Visual Impairment Skills

Introduction Students with visual impairments need to study the same subjects within the core curriculum as their sighted peers, such as mathematics, language arts and history. However, individuals with visual impairments are unable to access the core curriculum on the same level because they lack visual skills that are responsible for casual learning. Without intentional and direct intervention by a highly specialized educator, students with visual impairments are at a disadvantage. In order for students to master the core curriculum and eventually become successful and independent adults, they need to learn a set of skills known as the expanded core curriculum. The expanded core curriculum is a set of deliberately taught skills that …show more content…
Therefore, as part of the expanded core curriculum, orientation and mobility is vital to teaching individuals with visual impairments the skills necessary to travel independently as well as interact with and enjoy their environment. Some of the skills learned are the relation of their body to the environment, as well as how to use a long cane, the utilization of sound for orientation and the use of public transportation.
Social Interactions Skills Social and behavior skills are typically learned through casual observation by those in the sighted community. Individuals with visual impairments do not have this opportunity to learn through casual observation, such as observing individuals in conversation and the personal space given to each other, eye contact, facial expressions and body language. Therefore, the skills of behaving in socially appropriate ways need to be taught in a careful, conscious and sequential manner to those with visual impairments. Teachers of the visually impaired teach visually impaired students how to keep their heads up and look in the direction of those speaking to them to give the impression of maintaining eye …show more content…
Sighted persons generally select recreation and leisure activities by observing activities. Individuals with visual impairments must have these skills deliberately taught to them with life long skills as the focus. For instance, individuals with visual impairments along with diet, should maintain their health through fitness. Some possible ways to do this is through hiking, kayaking, and swimming. These activities can also be done with a group of individuals which can further enhance the individuals social