Development of independent life skills is vital for independent living, employment, and for full integration in society. It cannot be assumed that children with visual impairments will acquire independent life skills through incidental learning. Specialized assessment and instruction must be provided. In addition, sufficient time, resources, and support must be available to teachers of students with visual impairments to allow them to address both the independent life skills and the academic needs of their students. Teachers, parents, and administrators should work together in these efforts.
Physical activities enhance the lives of all children.
Exercise helps build the strength, endurance, flexibility, and social skills needed to be successful in daily living skills. A good body image and a healthy self-concept are improved through physical education, enabling students, including those who are blind and visually impaired, to have a greater opportunity to fully participate in the life of their community and build friendships around common interests. In addition to the obvious benefits, physical fitness enhances orientation and mobility training, job performance, social development, lifetime recreational and leisure pursuits as well as good mental health. To assure that an appropriate physical education program is in place and effectively presented, adapted physical educators should collaborate with regular physical educators and educational settings. Placing adaptive physical education goals in student IEPs is a positive approach to assure the availability of appropriate programming.