ORIENTATION & MOBILITY SPECIALIST

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated November 12, 2015

If the student is mobile and has a significant visual impairment or is blind, they may require special instruction from an Orientation and Mobility Specialist to assist them in independent travel.  Independent travel helps build self-esteem and self-confidence as the student learns to move freely about. 

Independent travel gives the student more control over their environments, enabling them to travel when and wherever they wish (within their capabilities), without having to always rely on others to take them where they want to go.  If the student learns good orientation & mobility skills as a child, they are more likely to develop into a responsible, confident, and independent adult traveler. Orientation is knowing about where one is, where one is going, and how to get there.
​
The Orientation & Mobility Specialist is a certified instructor who has received specialized training in teaching people who are blind or visually impaired to travel safely, gracefully and efficiently throughout their environments including indoor and outdoor, familiar and unfamiliar.  An Orientation and Mobility Specialist teaches people who are blind and visually impaired specific skills they need in order to know where they are and how to move independently, safely, efficiently to where they want to be. Usually the O&M Specialist works with students individually.  

Part of O&M instruction involves working with younger students on concept development as it relates to body image, spatial awareness, and knowledge of the environment.  If appropriate, they will instruct the student to use his hand to protect himself using protective techniques. They will also help the student learn routes throughout the classroom and school. Orientation refers to knowing where you are by using clues from your environment. Mobility means moving safely from place to place in a graceful and efficient manner.  The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments can support and follow through on techniques that have been taught to the student, but may not write O&M goals or directly teach skills.

The O&M Specialist will typically work directly with the student, but might also work in collaboration with the student’s primary teacher, showing the teacher how to incorporate O&M techniques into the daily classroom routine and monitoring the correct use of O&M techniques. The O&M Specialist will begin by assessing the students current abilities and needs and then determine how to incorporate Orientation and mobility techniques into the student’s educational program.

Orientation and Mobility training focuses on alternatives to using sight for safe and independent travel. Students will need to learn about themselves and the environment in which they move, from basic body image to independent travel in rural areas and busy cities. For those that need it, students are taught the use of the long cane and techniques for using any remaining vision that they may have such as the use of optical devices including telescopes or a monocular.

Students in preschool and elementary school may be instructed in how to travel around their school building, playground, and neighborhood by themselves.  Elementary school students may learn about more complex environmental concepts, including topography (slope, hilly) and textures (concrete, bumpy), and about positional concepts (in front of, in back of). Middle and high school students generally learn how to cross streets at busy intersections, ride city buses, use distance visual devices that can help them see street signs, or addresses, use compass directions, plan a route of travel, shop in malls, and travel in unfamiliar areas independently.  The O&M Specialist will teach the student when it is appropriate to use a guide, when to use a cane, and when the student is older, when and if a dog guide might be useful.

     You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose!"  -Dr. Seuss

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TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

$50.00

Written specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), this book consists of over 400 research-based activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

• Object Characteristic Activities
• Quantity & Number Concepts
• Time Concept Activities
• Environment & Job Awareness Activities
• Listening Skills Activities
• Reading Foundation Activities
• Reading Fluency Activities
• Braille Basics Activities
• Writing Activities
• Tactual Efficiency Activities
• Developing Skillful Hands Activities
• Visual Efficiency Activities
• Optical Device Instruction Activities
• Recipe Activities

In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

• Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)
• Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)
• Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in clubs and sports, playing games, and more)
• O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)
• Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)
• Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit, unique optical device activities, and more)
• Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts related to the unit)
• Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multisensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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Visual Efficiency & Magnifier Fluency Grab & Go ECC Supplements

$20.00

This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a supplement to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

Digital pdf download: 210 pages

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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TVI Guide to the ECC and Visual Motor & Magnifier ECC Grab & Go Bundle

$60.00

Buy together at a reduced price!

The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), andconsists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussionfor instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

·       Object Characteristic Activities

·       Quantity & Number Concepts

·       Time Concept Activities

·       Environment & Job Awareness Activities

·       Listening Skills Activities

·       Reading Foundation Activities

·       Reading Fluency Activities

·       Braille Basics Activities

·       Writing Activities

·       Tactual Efficiency Activities

·       Developing Skillful Hands Activities

·       Visual Efficiency Activities

·       Optical Device Instruction Activities

·       Recipe Activities

In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

·       Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)

·       Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)

·       Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in clubs and sports, playing games, and more)

·       O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)

·       Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)

·       Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit, unique optical device activities, and more)

·       Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts related to the unit)

·       Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multisensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details

Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements

The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

Digital pdf download: 210 pages

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & Go Supplement

$25.00

The Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. All are presented in contracted UEB braille. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These fun activities will help students refine their braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, a Duxbury print file is also included should you choose to produce the braille using a braille embosser. Modify as needed for your student, translate, and emboss. Although these word lists and passages were specifically created to document and increase braille reading and writing fluency, they may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf downloads. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download links. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 327-page print and simulated braille worksheets with corresponding Duxbury files

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Shop

TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC + Thematic Braille Fluency & Maintenance Grab & Go Bundle

$65.00

Buy together at a reduced price!

The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities

and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

·       Object Characteristic Activities

·       Quantity & Number Concepts

·       Time Concept Activities

·       Environment & Job Awareness Activities

·       Listening Skills Activities

·       Reading Foundation Activities

·       Reading Fluency Activities

·       Braille Basics Activities

·       Writing Activities

·       Tactual Efficiency Activities

·       Developing Skillful Hands Activities

·       Visual Efficiency Activities

·       Optical Device Instruction Activities

·       Recipe Activities

In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

·       Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)

·       Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)

·       Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in clubs and sports, playing games, and more)

·       O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)

·       Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)

·       Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit, unique optical device activities, and more)

·       Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts related to the unit)

·       Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multi-sensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

TVI's

Guide to the ECC Product details

Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement

The Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. All are presented in contracted UEB braille. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These fun activities will help students refine their braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, a Duxbury print file is also included should you choose to produce the braille using a braille embosser. Modify as needed for your student, translate, and emboss. Although these word lists and passages were specifically created to document and increase braille reading and writing fluency, they may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf downloads. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download links. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 327-page print and simulated braille worksheets with corresponding Duxbury files

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Note:

This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the

receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Shop

TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC + Braille Fluency Worksheets + Visual Efficiency Bundle

$75.00

Buy together at a reduced price!

The

TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

·       Object Characteristic Activities

·       Quantity & Number Concepts

·       Time Concept Activities

·       Environment & Job Awareness Activities

·       Listening Skills Activities

·       Reading Foundation Activities

·       Reading Fluency Activities

·       Braille Basics Activities

·       Writing Activities

·       Tactual Efficiency Activities

·       Developing Skillful Hands Activities

·       Visual Efficiency Activities

·       Optical Device Instruction Activities

·       Recipe Activities

In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These

include lists of objects, possible community based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

·       Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)

·       Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)

·       Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in

clubs and sports, playing games, and more)

·       O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide

information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)

·       Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe

suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)

·       Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit,

unique optical device activities, and more)

·       Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts

related to the unit)

·       Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multi-sensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details

Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements

The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills

particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills

while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

Digital pdf download: 210 pages

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement

The Thematic Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. All are presented in contracted UEB braille. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These fun activities will help students refine their braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, a Duxbury print file is also included should you choose to produce the braille using a braille embosser. Modify as needed for your student, translate, and emboss. Although these word lists and passages were specifically created to document and increase braille reading and writing fluency, they may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf downloads. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download links. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 327-page print and simulated braille worksheets with corresponding Duxbury files

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

Note:

This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the

receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

*See each individual book for images from inside each book.

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