Voices of Orientation and Mobility Instructors Who Are Visually Impaired: Results of a Focus Group

Griffin-Shirley, Nora; Bozeman, Laura; Okungu, A Phoebe; Delcambre, Laura; Nguyen, Thế; Obiero, Nereah A.; Ihenagwam, Chinomso; Lindell, Pamela J.

doi:10.2478/vri-2024-0009

Abstract

Four orientation and mobility instructors who are visually impaired participated in an online focus group. The themes that emerged included monitoring, instructor position, equipment/technology, accommodations, skills needed to become an O&M instructor, and what motivated the participants to become O&M instructors. The participants entered the O&M field to assist individuals with visual impairment for altruistic reasons. This study added to the past research focused on nonvisual teaching strategies and accommodations of O&M instructors who were visually impaired. Future research in this area should include a larger sample size, interviewing instructors with visual impairment, and observing them during their O&M lessons.

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Voices of Orientation and Mobility Instructors Who Are Visually Impaired: Results of a Focus Group

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