Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

This study investigated the effects of changes in luminance on the oral reading speeds of 13 participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and a control group of six age-matched persons with typical vision. For the AMD participants, self-reports of light preferences were also recorded. In the AMD group, reading rates depended on light levels and were considerably lower than those of the control group. Reading speeds differed substantially among the AMD participants and, to obtain a functional range of luminance levels for reading, a combination of objective measurements and self-reports were required.

This study, of racial and ethnic minorities’ access (application and entry) to the state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) system, found that access percentages were higher for African Americans, lower for Whites, and about the same for Hispanic Americans relative to the percentages of persons of the same race and ethnicity who are visually impaired in the national population. It concluded that the socioeconomic disadvantages of African Americans who are visually impaired increase their need to access VR relative to Whites who are visually impaired.

Interviews with 23 itinerant teachers of students with visual impairments in Colorado gathered information on their views of the position, the challenges they face, and ways to improve the training of future itinerant teachers. The results offer insights into the positive and negative aspects of itinerant teaching, detail essential skills for successful itinerant teaching, and provide recommendations for improving the preparation of future itinerant teachers.