Is Mobility Feasible with Multiply Handicapped Blind Children?

Abstract

Blindness accompanied by another handicap does not invariably disqualify a child from benefiting from mobility education. A thorough evaluation must be made to determine whether and to what extent a child might benefit from lessons and how the additional handicap will necessitate a change in techniques. Work with multiply handicapped blind children may cause inhibitions on the part of parents and teachers. Therefore, for the child to receive value from the lessons, conferences are essential among parents, teachers, and the mobility instructors. Mobility instruction with a multiply handicapped blind child, as well as any blind child, involves more than the techniques of travel. Improvement of the self-image as a result of increased independence usually occurs. In addition, as a result of mobility instruction, children are better able to interact actively and directly with their environment and from it to acquire meaningful information.