I wish to acknowledge and thank those who have made the scores of contributions that have made this work possible. These devices are intended to enable preschool-age children who are blind to begin to master independent travel, which for many youngsters will precede long cane training, as appropriate. A number of the instructions for the devices which this booklet describes evolved from examining and analyzing the effectiveness of existing devices. This includes devices which I have found to be of great use, and those which have not proven to be effective. My goal is to help you create devices that address and meet the specific needs of each child with whom you work.
Children require opportunities for exploration to promote good health.
Standing and walking helps keep their muscles flexible and bones strong, and aids in other bodily functions and requirements. It helps maintain their cardiovascular and respiratory systems and provides an outlet for their energy. Children who are always sitting, or otherwise passively participating, will ultimately jeopardize their health. In addition, development areas such as cognitive, language and communication, and social-emotional growth are enhanced when students participate in mobile activities. This should come as no surprise, as they afford the child the ability to move about freely and competently.