Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

Visually impaired people often rely on mass transportation to maximize the benefits derivable from independent community living. Yet many of these individuals regularly encounter great difficulty while attempting to use urban transit systems. This article examines the concept of accessible environments for the visually impaired and then describes the role of the federal government in encouraging local transit authorities to comply with Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that requires barrier-free access to all users. It concludes with a summary of the particular problems experienced by visually handicapped travelers as they negotiate the rapid rail mode of transit.

Self-report of 74 congenitally blind persons explores self-concept and degree of integration into the sighted community. The majority of the subjects revealed a predominantly positive self-image and a high degree of independence. Although the sample does not represent a cross-section of the blind population, it does disclose thoughts, feelings, and life experiences of blind people.

This article reviews current and consistent methodological problems that occur in research articles using single-case experimental designs. Problems discussed include (1) the use of pre- and quasi-experimental single-case designs, (2) the presentation and analysis of data, (3) the lack or inadequate demonstration of experimental reliability, and (4) the improper or ineffective use of generalization. The authors suggest ways of solving these problems and provide guidelines for avoiding their recurrence.

The theory of sensory compensation was examined in a recognition task with blind and sighted subjects. Free-form shapes were explored visually and tactually, with recognition trials conducted 48 hours later. Blind subjects recognized the shapes tactually as well as sighted subjects did visually, and better than normally sighted and partially sighted with tactual exploration. Blind subjects spend a significantly longer time exploring the objects in the recognition session, supporting the idea that compensation takes place through increased attention.

This article describes an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team that was developed to assess and provide orientation and mobility training to handicapped people who have additional impairments.

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