Introduction: A national validation study on the "Orientation and Mobility Visual Impairment Scale of Service Intensity of Texas (O&M VISSIT)" was conducted. Methods: Fifty-two of the original 115 interested participants completed the study that used a mixed-methods research design. After finishing the "O&M VISSIT" for…

Introduction: To better serve students with visual impairments who are enrolled in personnel preparation programs training orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, faculty should be aware of effective teaching strategies, tools, and resources to use. In this context, it is vital that instructors in personnel preparation programs for O&M…

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to survey the faculty of personnel preparation programs that train orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists in the identification of accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources needed to teach students who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision) and who are…

Introduction: This study analyzed survey responses from 114 orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists regarding the content and procedures they used in completing O&M assessments. Methods: O&M specialists completed an online survey in 2020 on their assessment practices for children and youths who are visually impaired. Results: Over…

Using the five-stage model of skill acquisition originally proposed by Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1986), this study investigates the professional development of Rehabilitation Workers (RWs) in the UK through analysis of their practice in training people with a vision impairment in the area of orientation and mobility. From interviews with RWs a clearer…

A panel of 20 experts in orientation and mobility (O&M) reached consensus on concepts and skills that O&M specialists should teach to students who are blind or have low vision. Panelists also agreed on visual, environmental, and behavioral conditions that would require a formal O&M assessment.

This study compared the observational skills in orientation and mobility (O&M) of nine university students and nine certified O&M specialists using a digital video assessment. The students differed from the O&M specialists in their stylistic observations and the details of their responses. Implications for the improvement of video assessments are…

A survey of 217 AER-certified orientation and mobility specialists (COMSs) found the median annual income for full-time employed COMSs was $39,000. Of the respondents, 63.7 were women, 91.5 percent were white, and the median age was 43 years. The majority entering into the field had master's degrees. (Contains references.) (CR)

This book is a guide to teaching orientation and mobility (O&M) skills to students with visual impairments in the public schools. The first chapter offers an overview of the nature and responsibilities of the orientation and mobility specialist and explains the fields legal underpinnings. Next comes a look at O&M in relation to the school year…

A survey of orientation and mobility specialists (N=26) was conducted to determine the mobility devices currently being used with visually impaired and elderly clients. These results were then used to design and develop an effective, commercially manufacturable adaptive-mobility device prototype which was tested with elderly individuals, multiply…