A Step Forward

Looking for the best Professional Development for Orientation and Mobility Specialists? From O&M conferences to CEU workshops, this episode covers the top 5 sources of Professional Development Opportunities to advance your career and networking opportunities. 💡 In This Episode: Why Professional Development Matters for O&Ms: Learn why attending symposiums and networking with researchers, p...

Ready for an Orientation and Mobility career? Learn how to become an O&M Specialist, explore university programs and career pathways, and discover what it takes to teach visually impaired students to travel safely and independently. We'll break down the steps to enter one of the most rewarding professions in visual impairment education. From choosing a university program to understanding t...

Discover the importance of Orientation and Mobility (O&M), the essential training for independence for individuals with visual impairments. In this new series we'll go through everything we need to know about Orientation and Mobility, so let's start off by discussing it's importance to not just our students with visual impairments but also in society. 💡 In This Episode: What is Or...

Learn the proper guide techniques for the blind and visually impaired in this step-by-step tutorial. Mastering the Sighted Guide technique, a key orientation and mobility skill, is essential for anyone looking to provide safe, respectful assistance. 💡 In This Episode, You'll Learn: The Foundation of Guide Techniques: Discover the correct way for a person to hold your arm for maximum communica...

Learn the essential upper and lower body protective techniques for students with visual impairments. In this O&M guide, Orientation and Mobility Specialist Kassy Maloney demonstrates simple, step-by-step safety skills to prevent injuries from common obstacles like open cabinets, tree branches, and furniture. This is a crucial skill for safe, independent travel in any environment. 💡 In This Ep...

Master night travel for the blind and visually impaired with these essential tips and tricks from a Certified Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialist. This guide covers the best tools for safe travel at night for people with vision impairment. 💡 In this episode: Essential Night Travel Tools: Discover the pros and cons of different options to illuminate your path and travel with confidence....

Learn how to cross the street with a student who has a visual impairment in this step-by-step guide. We'll cover essential orientation and mobility skills for street crossing, helping teachers and parents effectively teach this crucial life skill.💡 In This Episode: Understanding the Environment: Intersections & Key Terms: Discover how to identify and approach different types of intersecti...

What are the main types of cane skills for visually impaired learners? This episode covers Constant Contact vs. Two Point Touch, types of canes, and vital orientation and mobility tips for students with visual impairments. Learn not just how to use a cane, but how to use it with accuracy and confidence for maximum safety and independence.💡 In This Episode:The Two Foundational Cane Skills: Constan...

How do blind people know where they are? This episode explains the crucial difference between landmarks vs. cues in orientation and mobility.⌚ Video Chapters:00:00 The Big Question: How Do Blind People Navigate?00:24 Why Orientation & Mobility is the Foundation of Success01:47 Definition of a Landmark (from the TAPS Curriculum)03:05 Definition of a Clue03:20 Practical Example04:06 A Tricky Ex...

Discover the 4 essential skills for blind and visually impaired students that go beyond academics. In this video, we break down the four most critical skills that will be the domino effect for your student's success, transforming them from dependent learners into confident, independent adults.⌚ Video Chapters:00:00 - Introduction03:28 - The "Incidental Learning" Gap06:09 - Skill 1:...

What's the difference between the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) and the General Education curriculum? This complete guide for teachers and parents breaks down why the ECC is vital for students with visual impairments to succeed both in school and in life. Ever wonder why students who are blind or have low vision need an "extra" curriculum? We're demystifying the ECC, explaining how its focus on f...

Does your student with a visual impairment need an Orientation and Mobility Specialist? Learn the key signs that it's time for an O&M evaluation for safe mobility and independent travel. Discover the exact signs to look for and the critical first steps in the referral process to ensure your student gets the support they need. 💡 In This Episode: What is Orientation and Mobility (O&M)?...

Learn essential teaching techniques and educational strategies for students with low vision and legal blindness from an O&M specialist. Avoid common errors in visual impairment education and skyrocket academic and daily living skills. 💡 In This Episode: The Impact of Missed Opportunities: Discover how crucial scheduling issues and lack of follow-through create missed opportunities for collabo...

Wondering how to improve classroom accessibility for your blind and visually impaired students? This episode provides a step-by-step environmental analysis for any learning space. Learn how to set up your classroom for students with low vision, visual impairments, and blindness.💡 In This Episode: Classroom Environmental Analysis: The First Step Learn the critical first step to student success. We...

Teaching Students with Visual Impairment for the First Time? You're in the right place! Let's break down the top three essential strategies for supporting your students with low vision, blindness, or CVI in the classroom. Learn what to do right now to ensure your teaching is effective and accessible from day one. 💡 In This Episode: Beyond the Report: A 3-Pronged Approach: Discover what an...

Discover the essential visual impairment support services and meet the professionals on the visual impairment team. This episode explains the key vision impairment services for students with visual impairment, so you know exactly who to contact and what to expect.⌚ Time-stamps:0:00 Intro1:32 The Medical Team: Ophthalmologist & Optometrist Roles3:03 Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment (...

Learn how a visual impairment affects social and emotional development in children and adults. This episode explains how visually impaired people can miss non-visual social cues and offers practical strategies for teaching social emotional learning.💡 In This Episode:Why Social Cues Are a Visual Skill: Discover why a person with a visual impairment might miss the subtle, unspoken rules of a social...

Understand how vision and visual impairments affect learning. This guide explains the impact of sensory loss, incidental learning, and the "concept gap" on students, providing actionable insights for you.⌚ Time Stamps:0:00 Why 90% of Learning is Visual0:43 Introduction to Visual Impairment Education1:11 What is Incidental Learning?1:17 How We Learn Social Cues3:12 The "Concept Gap" in Visual Impa...

What is a visual impairment? This guide explains low vision, legal blindness, & terms and definitions related to visual impairments. Learn about being visually impaired from an O&M Specialist in this complete overview for visual impairment education.⌚ Time Stamps:0:00 Overview1:16 What is a Visual Impairment?2:07 How does your eye work?8:35 Cortical Visual Impairment9:29 Common Definition...

How can an Orientation and Mobility Specialist better support a visually impaired student's communication needs? The key is collaborating with a Speech Language Pathologist! It turns out, our professions have a lot more in common than you might think! Meet our guest: Hallie Sherman, M.S. CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist with over 15 years of experience in public schools. She is n...

As a VI specialist, you hold the unique expertise to guide your students to success. Explore how you can share that knowledge to empower your entire school community. Learn how to train your paraprofessionals, teachers, and related service staff in ways that get them engaged and help them increase the academic and daily living skills of your students. ⌚ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction: Creating C...

Unlock the hidden potential of paraprofessionals in supporting students with visual impairments! Discover the hidden leverage when paraprofessionals are trained to lead better outcomes for visually impaired learners and foster a more collaborative educational team.⌚ Timestamps:0:00 Overview0:33 Introduction1:21 The Conversations about Orientation and Mobility Assistants1:43 The Problem with the O...

ACVREP has finalized criteria for occupational therapists (OTs) specializing in adult vision rehabilitation. In this Episode, we'll go over the 60-page document that outlines the scope of practice, evaluation, and intervention for OTs working with visually impaired adults. Some of the key topics mentioned in this episode are:👉 Scope of Practice and Evaluation👉 Intervention and Training👉 OTCAVR...

Struggling to make recreation and leisure activities accessible for your blind and visually impaired students? Discover effective strategies and activities to make recreation and leisure accessible for students with visual impairments. Learn about adaptive sports, inclusive games, and tactile activities that promote engagement and help blind and visually impaired learners to participate fully, bui...

Dive into the Four Pillars of Visual Impairment Education that are shaping 21st Century Education for students with visual impairment. This episode is for educators, specialists, and support staff who are committed to transforming the lives of students with visual impairments through science-backed strategies and real-world 21st Century special education practices. The Foundation of 21st Century V...