rehabilitation program; nutrition; exercise; medication,…

Describes the activities of a Florida workshop designed to inform local service providers of the National Agenda for the Education of Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, Including Those with Multiple Disabilities, and to motivate them to design strategies to meet the eight goals of the National Agenda. (CR)

A study involving 38 specialized preservice programs for teachers and orientation and mobility instructors working with children and adults with visual impairments found that they teach their students how to teach a range of social skills through offering courses or infusing social-skills concepts into existing courses. (CR)

A survey of five teachers of students with visual impairments and 10 students found that teachers spent 4 hour per week in preparing for these students, there was a significant use of transcribers to help prepare the student materials, and students felt reasonably satisfied with their high school experience. (Contains three references.) (CR)

Some of the problems the Americans with Disabilities Act is causing for individuals with visual impairments are discussed in this article, including the status of the process of accommodations and difficulties with the process of requesting accommodations. The need for rehabilitation professionals to understand the obstacles to requesting…

Discusses a survey of 41 states that investigated employment qualifications for orientation and mobility specialists working in public school systems. Results found that at least 17 states currently require that specialists meet specific qualifications for employment. A chart identifies the employment qualifications of individual states. (CR)

The follow-up study of 52 former students revealed that 44 percent of the visually handicapped respondents were employed; 31 percent were enrolled in postsecondary educational programs; and 19percent were unemployed. Adaptive daily living, orientation and mobility, and word processing were the classes the respondents considered most valuable.…

This article maintains that educators of students with visual impairments, especially those with additional problems served in residential schools, need to give priority to habilitation, to identify habilitation needs in the individualized education program, and to implement strategies to meet these needs. (DB)

Four brief notes offer practical suggestions for persons working with the visually impaired, including teaching handwriting skills to blinded adults; improving reading comprehension skills; facilitating independent mobility with an electrically powered wheelchair; and utilizing telecommunications. (DB)

This article discusses the development of an orientation and mobility screening measure suitable for use with children having severe visual impairments (and possibly additional impairments) from birth through five years of age. Twenty instructors rated the measures as being useful. The two forms of the measure (for either ambulatory or…

This article considers the visual rehabilitation of patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries. Characteristics, symptoms, and associated neuromotor difficulties of posttrauma vision syndrome are listed, as are common posture and gait adaptations. A neuro-optometric rehabilitative and orientation/mobility evaluation is recommended, as is…