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Excerpts

Reaching Crawling Walking...Let's Get Moving
Orientation and Mobility for Preschool Children

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Susan S. Simmons, Ph.D.
Sharon O'Mara Maida, M.Ed.

1992

INDEX

Introduction

Reaching

Crawling

Walking

Cane Use

INTRODUCTION

Let's begin at the beginning ...Straight talk

Just as you learned some technical terms when your child's eye doctor explained your child's visual impairment, we'd like to introduce a few new terms to you.

Over the next few years, as your child grows and develops, many people will help you encourage your child to learn about and explore the wonderful world around her. You may already be acquainted with a teacher of the visually impaired, someone who will play an important role in your child's education. Another professional you will form a partnership with is an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, usually referred to as an O&M specialist or Mobility Specialist.

Orientation refers to knowing where you are by using clues from your environment. Mobility means moving safely from place to place in a graceful and efficient manner. An Orientation and Mobility Specialist teaches people who are blind or visually impaired the specific skills they need to determine where they are and how to independently, safely, and efficiently go where they want.

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