July 2015 Duncan McGregor
Who?Duncan McGregor, Ed.D. What?O&M with a little ILS and PE When?Monday, July 13th – Monday, July 20 th 9:00 am to 4:00 pm 9:00-12:00 – theory 1:00-4:00 – fun and games! Where?401 Evaristus Hall, and out and about on campus and in the community
To give us an appreciation of O&M from the perspective of a student who is blind, or who has low vision So we can act as a sighted guide for our students who are blind So we can monitor and reinforce O&M skills taught by a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) So we can teach and accommodate instruction in some of the other areas of the ECC Because it’s fun!
Here’s where we take a look at the course outline. ***** Remember it’s going to be fun!!!!!!
(Stop me if you’ve heard this already) Even if you have, here a little review: Students who are VI need to be taught directly many of the skills and concepts sighted children learn incidentally. ECC: Expanded Core Curriculum, which is what we, as TVIs teach our students (TVI: Teacher of students who are visually impaired)
First mentioned by Phil Hatlen in the mid-1990s National Agenda (US)
Canadian National Standards for the Education of Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired, Including Those with Additional Disabilities (2003) - officially recognized by some provinces (including NS, NB, PEI) but not others (Ontario)
Compensatory or Functional Academic Skills, Including Communication Modes Orientation and Mobility Social Interaction Skills Independent Living Skills (ILS) and Personal Management Skills Recreation and Leisure Skills Career and Life Management Skills Assistive Technology Sensory Efficiency Skills Self-Determination
Travel skills for people who are visually impaired (blind or with low vision) Orientation: knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there Mobility: the physical process of getting there The skills and knowledge necessary for a person who is visually impaired to travel within their environment safely, independently, purposefully, and gracefully.
Concept development Sensory development Orientation and mapping Travel techniques Communication, personal safety and advocacy From BC Ministry of Education
Some people who were blind have used canes to help them find their way around for centuries Often used support canes which are quite short No formal training or methods of using canes So, most people who were blind didn’t get around much, but there were exceptions
Schools for the blind France – 1780s (Valentin Haüy) United States – 1832 (Perkins) Canada – 1871 (Halifax), 1872 (Ontario) Taught special skills and techniques (tactile reading and writing, chair caning, piano tuning) Travel skills and other skills related to living without sight were left up to the students themselves to figure out
“Blind Jack of Knaresborough” Road builder Ran a stagecoach line, and drove the stage himself Legendary traveller on foot Used a cane Check out the length!
First blind man to circumnavigate the globe (1832) First tried in suspected by the Czar of being a spy Darwin’s source for info on the flora of the Indian Ocean Also used a cane which he tapped on the ground
Dog guide Schools: Germany, after WWI Seeing Eye (US) –1929 Still no formal training for cane travel. That took another World War. Valley Forge Army Hospital and Hines Veterans Hospital (US)