Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

The author presents theoretical perspectives of the state of the field at present. The point that blindness is a singular and often traumatic phenomenon adds weight to the author's stance that: 1) categorical services are essential to fully help the blind and visually impaired population maintain what progress has been made; and 2) the rehabilitation system cannot disregard the fact that unique needs exist and must be addressed by specialized professionals.

The author presents a brief historical account of the transition in Norway from a system with specialized professionals in unique settings to a generically based system dealing with handicapped populations under general programs. Both positive and negative observations are offered, as well as suggestions for a combination of special services by trained professionals within the current, generic system.

The literature which compared spatial task performance of blind and sighted subjects was analyzed using a meta-analytic approach. Effect sizes were computed for comparisons between early versus late onset visually impaired subjects, early onset versus sighted, late onset versus sighted, and mixed onset versus sighted. The results are based on 47 studies that analyzed the spatial task performance of 1,289 sighted subjects, 691 early onset subjects, 183 late onset, and 657 mixed onset. The early onset group generally showed poorer performance in comparisons with either the late onset or the sighted groups. Comparisons involving the mixed onset group showed inconsistent results. This finding is discussed in light of the need to more exactly specify the variable of age of onset. The findings from this study synthesize the past research efforts in this field. Suggestions for a future research agenda include a shift toward examining within group differences among visually impaired persons.

This study compares the physical fitness of 283 segregated resident (SR), 64 segregated nonresident (SN), and 137 integrated (IN) visually impaired subjects aged 10 to 17 years. Subjects were considered visually impaired if they met criteria for either partial sightedness or legal blindness. All subjects were administered the UNIQUE Physical Fitness Test. Test items included sum of the triceps and subscapular skinfolds, sum of right and left hand grip strength, sit and reach, sit-ups, 50-yard dash, and long distance run. Data were analyzed using multivariate (p< .05) and univariate (p< .01) ANCOVA techniques. Educational environment, age, and gender served as independent variables, and severity of visual impairment served as the sole covariate. Results indicated that educational environment was a significant factor on four of the six items in the battery. Findings suggest that the physical fitness status of visually impaired adolescents may be influenced by their educational environment.

This article addresses characteristics of elderly persons with vision impairment, presenting arguments for creating responsive rehabilitation environments for this rapidly increasing population. A multidisciplinary team approach to training facility design is recounted and specific design criteria are outlined.