Orientation & Mobility (O&M) instruction is a set of sequential skills that people with blindness/low vision are taught in order to determine their position in space, allowing them to navigate their environment safely, independently, & efficiently.

Individualized instruction may include:

• Concept development, e.g., body awareness, directional/positional concepts, & use of auditory clues for orientation purposes
• Human Guide techniques
• Self-protective travel techniques
• Functional use of remaining vision & use of other senses to gain information about the environment
• Training in the use of prescribed low vision devices
• Utilizing landmarks/clues to aid in orientation
• Instruction in the use of the long white cane or Adaptive Mobility Device (AMD) as appropriate
• Visual & non-visual techniques for analyzing features of intersections & their traffic patterns, in order to execute safe street crossings
• Techniques for traveling safely, independently, & efficiently within indoor environments, residential areas, small & large business districts, parking lots, stores, rural areas, & both familiar & unfamiliar settings
• Tactile mapping skills
• Use of various apps for route planning & orientation purposes
• Skills to solicit/decline assistance
• Problem solving strategies when traveling along a route
• Route planning & use of public transportation
• Self-advocacy skills

My Orientation & Mobility assessments & instructional programming are individualized to meet the current & future travel needs of each student based on their functional, cognitive, & physical abilities.