Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

The current work probes the effectiveness of multimodal touch screen tablet electronic devices in conveying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graphics via vibrations and sounds to individuals who are visually impaired (i.e., blind or low vision) and compares it with similar graphics presented in an embossed format.

A volunteer sample of 22 participants who are visually impaired, selected from a summer camp and local schools for blind students, were recruited for the current study. Participants were first briefly (∼30 min) trained on how to explore graphics via a multimodal touch screen tablet. They then explored six graphic types (number line, table, pie chart, bar chart, line graph, and map) displayed via embossed paper and tablet. Participants answered three content questions per graphic type following exploration.

Participants were only 6% more accurate when answering questions regarding an embossed graphic as opposed to a tablet graphic. A paired-samples t test indicated that this difference was not significant, t(14) = 1.91, p = .07. Follow-up analyses indicated that presentation medium did not interact with graphic type, F(5, 50) = 0.43, p = .83, nor visual ability, F(1, 13) = 0.00, p = .96.

The findings demonstrate that multimodal touch screen tablets may be comparable to embossed graphics in conveying iconographic science and mathematics content to individuals with visual impairments, regardless of the severity of impairment. The relative equivalence in response accuracy between mediums was unexpected, given that most students who participated were braille readers and had experience reading embossed graphics, whereas they were introduced to the tablet the day of testing.

This work illustrates that multimodal touch screen tablets may be an effective option for general education teachers or teachers of students with visual impairments to use in their educational practices. Currently, preparation of accessible graphics is time consuming and requires significant preparation, but such tablets provide solutions for offering “real-time” displays of these graphics for presentation in class.

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an occupational therapy (OT) low vision rehabilitation program established in a large hospital in Singapore in 2013.

A logic model was used to develop a blueprint to guide program development and evaluation of the program. The targeted short-term outcomes for the first 2 years are to demonstrate program growth through an increase in referrals and meeting of clients’ needs through expressed client satisfaction and improvement in performance of daily activities. The long-term outcomes are to expand the program’s referral base and contribute to education and research in low vision rehabilitation. The steps of the logic model are described along with program evaluation results from the first 2 years of implementation.

The short-term outcome for program growth was met with the increase of referrals in the first 2 years. Program evaluation, however, revealed that there was limited support from some referral sources and underutilization of OT services, which need to be addressed to ensure sustainability of the program. It was difficult to establish whether the short-term outcomes for meeting clients’ needs were met due to limited outcome measures completed.

The logic model guided the steps of developing and evaluating an outpatient low vision rehabilitation program in a hospital in Singapore to determine whether the targeted outcomes were met for the first 2 years of the program. Use of this process enabled the program providers to identify weaknesses in the program and institute steps to move the program toward achievement of its long-term goals.

This blueprint can be used to guide occupational therapists developing medically based low vision rehabilitation programs for older adults.

The aim of this study was to identify selected cardiometabolic risk markers and determine their correlation with lifestyles of adults with visual impairments.

The study randomly selected 49 people with visual impairments (25 women and 24 men) aged 17–84 years (mean age 58.5 years). Body build, composition metrics, biochemical parameters, level of physical activity, and eating habits were evaluated.

Excessive body mass was found in 65% of respondents (72% women and 58% men). Above-typical blood total cholesterol levels were found in 52% of women and 42% of men, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in 33% of men and 20% of women, triglyceride levels in 16% of women and 17% of men and glucose in 56% of women and 42% of men. Reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were found in 25% of men and 20% of women. Results showed that 43% of respondents were not involved in physical activity at the recommended level. The use of nicotine was declared by 18% of respondents. No significant correlations were observed for the relationships between physical activity and somatic and biochemical parameters. Eating habits had a significant effect on the prevalence of above-typical LDL cholesterol levels, whereas smoking led to significant differences between study participants due to body mass index and fat percentage.

Lifestyles of individuals with visual impairments were not entirely healthy. Due to the characteristics of the disability, people with visual impairments are challenged with barriers to living healthy lifestyles.

The information obtained here can be used to implement adequate measures to provide equal opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision to lead healthy lifestyles and improve their quality of life.

Goalball is a sport specifically created for persons with visual impairments. In spite of all benefits that participating in sport-related activities brings to athletes with visual impairments, there is also the inherent, associated risk of being injured. Competing presenting injuries or illnesses or both not only decrease performance in contests but also increase the risk of acquiring new injuries. There is no information available regarding prior-to-competition injuries or illnesses in athletes with visual impairments. The objective of this research is to determine prevalence of injuries and diseases in athletes prior to a sport-competitive event.

A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in 39 athletes (12 women; 41.02 ± 14.96 years old [15.4–71.5]) of Southern Chilean teams participating in the Goalball National Championship. Seven questions from a questionnaire about injuries and illnesses during 4 weeks prior to the competition were analyzed through frequency distribution and measures of key trends.

The prevalence of prior injuries was determined as 64.1% (n = 25), which influenced training in different ways. Sixty percentage of athletes thought these injuries would affect their performance during the championship. Finally, 25.64% (n = 10) reported having a disease.

To our knowledge, this is the first study determining past injuries and illnesses in athletes with visual impairments. This information is important to elaborate preventive strategies and to provide better medical support during competitions.

The multidisciplinary teams preparing athletes with visual impairments can use this information to develop preventive strategies to reduce injuries, improve sport performance, and provide better medical support during competitions.

In spite of the vast amount of literature on pet therapy and dog companionship, limited studies exist on older adults with vision loss and the experience of owning a dog guide. The purpose of this study is to explore the facilitators and barriers of first-time ownership and utilization of a dog guide as experienced by older adults with vision loss.

Data were gathered among seven participants using open-ended semistructured telephone interviews. Participants described their experiences related to owning a dog guide. Using phenomenological analysis, themes were extracted from verbatim transcriptions.

Through constant comparison methods, five themes emerged: increased responsibilities for new dog guide owners, changes in habits and routines, quick human–dog guide bonding, increase in community integration, and enhancement of autonomy through dog guide ownership.

The study results suggest that obtaining a dog guide increased the older adults with vision loss everyday engagement in community activities. The increased confidence in independent mobility may have led participants to engage in activities in unfamiliar environments, thus improving their autonomy, self-esteem, and physical abilities. These changes resulted in increased feelings of independence and freedom for the older adults with vision loss. Participants also revealed positive changes in their daily habits. Due to the increased physical ability and motivation needed to complete activities, making adjustments to owning a dog guide became easier. Furthermore, a human–dog guide bond was prevalent among all seven participants.

Themes extracted provide health practitioners and dog guide organizations insight into how owning dog guides may empower older adults with vision loss.