Children who are identified as visually impaired frequently have a functional vision assessment as one way to determine how their visual impairment affects their educational performance. The CVI Range is a functional vision assessment for children with cortical visual impairment. The purpose of the study presented here was to examine the…

This study examined the usability of an assessment-for-learning (AfL) system that provides audio-tactile graphics for algebra content (geometric sequences) for individuals with visual impairments--two who are blind and two with low vision. It found that the system is generally usable as a mathematics AfL system. (Contains 4 tables.)

Face field evaluation provides insights into the presence and location of the preferred retinal locus, as validated by comparisons with findings from microperimetry. This technique requires no special equipment and can be used in a clinic or at a person's home by clinicians and low vision rehabilitation specialists. (Contains 2 figures and 2…

This article describes the development and evaluation of a short form of the 24-item Adaptation to Age-Related Vision Loss (AVL) scale. The evaluation provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the short form (the AVL12), for significant interindividual differences at the baseline and for individual-level change in AVL scores over time.…

Three-dimensional haptic matrices were pilot-tested as a nonvisual measure of cognitive ability. The results indicated that they correlated with convergent measures, with emphasis on spatial processing and that the participants who described items "visually" completed them more quickly and accurately and tended to have become visually impaired…

Most studies of vision in persons with Alzheimer's disease either exclude those with advanced dementia or are unable to assess their vision adequately, and therefore, improperly report these persons' visual acuity status. In this study, visual acuity was assessed using the ETDRS Snellen-type acuity chart and Teller Acuity Cards. The Teller Acuity…

The Assessment of Computer Task Performance was developed to evaluate the performance of children with low vision when using sequences of actions that result in a computer command. Results with 22 students (ages 4-12) show that four standardized tasks have high reliability and one has a moderate degree of reliability. (Contains references.)…

To select an adapted mobility device for a 5-year-old boy with blindness and spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, a multidisciplinary team used 8-millimeter videography to evaluate the subject's joint angle during ambulation with one of three canes and with no cane. The I-style cane provided optimal posture and gait pattern. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article presents a theory for evaluating information and communication technology design for individuals with disabilities. Simplex 1 evaluates designs in five zones: sensory and input zone; output zone; abstract working memory; long-term memory; and central executive functioning. Simplex 2 evaluates feedback, emotional responses, cognitive…

This article describes a train-the-trainers course that provided training in sound instructional strategies to 10 assistive technology specialists who work with people who are visually impaired. Topics included conducting assessments, writing training proposals, developing the curriculum, planning lessons, and analyzing learning styles. All…

A study evaluated the ability of a dynamic visual assessment and training protocol to improve the ability of 65 persons with legal blindness to detect environmental hazards. Training improved the ability of the majority to detect hazards. The assessments also identified those who did not need training or would not benefit. (Contains references.)…

This article describes how the self-confrontation method (SCM) can help people cope with visual impairment. The actual impact of the impairment can be studied by establishing how being visually impaired is expressed in self-narratives. The different phases of SCM are explained and two case studies are presented. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study explored the internal consistency of items in a visual screening instrument developed by Project PAVE: Expectations for Visual Functioning (EVF). The test includes 20 items that evaluate a child's functional use of vision. A pilot test involving 129 teachers indicates the EFV is internally consistent. (Contains three references.) (CR)

Six of seven adolescents who attended a summer rehabilitation program at the Vacation Camp for the Blind (VCB) reported they were performing the majority of skills two months after they completed training at VCB. Parents' responses confirmed self-reports and noted the performance of new skills or skill improvement. (Contains eight references.) (CR)

A study used the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) to assess social skills in 200 Indian children with visual impairments. The factor structure for the resulting 50-item Hindi MESSY was highly comparable to four of the five original factors of the English version of the MESSY. (Contains references.) (CR)