Orientation and Mobility Screening
An orientation and mobility (O&M) screening quickly assesses a student who has a documented visual impairment’s ability to travel safely both indoors and outdoors, and with or without assistance to ascertain the need for further involvement with the O&M Specialist/instruction. An O&M instructor: in Iowa a professional who has specialized training in how to teach travel skills and concepts such as spatial awareness to students who are blind or visually impaired, and is licensed by the BOEE, will conduct the screening. The screening itself usually involves a combination of interviews and observation to see if your student would benefit from formal O&M instruction. O&M screenings are conducted for students of all ages and ability levels, including students who are not yet walking, those in wheelchairs, and those who may never travel unassisted. If your blind or visually impaired student is receiving vision services as part of her educational program, as included on her Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP), then at minimum she ought to receive an O&M screening.
What Happens During the Screening?
Depending on your student's age, ability level, and amount of usable vision, the O&M instructor will observe her understanding of basic concepts that underlie orientation and travel, such as those relating to one's position in space and location in the environment—for example, locating their classroom, bathroom, cafeteria, using stairs, etc. Often the classroom teacher or the Itinerant Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) is asked to complete a checklist or developmental data form to aid in the O&M instructors understanding of your student’s needs. In most instances you can expect the O&M instructor to:
- Interview the TVI, the general or special education classroom teacher about the student’s skills related to travel and about any concerns they might have. The interview may be conducted in-person or via phone, or may be a checklist people are asked to complete.
- Observe your student in familiar indoor and outdoor environments to gather information about how she moves through the environment using her vision, if present, and other senses.
After the Screening
The O&M instructor will share the screening results with the TVI and others on the educational team. You may want to ask for a copy of the O&M instructor's report for your files. It's important to keep this documentation and other screening reports. Based on the information the O&M instructor shares, it may be determined that your student should receive a full and individualized evaluation in skills of O&M. If this is the case, the TVI or classroom teacher will begin the appropriate paperwork, and the O&M instructor will proceed with the evaluation. In cases in which it is determined that at this time your student is not in need of an O&M Evaluation, it does not automatically mean that your student will never need this kind of instruction. For this reason, it is important to have your blind or visually impaired student’s O&M needs assessed periodically.