In this paper we evaluate the involvement of a partially blind user as lead user in the early stages of a product redesign during an undergraduate product design-engineering course. Throughout the early stages of product design, or fuzzy front end, there is a high level of uncertainty. End users, with their increased contextual knowledge can play…

One of the benefits of physical activity in people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) is an increase in alertness. This study investigated the effect of a power-assisted exercise intervention on alertness and the relationship of this effect to the level of additional motor and visual impairments in people with PIMD. A…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine, through the feedback of experts, the roles and responsibilities, training needs, and supervision needs of paraprofessionals who work with students with visual impairments in public schools (within the itinerant orientation and mobility [O&M] service delivery model). Theoretical Framework:…

Assistive technology devices are defined as any "product, device, or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that is used maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (P.L 100-407, 1997). There is a strong relationship since ancient civilizations between…

Introduction: Anthony cautions that the training of teachers of students with visual impairments (i.e., blindness and low vision) and orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists covers a broad age range, which may result in limited curricular content essential for those who will work with very young children with visual impairments. The current…

School internship is one of the most important phases of any teacher education programme. This is the stage where the student teachers apply the theoretical knowledge and skills they had acquired from the institute of teacher education in real life situations. School internship can be termed as a litmus test for a student teacher. National…

In recent years, teacher trainees have seen an increase in the number of students with both vision and hearing loss. The faculty of Vanderbilt University's master's degree program in education of the deaf wrote and received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs to address the needs of these unique…

A key factor in promoting the outcomes described in the mission statement of the National Plan for Training Personnel (NPTP) to Serve Children with Blindness and Low Vision is the teacher. Specifically, knowledge of subject matter tied to national standards along with effective pedagogy can positively influence student learning. For aspiring…

This study examined eight variables of the Teaching Age-Appropriate Personal Skills (TAPS) checklist (Pogrund et al., 1995). The goal was to identify potential orientation and mobility (O&M) factors to represent constructs underlying the data that could be used in the future to better research the college readiness of youths who are visually…

Several studies reported a higher prevalence of maladaptive behaviors in children and adolescents with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) compared with typically developing youths. Early studies reported that up to 57% of youths with visual impairments also have mental health problems. These include problems with…

Introduction: This pilot study evaluated the percentage of skills participants in the 1Touch Project Coaching Certification Course mastered after intensive training, as well as the maintenance of these skills six months after the initial training session. In addition, the potential psychosocial benefits of the training were evaluated. Methods: In…

Virtual reality applications for blind people in smartphones were used to make virtual visits in advance to unknown spaces; these need to include a set of cognitive and sensitive interfaces that allow users to use their other sensory capabilities to understand information about their environment and facilitate the interaction with the application,…

People with disabilities have always existed in our communities and societies; however, how we treat them has always been an issue. For example, for a long time, people with physical disabilities received more attention than those with disabilities that we could hardly see (e.g., learning disabilities). Very early research focused on students with…

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether individuals with congenital blindness make more recognizable drawings of known objects that are furniture sized (table, man, tree) rather than hand sized (egg, coconut, banana; Hypothesis 1). We also investigated whether knowledge that the tactile drawings had been produced by people who…

In South Africa, scholarship on the teaching practice learning experiences for students with disabilities is a relatively new area of sociological inquiry. Social justice arrangements in the South African Higher Education policy frameworks identify the equity imperative as being of critical importance for social redress and transformation for all…