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Orientation & Mobility (O&M)�for Your Child:�“Mobility: a basic freedom”�

Presented at California School for the Blind

By the FAPE Committee

September 29, 2018

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Goals of this Workshop

You will:

Know what Orientation & Mobility (O&M) is.

Understand how O&M fits into a child’s education.

Understand what makes a good O&M program.

Think about how O&M might help your child.

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Let’s break that down:

What?

How?\

Why?

Where?

When?

Who?

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What is O&M ?

Teaching people with visual impairments to use all their senses together to

understand their environment, and
to move through their environment as safely and independently as possible.

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What kind of a service is O&M?

Teaching

The O&M Specialist is a credentialed teacher.

O&M instruction is a part of the school curriculum specifically for students with visual impairment called

The Expanded Core Curriculum

(more on this later)

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How do visually impaired people use their senses?

Examples:

Hearing: listen for a cash register in a store
Touch: feel the sign on the door to the public restroom
Smell: find the restaurant in the shopping mall
Vision: use magnification to read signs

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Why go places?

To live a full, happy life!

Participate in community groups, activities and events
Get an education
Find and keep a job
Raise a family
Spend time with friends and family
Have fun!

We want this for our children!

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Why is O&M important?

Good O&M skills improve the chances of

success

in both college and employment

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Where is O&M instruction?

School
Home
Community

Where can your child use O&M skills?

Everywhere!

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When should O&M start?

As soon as possible!

Research shows that

“Early Intervention”

for infants and toddlers helps develop the motor skills and sensory awareness that are the foundation of independent travel

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When in the day can my child get O&M?

During school hours

Outside of school hours

if needed to meet goals, or
to avoid missing other critical instruction

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Who provides O&M to children?

O&M Specialists employed by

Early Intervention Programs
School Districts
County Offices of Education

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Who qualifies for O&M instruction?

Three requirements:

Visual impairment that is not correctable.

Because of visual impairment, problems moving safely, independently and efficiently where he wants or needs to go, without tripping, stumbling, bumping into things, or getting lost.

Potential to benefit from O&M instruction. Are you and your child able to try, practice and learn new habits?

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Let’s Go!

When can we start O&M services?

As soon as O&M services are listed in the IEP!

If you believe your child may qualify, request an O&M Evaluation.

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How does O&M fit into my child’s education?

“O&M instruction is a special part of the school curriculum for students with visual impairment.”

For visually impaired students, the curriculum has 2 parts

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Part 1: Core Curriculum

For all students:

Academics
Arts
Health
Vocational

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Part 2:

Expanded Core Curriculum

Because visually impaired students may learn differently

Prepares students with visual impairments ready for life after high school: college, work and adult life.

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Expanded

Core

Curriculum

(ECC)

Image: circular puzzle with core academics at the center surrounded by compensatory access, sensory efficiency, assistive technology, orientation & mobility, social interaction, recreation & leisure, independent living, self-determination, and career education

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What makes for a good O&M program?

Assessment-based: the goal is related to what your child knows, can do, and needs to learn (see handout: “O&M Skill Areas”)

Individualized: the goal is customized to your child

Practical: the skill is something your child will use regularly

Flexible: the skill can build into other skills as your child matures

Systematic: there is a plan for teaching that goes step-by-step

Collaborative: your ideas and the ideas of the other specialists are considered and used in creating the goal and teaching the skills

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What skills does O&M cover?

Concept development:
Travelling at home and at school
Non-cane mobility techniques
Human guide technique
Visual efficiency and use of distance low vision aids
Cane techniques (long white cane)
Responsibilities, safety procedures and appropriate behavior for independent travel
Travelling in familiar and unfamiliar residential and rural areas
Using the services of community business establishments
Travelling in metropolitan business areas

Travelling in business establishments
Using transportation systems
Obtaining information about products, services, or location of various stores and businesses
Recognizing dangers and travel safely around them
Learning to use adaptive mobility skills as necessary for use with ambulatory aids
Using alternative mobility devices when appropriate
Travelling specific routes
Reorienting oneself when necessary
Soliciting assistance and declining unwanted assistance
Using wayfinding technology such as GPS, maps and phone apps

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What can I do as a parent?�

Know your child

Know about O&M

Know your rights

Use what you know to help your child

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How do I prepare for my child’s IEP meeting?

Know your rights.

Think long term: what do you want your child’s life to be like

In 5 years?
In adulthood?

What steps must happen to get there?

Based on what your child can do now, what’s the next step?

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What can I do after the IEP meeting?

* Talk with your child’s O&M Specialist.

* Find out what your child is learning.

* Help your child practice.

You are your child’s most important teacher!

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“Mobility: a basic freedom”

Brought to Californians with visual impairments by the

FAPE Committee

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FAPE:�Free Appropriate Public Education

This workshop session has been developed by the FAPE Committee of the California Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialists (CAOMS), a non-profit organization dedicated to professional development, advocacy and community service.

caomsfape@gmail.com

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References

O&M skill areas: h ttp://caoms.org/about_us.htm

Importance of O&M for infants and toddlers:

http://www.tsbvi.edu/orientation-a-mobility/3228-orientation-and-mobility-oam-the-early-years-of-infancy-through-preschool

O&M for career success:

https://www.blind.msstate.edu/research/nrtc-publications/2016-toPresent/pdf/Cmar_etal_(2018)_Transportation_self_efficacy_and_employment.pdf

Expanded Core Curriculum:

"Program Guidelines for Students Who are Visually Impaired : 2014 Revised Edition 41”, by California Department of Education)