Tip Sheet #3

What is Orientation and Mobility (O&M)?

Orientation and Mobility includes travel concepts and orientation strategies that facilitate safe, efficient, interdependent travel for students who are visually impaired or blind. If the student has remaining vision, instruction in efficient use of that vision is a key component.

Why do students who are blind & visually impaired need orientation and mobility instruction?

Throughout their lives, sighted children have rich experiences where they learn concepts casually or incidentally. Students with visual impairments often miss or learn concepts in an incomplete or distorted way. Since these essential ideas provide a foundation for future learning, these concepts must be explicitly and systematically taught (integrating other senses) to ensure that the student with visual impairment learns and applies this information.

Where does O&M training occur?

Students with vision loss need to gain skills to travel safely and as independently as possible; to learn about and from the environment through which they move. This requires systematic instruction in how to orient themselves and avoid obstacles without the benefit of visual cues. Early instruction helps the child to develop foundation skills in body image and essential spatial concepts. Throughout the school years, instruction involves travel in school, home and community, including travel in residential, city and rural areas.

Some examples of school-based instruction:

Room familiarization: The O&M Specialist not only familiarizes the student with various rooms in their schedule but also teaches the student how to self-familiarize and how to "understand" spatial relationships within the given environment as well as cues and clues within the space.

Routes within the school: The O&M Specialist will teach the student to safely negotiate various routes in the school, eg. to classes, the gym, the nurse's office, the main office, restrooms, the cafeteria, etc. Also, routes to and from the bus area and playground (or outside common areas) are commonly addressed in O&M instruction.

Both independence and interdependence are stressed depending on the task, age, and capabilities of the student. Knowing when and how to ask for assistance (interdependence) is a critical aspect of O&M instruction.

Environmental and Safety issues:

For students who have remaining vision (usually 80% or more of those with vision impairment) environmental modifications may be helpful. Contrasting colored tape or paint on the edges of steps and playground equipment can increase visibility for some students.

The O&M Specialist will instruct the student about changing environmental factors and the impact on functional vision.

Who provides O&M instruction?

A certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) is the only professional who can assess the student and provide the full array of instruction across a variety of environments. The O&M Specialist is member of the student's IEP or IFSP team. A Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment (TVI) and a Vocational Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT) can reinforce basic O&M techniques, such as human guide and trailing.