Orientation & Mobility

Students who are blind or visually impaired require specific teaching, known as Orientation & Mobility (or simply O&M) to learn how to best navigate their environments safely and confidently. The O&M skills taught at ARDB can help improve students' quality of life, increase independence, and set them up for success in their adult lives after graduation.

Our O&M instructors help students with vision impairments and blindness understand how to orient themselves to their environments and to move safely in familiar and unfamiliar settings. This can include:

Spatial awareness, or the ability to understand where objects, people and layout features are located in relation to one's own body using non-visual senses.
Understanding of directional language (left, right, above, below, etc.) and cardinal directions (south, northeast, etc.)
Utilizing environmental cues including landmarks and tactile or auditory feedback
Becoming oriented to a space. This involves knowing where the emergency exits, bathrooms, and elevators are located when in a building.
Safety measures which can include learning how to cane travel and safely move on city streets, public transportation etc.

For additional information regarding O&M at ARDB, please contact Pamela Rogers, Certified O&M Specialist.