Back to the Future: Expanding the Profession – O&M for People with Disabilities

In the U.S. and Australia, O&M training has evolved from service provision solely to people with vision impairment, to people with vision impairment and additional disabilities, to people with sight who have functional mobility needs. Expansion of O&M training to include people with sight who have mobility needs responds to: (i) a demand by senior management for organisational cost efficiencies; (ii) social and education policies that require people with disabilities to be mobile so they can access a range of services, as well as the community; (iii) an ethical and moral expectation by society for inclusive services to all people with disability.