HOW DO STUDENTS TRAVEL AROUND?

Most of our students want to be able to travel independently, so our orientation and mobility instructors offer training in independent travel skills. This provides them with an amazing amount of safety, comfort and success when traveling inside or outside and in familiar or unfamiliar areas. Some of the first skills taught include: how to become oriented to a given space, how to work safely and comfortably with a sighted guide, and how to maximize the use of all the senses when moving from one location to another. It takes time to master the skills of orientation and mobility. Sometimes travel with a guide dog or sighted guide, whereby the person holds the arm of the sighted person and walks a little behind, is preferable.

The keys to personal independence are to learn travel techniques as early as possible; maximize all sensory inputs and ‘clues’ through residual vision, hearing, touch, and smell; and enhance ‘visualization’ and orientation abilities.