Roundabouts: Problems and Possibilities
Circular intersections. Why are so many being built, what are the challenges for the user who is blind or visually impaired, how do we teach them, and most importantly, what is the O&M’s role in ensuring accessibility for blind or visually impaired users?
Mobile Wayfinding Apps
Calling all O&M Specialists! Join us to discuss GPS mobile apps and devices. The Lighthouse for the Blind presented this webinar to discuss the function, features, and limitations of the following products – Soundscape, Blindsquare, Apple Maps, Google Maps, Victor Reader Trek, and Moovit. Student case studies were also reviewed to explore how emerging and advanced travelers can benefit from various GPS features.
Using Tactile Graphics for Remote O&M Instruction
Sarah McIntyre, COMS at the Lighthouse for the Blind San Francisco, leads this webinar on ‘Using Tactile Graphics for Remote O&M Instruction’. Learn how to use high-quality tactile graphics while working remotely with O&M students of all ages.
Click & Treat: New Methods for Providing Route Orientation to Guide Dog Teams!
Orientation and Mobility Specialists play an important role in supporting guide dog teams. Occasionally, they may be called upon to orient teams to new routes and destinations. Methods for teaching new routes have changed over recent years in response to a shift in guide dog training techniques most notably the introduction of food reward and clicker training. However, traditional orientation methods are still valid so it is important that O&M Specialists are familiar with both traditional and new techniques to be able to use best practice when orienting guide dog teams.
CAOMS Convo: Teaching O&M at a Distance
The field of Orientation and Mobility has faced a new reality of distance learning in 2020. The California Association of Orientation and Mobility Specialists (CAOMS) hosted this conversation to discuss successes and failures, as well as strategies that have led to surprising benefits for O&M professionals and their students as distance learning continues to be a reality. A moderator facilitated panelists and attendees in sharing their stories, challenges, and triumphs as we navigate through this unusual time. Several leaders in the O&M field share their functional tips, tricks, and unique approaches to help refresh and inspire you as the O&M field continues to meet the distance learning challenge.
AB-947: Moving Forward with California’S New ECC Law
This webinar addresses the origin, purpose, provisions and legal implications of the new California Law, “Visually Impaired Pupils – Expanded Core Curriculum” (ECC). Jaye Shupin, O&M Specialist, provides a brief introduction. Christian Knox, a well-respected private disability rights attorney specializing in educational services to visually impaired children, addresses the impact that the law is expected to have on services provided to visually impaired students in California’s school system and will provide recommendations for implementation and advocacy. Jeff Thom, Disability Rights Advocate, summarizes the plans for future legislative advocacy efforts to address the ECC in California. The target audience is TVIs, O&Ms, youth with visual impairments, parents of visually impaired children, special education administrators, and advocates for children with visual impairment.
Lost in Space: An O&M Instructor’S Guide to Teaching Spacial Skills
In this 2-hour Zoom presentation, you’ll learn about mental rotationNDIPE and frame of reference, which together form the foundation of strong spatial awareness; learn how to quickly assess your students’ relative strength and weakness in each area; and learn which O&M skills contribute to each area. We’ll discuss teaching strategies and exercises that help develop individual skills and strengthen the overall foundation, discuss what kind of technological setups work well for remote spatial awareness lessons and why, and review the role that both simple and complex tactile graphics can play in the instruction process.
How to Use Public Transportation as a Blind Person
In this webinar, we will be discussing “tips and tricks” about how you can use public transportation as a blind person. We will be discussing the 7 major components of bus riding: 1) Planning for your tip, 2) Locating the bus stop, 3) Boarding the Bus, 4) Riding the bus (communicate with the driver, appropriate seating, maintaining orientation), 5) Signaling to stop, 6) Deboarding the bus, 7) Finding your final destination. You will hear from a COMS instructor as well as a blind high-school 12th grader who uses public transportation regularly.