Welcome to my super brief overview of O&M. Let's start by breaking down the basics!
Orientation (O) is the ability to use various senses to understand "where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there" at any given time. It's like having a mental GPS system!
While Mobility (M) is the facility of movement or "the act of going from one place to another safely and effectively...making full use of whatever mechanical, technological, or human resources needed" (Goodman, 1989; Pogrund & Griffin-Shirley, 2018).
To put it simply, orientation is knowing where you are in space, while mobility is safely and efficiently getting yourself from one place to another like a pro. When working with early years or individuals with multiple impairments, the term "orientation could also be expanded to include the cognitive component of purposeful movement, while mobility is the motor component of purposeful movement" (Pogrund & Griffin-Shirley, 2018).
Together, orientation and mobility may be defined as "the teaching of the concepts, skills, and techniques necessary for a person with a visual impairment to travel safely, efficiently, and gracefully through any environment and under all environmental conditions and situations" (Jacobson, 2012).
Let's dive a little deeper into why O&M skills are so important - and why they need to work together. You see, if you're great at orientation but struggle with mobility, you're going to have a hard time getting around on your own. And the opposite is true too - even if you're a master of mobility, without good orientation skills, you'll still struggle to navigate your environment safely and confidently. That's where wayfinding comes in - it's the art of combining orientation and mobility to find your way around with ease (La Grow & Long, 2011).
But here's the thing: everyone's needs are different. Even people with the same visual condition might use their remaining vision in different ways, or, face different challenges as they go about their day. That's why O&M instruction needs to be highly individualised, tailored to each person's unique needs and goals. And that's where O&M specialists come in - they're specially trained to deliver personalised programs of instruction to help people who are blind or have low vision achieve their goals. But they're not the only ones who can help! Classroom teachers, vision rehab therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and rehab nurses can all play a role in teaching and reinforcing basic O&M skills too. So, let's work together to build strong O&M skills and empower everyone to navigate their world with confidence!
However, O&M is all about teaching the knowledge and skills that individuals with a visual impairment need to stay safe and live their lives to the fullest. It's super important that the people teaching it are well-trained professionals who know their stuff and follow the recognised standards. This way, everyone can be sure they're getting the best possible instruct ion! There are benefits of O&M too including "stronger self-concept, greater performance of independent living skills, improved health and fitness from exercise, and increased social and employment opportunities" (Wolffe & Kelly, 2011).
For individuals with visual impairments, O&M involves a broad range of skill areas including; concept development, motor development, orientation skills, mobility skills, use of perceptual and sensory systems (use hearing to locate a musical toy, reading a tactile map, orientating by the warmth of the sun, etc), interpersonal skills (asking for help when needed), and problem solving.
To find out more on O&M and the key concepts involved in developing life long skills, head over to our resources page where you will find our 'Concept Development eBook'. In this eBook, we will be focusing on the importance of concept development in O&M - the orientation part. I discuss the importance of concept development, the 5 key O&M concepts, plus a variety of activity ideas that educators and families can implement daily into their child's life.
References:
Goodman, W. (1989). Mobility training for people with disabilities: Children and adults with physical, mental, visual and hearing impairments can learn to travel. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
Jacobson, William Henry. (2012). The Art and Science of Teaching Orientation and Mobility to Persons with Visual Impairments, American Foundation for the Blind Press. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unsw/detail.action?docID=5481619
Johnson, T. (2012). Beginner's Guide to Echolocation for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Learning to See With Your Ears. USA.
La Grow, S.J. & Long, R. G. (2011). Orientation & Mobility: Techniques for Independence (2nd Ed.). Alexandria. VA: Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Pogrund R.L. & Griffen-Shirley, N. (2018). Partners in O&M: Supporting Orientation and Mobility for Students who are Visually Impaired. NY. American Foundation of the Blind Press.
Wolffe, K. & Kelly, S.M. (2011). Instruction in areas of the expanded core curriculum linked to transition outcomes for students with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairments & Blindness. 105(6), 340-349.
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