Eye contact and observation of others are major factors in learning what is and is not acceptable behavior. Some compensation can be achieved through well-developed listening skills, but other skills need to be isolated and taught. Parents of blind children can easily overlook the need to sit down and teach some of these skills. Families also have different expectations about when a child should learn a particular skill. Entry into preschools may be dependent on selected self-help skills.
Home is the best setting for teaching self-help skills.
For the most part, these are skills that occur daily and can be taught by parents at naturally-occurring times. Some-times support and encouragement are all it takes. The specialist may need to be in the home when the child wakes up to help work on dressing skills. Opportunity is the key word in developing fine motor skills. Visually impaired children need structured experiences with objects which require coordination of small muscle groups.