Adventitiously blind adults (n=79) who had accepted mobility training were compared to 60 subjects who had rejected training. Personality profiles varied significantly between groups on seven scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory: psychasthenia; schizophrenia; psychopathic deviate; depression; hypomania; paranoia; and…

This article discusses how orientation and mobility instructors can provide direct sensory experience about many concepts that can effect meaningfully positive changes in the understanding and subsequent language development of children with visual impairments. It provides recommendations to enhance the linguistic knowledge and vocabulary…

Walking behavior was established in a 20-month-old Down's Syndrome girl by a parent trained in behavior analysis. During a series of 7-minute sessions, the child was given edible reinforcement for taking unsupported steps between two chairs which were gradually moved from 18 to 70 inches apart. In three final generalization sessions, the chairs…

A vocational training program for trainable mentally retarded youth and adults provided instruction on functional skills, travel training, and independent living skills in addition to supervised performance in part time jobs in the community. The program expanded into small business subsidiaries for boat cleaning and detailing and marine serving.…

A severely handicapped 20-year-old woman in a public school setting was taught to ride the city bus. Results indicated that skills acquired in the classroom, for both bus boarding and bus departing, generalized only minimally to the natural environment. (Author/SB)

The special issue contains papers and a panel discussion from the fourth annual symposium on media technology exploring applications and innovations for severely handicapped students. Papers cover such topics as marketing, microcomputers, the audio-tutorial system, evaluation of instructional materials, and teacher made materials. (DB)

The article describes a sequential training curriculum in the use of telescopic visual aids. The curriculum covers 29 topics, including aid maintenance, holding aid properly, focusing, scanning, target location, tracking, aid use for city bus travel, in a shopping center, and in a fast food type restaurant. (Author/SBH)

Twenty-six children (ages 6-11) with visual impairments were given tactile maps and asked to locate themselves on the map as they walked a short route. On 75% of the trials the children indicated their positions accurately, and on 81% they identified the routes they had traveled. (CR)

This report describes the use of peer sampling procedures to develop individualized plans to familiarize an incoming visually impaired person to a university campus and community. Environmental specificity of the procedure is illustrated by application to two residences. (Author/DB)

A survey of 120 orientation and mobility instructors found that 75% have taught their students to use alternative mobility devices. The type of device taught most often was a two-shafted device (such as the Connecticut precane). Other devices included riding toys, upright push toys, and probing devices. (Author/CR)

The discovery-learning approach is being used with great success to teach blind persons orientation and mobility in rural environments. The problem-solving ability that accompanies this approach builds the self-confidence essential to independent travel. Discusses using a long cane, talking clock, and distance and environmental cues such as sun,…

A study evaluated the ability of a dynamic visual assessment and training protocol to improve the ability of 65 persons with legal blindness to detect environmental hazards. Training improved the ability of the majority to detect hazards. The assessments also identified those who did not need training or would not benefit. (Contains references.)…

After a discussion of the required characteristics of an ideal aid for blind individuals traveling in adverse weather, four electronic mobility guidance devices- the Mowat Sonar Sensor, the Russell E Model Pathsounder, the Bionic C-5 Laser Cane, and the Mark II Binaural Sensory Aid-are described in detail. (Author/SB)