bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suggested Curriculum for Distance Vision Training with Optical Aids
Authors: Wiener William , Vopata Alvin
Published: March 2020

Describes a sequential training curriculum in the use of telescopic visual aids. 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. For each topic gives specific objective of the training, procedure to follow, and questions for use in evaluating student performance.
Assertive Skills Training for the Blind
Authors: Everhart Gary , Luzader Marthanne , Tullos Sue
Published: March 2020

Describes how a rehabilitation center, aware that many clients were inept in dealing with society at large, instituted an assertive skills training program to improve client skills in this area. A consultant was hired to work with a counselor and a social skills teacher on the center's staff. Eight clients volunteered to participate in six weekly two-hour sessions. Most felt positive about the experience, and staff members noticed beneficial changes in the behavior of almost all participants. Gives reactions of one participant, who felt that such training encouraged clients to be more articulate about their needs and feelings, and taught them self-reliance.
Recommendations for Evaluating Innovative Products for the Visually Handicapped
Authors: Hall Amanda
Published: March 2020

Points out the increasing need for systematic studies on the effectiveness and utility of products for the visually handicapped. Reviews formal evaluations of the Optacon to identify exemplary procedures and common methodological problems. Suggests directions for the design of future evaluations of innovative products for the visually handicapped.
Development of Efficiency in Visual Functioning: An Evaluation Process
Authors: Collins Marcia E. , Barraga Natalie C.
Published: March 2020

A review of the Diagnostic Assessment Procedure and related facets of the evaluation process within the Program to Develop Efficiency in Visual Functioning. Considers basic assumptions, rationale for development, administration, interpretation and use.
Experimental Provision of Closed Circuit Television at a Danish Public Library
Authors: Pors Bodil
Published: March 2020

Presents the results of an experiment on the usefulness of closed-circuit television for partially sighted visitors to a library in Copenhagen. A large percentage of participants who had been unable to read before the experiment found that they could read with CCTV. A significant number of all participants expressed a willingness to use CCTV in their own libraries if the equipment was made available.
Workshop on Technological Aids: Expanding Vocational Opportunities
Authors: Day Richard R.
Published: March 2020

Describes a four-day workshop on recent technological developments in the field of blindness hosted by Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind in Little Rock. The main objective of the program was to increase rehabilitation counselors’ awareness of how technological aids could be used to enhance their clients’ vocational opportunities. Among the 65 participants were representatives of industry and government. The results of a questionnaire distributed to participants after the conference indicated that the workshop had achieved its objective.
Variability in Age and Experience among Blind Students Using Basal Reading Materials
Authors: Caton Hilda , Rankin Earl
Published: March 2020

This study was designed to identify various problems encountered by children who read braille and use conventional basal reading programs transcribed into that medium. It was hoped that this information could be used to improve methods of teaching blind children to read and to help design more suitable reading materials for them. The results showed educationally significant variability in chronological age, years in school and grade level for blind children using basal reader materials designed for sighted readers at specific grade levels.
The CCTV as an Art Tool
Authors: Feld Gail Felicia , Hall Candace Catlin
Published: March 2020

Artistically talented low vision students can benefit from drawing from life using a closed circuit television. This article describes an art program using the CCTV, with illustrations, and gives suggestions for replication.
Development of Lighting Standards for the Visually Impaired
Authors: Lehon Lester H.
Published: March 2020

This article reviews the history of the development of lighting standards for the visually impaired. All available literature on how different levels of illumination affect visual acuity and visibility among persons with visual impairments is reviewed. And the implications of this research for meeting the needs of visually impaired children in the classroom are discussed.
The Role of a Mobility Instructor in a Dog Guide School
Authors: Orcutt Stephen G.
Published: March 2020

The graduate-level mobility instructor has begun to play a more active role in the dog guide field in recent years. This article outlines the duties and responsibilities of a peripatologist who was a member of the training staff at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc., in Yorktown Heights, New York. Differences between traveling with a cane and with a dog guide, involvement of mobility instructors in the dog guide field and instruction of students with secondary disabilities such as diabetes, hearing loss and mental retardation are discussed.
A Curriculum for Teaching Clients to Use Landmarks While Traveling
Authors: Macwilliam Laurel J.
Published: March 2020

To use landmarks effectively when traveling, clients must not only understand the concept of landmarks but also be able to remain oriented to landmarks and learn to follow and give directions based on them. This article describes a curriculum that provides systematic instruction in these four basic facets of landmark travel.
Preliminary Report on Evaluation of Synthetic Speech for Reading Machines
Authors: Goodrich Gregory L. , Bennett Richard R. , Paul H. Stanton , Wiley J. Kenneth
Published: March 2020

Because the synthetic-speech reading machines being developed to provide blind individuals access to printed material are sophisticated in design, construction and application, final development and deployment stages will undoubtedly require the design of suitably comprehensive evaluation procedures. This report presents the initial results of a simple and easily applied method of evaluating the intelligibility of synthetic-speech reading machine outputs. The method can be used either with prototype models or with tape recordings of synthetic-speech reading machine outputs when prototypes are unavailable for field testing.
Science for Jann: A Blind Pupil in a Sighted Class
Authors: Offenberger D. M.
Published: March 2020

A science teacher who has no special training for work with blind students attempts to solve problems associated with teaching a totally blind pupil in a sighted class in a New Zealand secondary school.
A Seven-Point Method for Blind Persons to Improve Employment Relationships
Authors: Page Dessie D.
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or elsewhere, to present new ideas, or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-1000 words in length.
A Memorable Birthday Party: The Helen Keller Centennial Congress
Authors: Mulholland Mary Ellen
Published: March 2020

Describes the history and planning of the Helen Keller Centennial Congress, who attended and what they did, and discusses the main themes that emerged. Abo includes discussions by American Foundation for the Blind staff members of specific topics the Congress covered: “The Early Years” by Susan Jay Spungin, Ed.D., director of national consultants; “The Working Years” by Henry Stern, national consultant for employment, and Mark Uslan, national consultant for mobility; “The Later Years” by Marion V. Wurster, director of regional consultants; “Rights, Privileges and Responsibilities” by Barbara McGarry, legislative analyst.
Impact of Science and Technology on the Early Years
Authors: Foulke Emerson
Published: March 2020

Reviews contributions that have been and will be made by science and technology in reducing the handicaps experienced by blind and visually impaired individuals. The contributions are examined in terms of two major categories of handicap: communication and mobility.
Friends of Eye Research
Authors: Brotman Marvin F.
Published: March 2020

The following are reports from the satellite meetings held at the Helen Keller Centennial Congress by National Industries for the Blind (NIB); the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults; the National Accreditation Council (NAC); the National Association for the Deaf-Blind (NADB); the American Association of Workers for the Blind (AAWB); American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB); the Round Table of Libraries for the Blind, International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA); Association of Radio Reading Services; Friends of Eye Research (F.E.R.); the Council of Administrators of Private Agencies Serving the Blind in New York State; the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID).
A Voice Output Module Developed for a Blind Programmer
Authors: Allen Scott I. , Songco David C. , Plexico Perry S. , Morford Ronald A.
Published: March 2020

This article describes a voice output module in use for one year by a blind computer programmer for reading messages, programs, and files. This module consists of a speech-by-rule program running in a microcomputer and a speech synthesizer. The program translates all printable text destined for a user into basic consonant and vowel sounds called phonemes. Commands to enunciate these phonemes are sent to a speech synthesizer, which in turn produces synthetic English speech that is generally intelligible and acceptable to programmers. The voice output module is plugged in between a typical computer terminal and its link with either a local or remote computer. Extensive text review and voice output controls are incorporated into the module to aid in computer programming.
Patterns of Listening and Reading Skills in Visually Handicapped Students
Authors: Wood Thomas A.
Published: March 2020

This study compared the developmental patterns of listening and reading skills of 71 visually handicapped students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades of four residential schools for the blind. Grade level, chronological age, intelligence, mode of reading, sex, socioeconomic status, and degree of visual impairment, were treated as predictor variables. Subjects were tested with the adapted version of the Durrell Listening-Reading Series. The results indicated that tested verbal intelligence accounted for most of the variance in listening and reading scores and had greater predictive value for listening than for reading. The other variables had little or no predictive value for either listening or reading. Furthermore, the development of listening skills was found to be stronger than reading skills at each grade level, and listening remained the superior mode across the age range.
Mobility Techniques for Blind Workers in Industry
Authors: Larson Richard W. , Johnson Scott B.
Published: March 2020

Industrial areas present special hazards for blind workers. This article describes these hazards and the mobility techniques, including sound clues, that can be used to facilitate proficient travel, as well as the preparation for mobility that is necessary before a blind person seeks employment in industry.
Experimenting with Light in a Manual Skills Shop
Authors: Bandouveres Evan , Kukish Peter , Giers Philip M.
Published: March 2020

This article reviews experiments with lighting for low-vision clients in the Manual Skills Department, Blind Rehabilitation Clinic, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northampton, Massachusetts.
Manitoba Vision Screening Study
Authors: Rathgeber Arthur J.
Published: March 2020

It would be preferable if every child had a professional eye examination prior to entering school and every two years thereafter. This ideal is rarely realized. As a second choice, a vision screening program to identify high-risk children should be a part of a school district's comprehensive screening program. The purpose of this article is to describe Manitoba's program, detailing organizational strategies, instrumentation, and results of a study designed to measure the effectiveness of the screening process. The results of the study indicated that two-thirds of the children identified by the vision-screening process as high-risk children required professional care, or that some incipient condition was present.
A Follow-up Study of the Mowat Sensor's Applications, Frequency of Use, and Maintenance Reliability
Authors: Morrissette Diane L. , Goodrich Gregory L. , Hennessey Joseph J.
Published: March 2020

A survey was conducted of fifteen veterans who had been issued Mowat Sensors to determine applications, frequency of use, and device reliability. All subjects reported the aid to be helpful and continued to employ it although the amount of use varied. Reports of mechanical reliability were high. Particular uses of the Mowat are specified.
Computerized Braille Production: A Producer's Viewpoint
Authors: Berryman John
Published: March 2020

Describes the computerized braille production system installed in the Royal N.S. W. Institute for Deaf and Blind Children. Over 500 original volumes of braille have been produced. The system has been upgraded to twice its original capacity and the staff increased to ten persons. The benefits and the disadvantages of the computerized approach are described.
An Orienteering Program for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons
Authors: Edwin Langbein W. , Blasch Bruce B. , Chalmers Bonnie L.
Published: March 2020

Orienteering is a timed cross-country race using maps and compasses to reach checkpoints on an unfamiliar course. It can be used in conjunction with orientation and mobility programs to improve the skills of blind and visually impaired persons. Field tests were conducted to determine the efficacy of instructional methods and various types of equipment, such as the Mowat Sensor, braille Compass, long cane, auditory maps, and tactile-visual maps in orienteering programs for the visually impaired. All the participants successfully completed the orienteering courses and found the sport to be enjoyable as well as useful.
A Creative Dramatics Project at the Georgia Academy for the Blind
Authors: Watkins Kay L.
Published: March 2020

Open City theatre—funded by a grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts and Humanities—offered a series of in-depth workshops in creative dramatics to students and teachers at the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon in August and September 1979. Through the process of using and adapting Open City's exercises, activities, and skills for a blind population, growth and development occurred among the members of both Open City and the academy's staff. This article describes Open City's work during these two months.
Mental Images and the Cognitive Development of the Congenitally Blind
Authors: Hall Amanda
Published: March 2020

This review of the literature examines studies of the use of mental images by the blind in such cognitive tasks as verbal problem solving and spatial reasoning. It proposes that because mental images available to them are not adequate for certain cognitive tasks, the congenitally blind may rely on different modes of representation to compensate for their limited perception of and experience with the environment.
Modification and Development of Proficiency Tests for Visually Handicapped Senior High School Students
Authors: Efron Joy R. , Gibson Joanna
Published: March 2020

This article describes how proficiency tests administered to senior high school students in the Los Angeles Unified School District were modified for visually handicapped students with the aid of a committee composed of experts in the fields of education and blindness, students, and parents. The authors discuss (1) the legislative mandate for the revisions, (2) concerns with the validity of administering the regular tests to visually handicapped students, (3) the committee's resolution of controversial issues, (4) its recommendations concerning proficiency tests in general and the SHARP and WRITE tests in particular, and (5) the procedures followed to develop, modify, and field test the SHARP.
A School for Exceptional Children in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Authors: Kent Deborah
Published: March 2020

This article describes the founding and first years of the Centro de Crecimiento, a school for exceptional children in a Mexican town where no special education facilities existed before. The students range in age from 5 to 18; and have various disabilities, including blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, and emotional problems. The school, which is privately funded, attempts to teach skills that will help the children become integrated into the life of the community.
Applications of Single-Case Designs to Research with Visually Impaired Individuals
Authors: Van Hasselt Vincent B. , Hersen Michel
Published: March 2020

This article discusses single-case experimental designs as an alternative to group comparison designs in research with the visually impaired and presents the advantages and limitations of both approaches. In addition, the authors provide examples of some single-case strategies commonly used in behavioral research. Finally, they suggest that single-case research will have heuristic value in future investigations with the visually impaired.
Tactual Maps: Discriminability of Textures and Shapes
Authors: Horsfall Robert B. , Vanston Deborah C.
Published: March 2020

Report of a study of the discriminability of point symbols in tactual maps which showed that the three shapes and four textures tested are distinguishable in sizes 7.9 mm (.3 in.) and larger. Suggestions for the use of textures in tactual maps are offered.
Enhancing the Exploratory Behavior of Visually Impaired Preschoolers
Authors: Olson Myrna R.
Published: March 2020

A study of legally blind and sighted preschoolers found no significant differences in the two groups’ interactions with both a commercial toy and a novel, homemade toy except in their patterns of sensory utilization; however, years of education and visual impairment contributed to a significant degree (the legally blind children had more years of education). Findings suggest that early intervention may be necessary to place visually impaired children on a par with sighted children. Educational implications are discussed.
Marine Science Program
Authors: Keller E. C.
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-100 words in length.
Social and Ocular Status of Blind Students in Jordan
Authors: Sayegh Fouad N. , Khoury Sami A. , Arafat Nour Eddin T.
Published: March 2020

A programmed ophthalmological and social study of 137 blind and visually impaired students of the Al Nur Institute in Ashrafieh and the Regional Centre for Blindness in Shmesani is described. The causes of blindness were found to be congenital in 79 percent and acquired in 21 percent of the cases. The most common causes of congenital blindness were retinitis pigmentosa (23 percent) and cataracts (17 percent). The most common causes of acquired blindness were ocular infection (15 percent) and injury (4 percent). Genetic factors were shown to be main causes of blindness: the rate of marriage between first cousins was 65 percent among the parents of the congenitally blind students, whereas the rate in the general population was only 39 percent. The average size of the families represented in the study was eight members. The average income per family was 85.32 dinars per month (U.S. $282); thus most of the families were in Jordan's lowest income group.
The Mental Maps of the Blind: The Role of Previous Visual Experience
Authors: Dodds A. G. , Howarth C. I. , Carter D. C.
Published: March 2020

The structure of spatial representation in congenitally and adventitiously blind 11-year-old children was examined by means of pointing, map-drawing, and spatial reasoning on two simple routes over repeated trials. Although all the children learned how to travel each route successfully after only one trial, three out of four of the congenitally blind children showed a complete lack of spatial understanding, as evinced by “egocentric” or “self-referent” spatial coding strategies, whereas all the adventitiously blind subjects exhibited appropriate externally referent spatial strategies compatible with convential two-dimensional maps. The role of previous visual experience in the encoding and decoding of spatial material in memory is discussed.
Use of the TV Magnifier in the Netherlands: A Survey
Authors: Zabel L. , Bouma H. , Melotte H. E. M.
Published: March 2020

Persons with low visual acuity can read with a TV magnifier, according to a survey of 280 users of the aid in the Netherlands. Survey respondents found the TV magnifier indispensible for such tasks as reading, writing, and looking at photographs. The survey also identified structural and instructional problems, and the authors offer suggestions for improving the aid, which will lead to its wider use.
Modification of Attitudes of Regular Education Preservice Teachers toward Visually Impaired Students
Authors: Skrtic Thomas M. , Clark Frances L. , White Warren J.
Published: March 2020

This study compared the effectiveness of two intervention strategies on the attitudes of regular education preservice teachers toward visually impaired students. One group received cognitive information about visually impaired individuals, and a second group received information in combination with personal contact. The attitudes of subjects receiving information in combination with personal contact were significantly improved. The attitudes of subjects receiving information only were not significantly different from control subjects who received no intervention. The importance of personal contact with visually impaired students in attitude interventions for preservice teachers is stressed. An unexpected finding was that the reported attitudes of trained profesionals who serve visually impaired students were not significantly different from those of control subjects, or those of subjects who received information only.
Education of Visually Impaired Children: A Survey of Priorities in New York State
Authors: Silberman Rosanne K.
Published: March 2020

This article describes the results of a Needs Assessment Questionnaire mailed to professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents in New York State who were involved in the education of visually impaired and blind children. The information obtained was used to plan a conference on Educational Issues of Students with Visual Impairments that would be of interest not only to most people who attended but to various subgroups divided according to geographic location, type of position, type of program, educational background, teacher certification, and years of experience in the field. Respondents were presented with a list of 33 topics and asked to grade each one as follows: (1) high priority, (2) important, (3) low priority, or (4) not interested. The ten topics selected as the highest priorities by all respondents (N = 207) and by different subgroups are discussed.
Orientation and Mobility Problems among the Geriatric Blind Population: A Survey of Needs
Authors: Love James
Published: March 2020

This article describes a survey conducted among orientation and mobility instructors concerning their geriatric blind and visually impaired clients. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about (1) the clients’ medical problems, (2) the types and usefulness of support aids the clients used, and (3) the relevance of the instructors’ education to working with these clients. According to the results of the survey, a vast amount of research and rethinking of attitudes remains to be done in all three areas.
Social Routines and Language Play: Developing Communication Responses in Developmentally Delayed Blind Children
Authors: Rogow Sally M.
Published: March 2020

Describes the preliminary results of a project to help two young developmentally delayed, visually handicapped children acquire communicative responses in the course of specially designed social routines. These social routines combined nursery rhymes with carefully planned action sequences. Midway through the three-year project, one child was using words for objects, people, and actions, and initiating play activities on her own. The other child also progressed far beyond the developmental stage she was in when the project began.
A Response to Professor Wiener
Authors: Olson Carl W.
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-1000 words in length.
Assessment of Optacon Reading: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Koenig Alan J. , Rex Evelyn J.
Published: March 2020

An experimental instrument to assess Optacon reading performance was developed primarily through modification of existing reading tests. Results from a pilot study involving 12 Optacon reading students indicated that subtests measuring letter recognition, word recognition, and rate of reading possessed satisfactory levels of reliability. However, the subtest measuring literal comprehension had low reliability.
The Night Vision Aid for Legally Blind People with Night Blindness: An Evaluation
Authors: Morrissette Diane L. , Goodrich Gregory L.
Published: March 2020

The Night Vision Aid (NVA) was evaluated to determine its effectiveness as an orientation and mobility (O&M) aid for legally blind people with night blindness. Twenty-four subjects walked a prescribed route during the day and at night without the NVA, and also at night with the NVA. They also walked a different route using the Wide Angle Mobility Light (WAML) to provide additional information on a second night mobility aid. Measures of performance are described. On the average, the NVA did not significantly improve the subjects’ mobility at night; the majority of them preferred the WAML.
Reverse Mainstreaming Sighted Children into a Visually Impaired Special Day Class
Authors: Hubbard Cinda L.
Published: March 2020

The author reviews the concept of mainstreaming and relates her personal experience with integrating visually impaired and sighted students in a special day class setting. Some academic and social benefits to both groups are presented, and issues related to success are discussed.
The Spatial Cognition of Blind Pedestrians
Authors: Hollyfield Rebecca L. , Foulke Emerson
Published: March 2020

An experiment was conducted to determine what blind pedestrians learn and remember about a space as their experience with it accumulates. Two independent variables, practice and visual status, were assessed in terms of their effect on pedestrians’ memories of objects along a route, and of the route itself. Results showed similar abilities of blind and sighted pedestrians to learn routes, but significant differences in their memorial representations of objects. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for perceptual and cognitive processes employed by blind and sighted pedestrians.
Abacus or Fingermath: How do we Decide?
Authors: Maddux Cleborne D. , Cates Dennis L. , Sowell Virginia M.
Published: March 2020

To achieve academically in mathematics, blind and visually impaired children must develop the necessary concepts through the use of manipulative aids. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of teaching the abacus as compared with fingermath to these students and cites the need for further research into questions about the efficacy of the two methods.
Provision of Orientation and Mobility Services in 1990
Authors: Uslan Mark
Published: March 2020

Current Statistics on the legally blind population in the United States and those projected for 1990 are reviewed. According to the number of legally blind people who received orientation and mobility services in 1980, 1,400 additional individuals will be added to caseloads by 1990.
Art Museums and the Visually Handicapped Consumer: Some Issues in Approach and Design
Authors: Steiner Charles
Published: March 2020

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art recently circulated “New Perspectives: Art Museums and the Vision Impaired,’ ’ an exhibition that explored the potential for visually handicapped visitors to benefit from the art museum experience. The author analyzes the inadequacies of past approaches, makes specific suggestions concerning design and materials, and calls for mutual understanding and compromise.
Measuring the Mental Effort of Blind Mobility
Authors: Shingledecker Clark A.
Published: March 2020

A comparative analysis of the information processing associated with sighted and blind mobility indicates that the performance of blind pedestrians may be limited by the excessive “mental effort” demands of the task. Describes a group of experiments conducted to test the effectiveness of a secondary task as a measure of the blind mobility information processing workload. Secondary task performance is shown to be a useful index of the effects of preview and route difficulty, as well as the perceptual and cognitive demands placed on users of different mobility aids.
Alcoholism and the Visually Impaired Client
Authors: Peterson James , Nelipovich Michael
Published: March 2020

Presents some basic facts about alcoholism and provides tips to the rehabilitation counselor about assessing whether the visually impaired client is an alcoholic and referring him or her to alcoholism treatment programs.
A Program for Successful Corporate Recruiting: The Jewish Guild for the Blind Employment Development Project
Authors: Baum Katharine L.
Published: March 2020

Examines how a coordinated placement service for blind and visually impaired job applicants, through employer interviews, site surveys, job analyses, and selective placement of candidates, successfully placed clients over a five-year period. The program also created a continuing partnership between rehabilitation agencies and corporations in the private sector.
Low Vision Services: The View from the Eye of a Low Vision Beholder
Authors: Shalinsky William
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-1000 words in length.
Visually Handicapped Travelers in the Rapid Rail Transit Environment
Authors: Jackson Richard M. , Peck Alec F. , Bentzen Billie Louise
Published: March 2020

Visually impaired people often rely on mass transportation to maximize the benefits derivable from independent community living. Yet many of these individuals regularly encounter great difficulty while attempting to use urban transit systems. This article examines the concept of accessible environments for the visually impaired and then describes the role of the federal government in encouraging local transit authorities to comply with Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that requires barrier-free access to all users. It concludes with a summary of the particular problems experienced by visually handicapped travelers as they negotiate the rapid rail mode of transit.
Consistent Methodological Errors Observed in Single-Case Studies: Suggested Guidelines
Authors: Lagrow Steven J. , Prochnow-Lagrow Jane E.
Published: March 2020

This article reviews current and consistent methodological problems that occur in research articles using single-case experimental designs. Problems discussed include (1) the use of pre- and quasi-experimental single-case designs, (2) the presentation and analysis of data, (3) the lack or inadequate demonstration of experimental reliability, and (4) the improper or ineffective use of generalization. The authors suggest ways of solving these problems and provide guidelines for avoiding their recurrence.
Orientation and Mobility for Aged Visually Impaired Persons
Authors: Hill Mary-Maureen , Harley Randall K.
Published: March 2020

Although the number of aged blind and visually impaired persons is rapidly increasing in the country, very little attention has been given to this population, especially in the development of orientation and mobility skills. To meet the needs of these adult blind persons, the problems of aging and of blindness must be understood by the orientation and mobility instructor. Modifications to orientation and mobility training programs and recommendations for future planning are suggested.
Uncharted Course: Mothering the Blind Child
Authors: Barton Deborah D.
Published: March 2020

This article is a first-hand account of the challenges of mothering a blind child. The author reveals her initial doubts about her ability to acquire the knowledge and skills required of a primary caretaker. The author discusses the rewards and difficulties involved in mainstreaming her child and in providing him with the opportunities to develop himself to the fullest. She also discusses the effect of her son's blindness on herself and her relations with family, friends, schools, and the community at large.
Family Services: Role of the Center-Based Teaching Professional
Authors: Ponchillia Paul E.
Published: March 2020

Reports on a survey of 38 administrators of rehabilitation centers serving blind and visually impaired persons. Respondents were asked to give their opinions about the major causes of family problems, suggest means of ameliorating these problems, and describe other types of family services offered by their agencies.
The Informal Care Group: Problem or Potential?
Authors: Yeadon Anne
Published: March 2020

Points out shortcomings of the formal system of care for blind and visually impaired elderly persons and examines the philosophical biases that lead to inadequate provision of services. Under the formal system such elderly persons are often isolated, deprived of dignity and individuality, and encouraged to adopt an attitude of dependency. Informal grassroots groups—family and friends of elderly persons, other nonprofessionals willing to help, and aged people themselves—can provide or help procure services that the formal system fails to offer or denies to needy persons. Specific guidelines are offered to influence federal and state agencies, private institutions, local agencies, and the home environment. The author suggests that the formal and informal systems can work together to enhance perceptions of the worth of blind and visually impaired elderly people and to improve the services they receive.
The Older Visually Impaired Person: A Vital Link in the Family and the Community
Authors: Jacobs P.L.
Published: March 2020

Various aspects of vision loss for older persons are discussed in terms of family relationships and community involvement. The article examines problems inherent in the existing system of services to older blind persons, and results of a research questionnaire study that provides insight into the experience of vision loss in the later years are presented. Experimental methods of service delivery and public education described in the article have been administered in Nebraska and have been highly beneficial in enabling older blind persons to continue as active participants in their families and communities.
The Sonic Pathfinder: A New Electronic Travel Aid
Authors: Heyes Anthony D.
Published: March 2020

The development of a new electronic travel aid is described. The aim has been to produce an aid that gives the user useful information for safe, stress-free travel rather than to provide an electronic surrogate for vision.
A Fresh Look at the Sign System of the Braille Code
Authors: Hamp Eric P. , Caton Hilda
Published: March 2020

An analysis of English braille as a written code from a linguistic viewpoint was undertaken as one of the steps in the development of Patterns: The Primary Braille Reading Program. The analysis led to a regrouping and fresh description of the many elements of English braille, grade 2, with intention to facilitate both the teaching and the learning of reading braille.
Current Shock
Authors: Harkins Don
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-1000 words in length.
How Useful is Braille? Reports of Blind Adults
Authors: Mack Catherine
Published: March 2020

Thirty blind adults in California who had learned and used braille as their primary reading mode in public schools were questioned about their current use of braille. A telephone interview asked each participant various questions about how much and for what purposes he or she currently uses braille. Most blind adults reported using braille for personal notes and memoranda. They rely on readers and recordings for the majority of their reading and type most of their personal correspondence. These responses indicate a need to stress listening, typing, and technological skills at least as much as braille skills in our elementary and secondary school programs for blind students.
Research as a Basis for Assessment and Curriculum Development for Visually Impaired Infants
Authors: Hart Verna
Published: March 2020

The need for research-based assessment and curriculum for early intervention with visually impaired infants is discussed. The author presents relevant research findings from various disciplines relating to brain damage, intervention, drug therapy, visual assessment, neurodevelopmental facilitation techniques, and sensory development.
Integration of Visually Handicapped Students in Industrial Education Classes: An Overview
Authors: McConnell John
Published: March 2020

The visually handicapped student can be successfully integrated into an industrial education class if proper action is taken in a number of areas. This report outlines some of the areas that need attention and recommends several strategies for approaching each of them.
Inkbraille: A Pilot Study of a New Reading Medium for Blind Persons
Authors: Hislop David W. , Zuber B. L. , Trimble John L.
Published: March 2020

A pilot study is explained comparing Inkbraille with embossed braille. Advantages of Inkbraille are noted and readability is tested.
Focus on the Hands: A Beginning Approach to Teaching Typing to Visually Impaired, Multiply Handicapped Students
Authors: Dibble Frances J. Bauer
Published: March 2020

Typewriting is a skill that visually impaired and multiply handicapped students need, and finger and hand exercises increase dexterity and strength in the hands of such beginning typing students. In this article, the author gives her rationale for a good typing curriculum, describes the students’ abilities before and after typing instruction, and describes the hand and finger exercises she used to motivate students to become skilled in writing with the typewriter. The benefits students derived from focusing on the hands as well as on both the rudiments and the total communicative value of typing far exceeded the author's original goal of good typing ability.
Use the Common Senses: Childbirth Education for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons
Authors: Bobek Bonita
Published: March 2020

The author presents her experiences in teaching a class on pregnancy and childbirth to students in a school for the blind and visually impaired. Because many students were ignorant about anatomy, she spent much more time than she anticipated in teaching the basics. Techniques she found helpful were such audio and tactile materials as films, records, and anatomical models and charts, and comparing body parts to the other senses and to inanimate objects.
Acquisition of Practical Knowledge by Blind and Visually Impaired Students in Grades 8–12
Authors: Corn Anne L. , Bishop Virginia E.
Published: March 2020

The Test of Practical Knowledge was used to measure the acquisition of practical knowledge in 116 blind and visually impaired adolescents in public and residential schools in Texas. Most of the demographic variables were found to have little or no relationship to acquired practical knowledge. Furthermore, although students from both types of schools performed poorly compared to sighted norms, it was found that legally blind–visually impaired students had more difficulty in acquiring practical knowledge than did their totally blind peers.
Study of an Optical Scanning Aid
Authors: Thurlow Willard R. , Colwell Kevin R. , Bialzik Jerold J.
Published: March 2020

Description of an experimental model of a head-mounted orientation aid with which a blind person can scan the work environment with a beam of light and receive auditory localization signals enabling him to locate a target marked by a code pattern of reflective tape. Feedback signals are used to locate the position of the object with the head, then bring the hand to the position of the target. The targets can be identified by simply scanning the code with the beam of light.
Physical Recreation of Blind Adults: Present Practices and Childhood Memories
Authors: Sherrill Claudine , Rainbolt Wanda , Ervin Sandra
Published: March 2020

To discover why blind students do not participate in vigorous physical recreation with sighted peers, a study of blind adults’ attitudes toward and involvement in past and present physical activities was undertaken. Analysis of tape-recorded responses to a 22-question interview showed that most respondents had positive attitudes toward physical education and recreation, but felt that little encouragement had been offered them in this area. Leisure education and counseling for blind persons and recreation personnel can improve physical recreation and education opportunities for blind persons.
Voice-Based Program Editor for Visually Impaired Persons
Authors: Radhakrishnan T. , Madras Alan
Published: March 2020

A program editor that communicates with its users through synthesized speech is described. It is intended for programming by visually impaired persons in the basic language. Recent growth in personal computers has made it possible for visually impaired individuals to operate a microcomputer. This editor is designed to assist him in the development of programs on his own in an interactive environment.
A Report on Electronic Travel Aid Users: Three to Five Years Later
Authors: Simon Ellen Perlman
Published: March 2020

This report gives the results of a survey concerning electronic travel aids (ETAs) and frequency of use. Respondents, who had been trained to use ETAs three to five years before the survey, were questioned to determine whether ETAs were still useful to them. The report compares results of other surveys and gives the pros and cons of ETAs from the observations of users.
Effective Strategies for Improving a Rehabilitation Service Delivery System
Authors: Gandy Michael J. , Moore J. Elton
Published: March 2020

A special forum for individuals to respond in detail to material published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness or to raise issues which relate to the specialized field of work with blind and visually handicapped persons. Contributions should be 350-1000 words in length.
Meeting the Needs of Rural Teachers of Visually Impaired Students
Authors: Bina M.J.
Published: March 2020

A survey of itinerant teachers in Texas found that, despite the numerous shortcomings of the job, the respondents believed there were many advantages. The respondents further identified the much needed ability to adjust to change, to put things in perspective, to modify their expectations, and to exercise a healthy sense of humor. This article details these shortcomings and advantages, suggests strategies for overcoming obstacles, and discusses the implications of the findings for administrators of schools and personnel of teacher-training programs.
The Effects of Providing Headings in Braille Text
Authors: Hartley J. , Tobin M.J. , Trueman M.
Published: March 2020

Twenty-four blind subjects are studied to assess whether headings in braille text facilitates readers’ comprehension and, especially, recall of the material. Results show that there was a favorable disposition to the headings when the participants were questioned, but upon being tested for recall no significant effect was found.
Religion and Blindness: From Inheritance to Opportunity
Authors: Bishop V.E.
Published: March 2020

Attitudinal barriers for visually handicapped people may have their roots in religious beliefs. Professionals in the field of visually handicapped have a responsibility to deal with attitudinal change, and to provide the expertise that facilitates such a change. This article explores the relationship between religion, religious attitudes and blindness, and suggests a means of changing historically negative attitudes. A model is presented for providing a seminar for religious leaders.
The Effects of Visual Impairment on Adolescents’ Self-concept
Authors: Beaty L.A.
Published: March 2020

The potential relationship between visual impairment and adolescents’ self-concept has been the subject of much controversy. Several studies, as a result of poor methodology and questionable interpretation, failed to shed new light on this relationship. This study, utilizing a group of blind and low vision adolescents and sighted peers from an urban environment, reveals significant differences in global self-concept, as well as specific components of self-concept among these groups. The need for still more research in this area is stressed.
Aging, Vision, and Work
Authors: Miller G.
Published: March 2020

Older people who lose their vision often do not return to competitive employment. Work, however, meets important, financial, psychological, and social needs. This article explores the variety of reasons why work is not always considered a rehabilitation alternative. Realistic factors that enhance competitive employment for this population are noted and information on available employment resources in the public and private sectors that will increase vocational opportunities is provided.
Religious Beliefs of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
Authors: Erin J.N. , Rudin D. , Njoroge M.
Published: March 2020

Religion frequently plays a role in parents’ adaptation to their children's disability. This article examines the religious perceptions of 161 parents of children with visual impairments, as indicated in their responses to a questionnaire. The areas that were investigated included changes in parents’ religious beliefs following the diagnosis of their children's disability, interpretations of the cause of the disability, and perceptions of support from their religious communities.
Visual Assessments of Children with Multiple Impairments: A Survey of Ophthalmologists
Authors: Aitken S. , Buultjens M.
Published: March 2020

Children with multiple impairments often have visual impairments. This article reports on a study of the methods that 21 ophthalmologists used to assess the visual acuity of such children and the difficulties they encountered. In many cases, the information that was obtained by these methods would not be clearly understood by parents and educational and rehabilitation personnel and would not facilitate the educational management of the children. The authors describe additional means of assessing visual function and suggest alternative avenues of communicating the results.