Marine Flourence, Francesco Merlini, Ana Leffel, Marco Fossati, Sophia Meddouri, Valentina Carbone, Matthias Benninghofen, Fouzia Studer, Hélène Dollfus, David Gaucher, Bernd Kirchhof, Marco Mura, Andy Fisher
{"title":"The Use of Dog Guides for Orientation and Mobility by Individuals With the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis: A Case Series","authors":"Marine Flourence, Francesco Merlini, Ana Leffel, Marco Fossati, Sophia Meddouri, Valentina Carbone, Matthias Benninghofen, Fouzia Studer, Hélène Dollfus, David Gaucher, Bernd Kirchhof, Marco Mura, Andy Fisher","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231205581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231205581","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135687794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using Checklists as a Vocational Rehabilitation Tool for Employed Consumers","authors":"Cantrice Moffitt","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231169734","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231169734","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135639761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“Being Yourself”: Self-Determination at a Summer Sports Camp for Youths With Visual Impairments","authors":"Maria Lepore-Stevens, Heather Schugar","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231197676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231197676","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: This mixed-methods study examined self-determination at a summer sports camp for youths with visual impairments (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). Educators of students with visual impairment have reported that the expanded core curriculum should be taught outside of the school day and have reported placing a lower priority on teaching self-determination skills during school hours. Methods: Athletes at a mid-Atlantic sports camp for youths with visual impairments responded to the American Institute for Research (AIR) Self-Determination Scale survey regarding perceptions of their own self-determination across three settings, a questionnaire about their experiences of self-determination during camp, and interviews about their understanding of self-determination at camp. Adult coaches responded to a questionnaire concerning opportunities for athletes to develop self-determination skills. Results: A repeated measures ANOVA on composite scores of AIR Self-Determination Scale across home, school, and camp settings revealed athletes were statistically significant, F (2.13) = 24.24, p < .001. Athletes were more confident in their self-determination skills at camp ( M = 26.6, SD = 3.33) compared to home ( M = 19.1, SD = 5.76) and school ( M = 19.2, SD = 5.21). Athletes reported the camp setting allowed for the development of self-determination skills by fostering positive relationships between coaches and athletes, providing emotional support, and promoting inclusion with respect to visual impairment. Limitations included the small sample size, question comprehension, shortened data collection, busy environment, and nature of the relationship between participants and researchers. Discussion: This research will contribute to literature related to teaching self-determination skills to young people with visual impairments and has implications for classroom learning. Implications for Practitioners: Low student-to-staff ratios, access to adapted sports, options to follow one's interests throughout the day, and goal-setting are aspects of camp that educators can adopt to promote self-determination in school.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135685728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Erratum: Telehealth for Pediatric Gastroenterology Care Now: The Transition to Telehealth and the Impact of Webinar-Based Didactics: Erratum.","authors":"","doi":"10.1097/PG9.0000000000000361","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PG9.0000000000000361","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1097/PG9.0000000000000182.].</p>","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"51 1","pages":"e361"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10684149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87035157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Barriers at Workplace: Challenges for Adults With Visual Impairments—A Systematic Literature Review","authors":"Madhurenu Basu, K. Sambath Rani","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231195637","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231195637","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: A systematic review was carried out to determine and address the employment-related barriers encountered by persons with visual impairment. The existing database has been analyzed to summarize employment-related issues, facilitate support, and ensure rehabilitation and equal participation in employment. Methods: Fourteen peer-reviewed publications in more than 13 countries from 1998 to 2021 that met the criteria to address employment issues were selected to summarize workplace-related barriers, workplace experience, and assistive technology usage. A three-point rating scale was used to evaluate the studies based on the number of employment-related issues they emphasized. Results: The findings were drawn thematically and suggested that (a) various workplace-related issues, including transportation, (b) the employer's intention to hire, and (c) lack of assistive technology are the most crucial barriers to employment. Discussions: The article identified the barriers to employment of persons with visual impairment from the existing literature and discussed the significant issues. Society needs to support the inclusion of each individual and ensure equal participation. Implications for the Practitioners: The review will enable rehabilitation professionals to get an insight into the issues and risk factors related to the employment of persons with visual impairment. This will allow the professionals to work out strategies to address the same.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135804977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On “Teaching Social Skills to Children and Adolescents With Visual Impairments: A Systematic Review”","authors":"Arielle Silverman","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231188881","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231188881","url":null,"abstract":"In the recent JVIB article entitled, “Teaching social skills to children and adolescents with visual impairments: A systematic review,” Caron and colleagues presented a review of 32 studies of social skills instruction for children who are blind or have low vision, conducted across eight countries between 1983 and 2020 (Caron et al., 2023). I came to this review article in a unique position, as both the director of research at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and as a woman who has been totally blind since birth and grew up receiving itinerant instruction during the 1990s. With this dual perspective as both a researcher and as a former blind child, I urge JVIB readers to consider two important but distinct metrics of research quality: the scientific validity of the evidence, and the practical impact of its application. The article begins with a review of evidence demonstrating social participation challenges for individuals who are blind or have low vision in comparison to their sighted peers, such as “tending to spend more time in solitary occupations” than sighted peers and reduced social role participation among adolescents and adults. A review is then presented of 32 investigations of various interventions that target specific behavioral outcomes in blind or low vision students, ranging from initiation of play for young children to asking questions during job interviews for older adolescents. The scientific quality of studies varied, but most studies were of moderate to high quality. The authors concluded that “Given the high rate of social skills difficulties reported in this population and the effect of these difficulties on all stages of development, it seems particularly relevant for practitioners to integrate social skills assessment and explicit teaching into intervention programs.” A systematic review is a great tool for evaluating the scientific quality of a body of evidence. Researchers can use objective criteria to evaluate the strength, reliability, and reproducibility of an intervention’s effects on a specific outcome variable (or series of outcome variables). A scientific quality evaluation is value neutral. However, research is never value-free; the questions being asked and the conclusions drawn from the data are always influenced by the underlying beliefs and biases of the researchers and the wider community. In addition to scientific quality, any body of evidence can be judged subjectively by the individuals it impacts. There is clear evidence of the fact that individuals who are blind or have low vision face challenges to social participation. However, these challenges are not necessarily attributable to limited social skills within these individuals. Structural and attitudinal barriers in the environment may also contribute to social exclusion. The environments in which young children typically play, such as playgrounds and open parks where children run or play with balls, are often partially or wholly inaccessib","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"266 - 267"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46416847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Beyond Hand's Reach: Haptic Feedback Is Essential to Toddlers With Visual Impairments Achieving Independent Walking","authors":"Grace Ambrose-Zaken","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231188728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231188728","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: A toddler's ability to stand alone in the middle of a room (static standing) is an essential skill for independent walking and is accomplished visually or through haptic feedback. Toddlers who are blind or mobility visually impaired (hereafter, “visually impaired”) use haptic feedback to attain static balance as evidenced by their continued use of cruising furniture and walking with assistance long after it is age-appropriate. Methods: This study analyzed demographic data, motor skills, learning ability, mobility tool usage, and the solitary play activities of 562 learners who were visually impaired and born between 2012 and 2021. Results: A cross-sectional analysis of learners aged 8- to 180-months, found motor skill delays began at 12 months. The most frequent walking method reported was “walks with assistance” (n = 274). The most frequent mobility tool provided was a gait trainer (n = 131). A major reason for obtaining the pediatric belt cane was the child “does not use other tools correctly” (n = 112). Discussion: The children received handheld mobility tools (e.g., long canes, gait trainers, push toys, and adaptive mobility devices) at 13 months of age. Adults were seeking belt canes for children aged 8 to 180 months because they did not benefit from handheld mobility tools. Physical therapists provided gait trainers to the children with visual impairments who had no motor impairments. PTs use gait trainers to provide the user with static and dynamic balance. Implications for Practitioners: Children who are born with visual impairments, as defined by the current study, acquire independent walking delays. These delays may be a function of how they learned to achieve static balance as toddlers, walking with assistance. Current instructional strategies and tools do not prevent these delays. The field of visual impairment must continue to search for new mobility tools and more effective strategies because the delayed achievement of independent walking appears to have long-lasting negative effects on development.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"278 - 291"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41502453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
William M. Penrod, Ximena D. Burgin, W. Wiener, Eileen Siffermann, B. Blasch
{"title":"Orientation and Mobility Competency Agreements From 1983 to 2019: A Comparative Analysis of Professional Standards","authors":"William M. Penrod, Ximena D. Burgin, W. Wiener, Eileen Siffermann, B. Blasch","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231188698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231188698","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: In 1983, Mark Uslan, Everett (Butch) Hill and Alec Peck conducted research to identify the competencies essential to the practice of the orientation and mobility (O&M) profession. This study compares the levels of agreement to those standards by O&M professionals in 2019. Methods: In a 1983 study, Uslan et al. interviewed practitioners to determine the goal areas and competencies that underlie the profession. In 2019, an institutional review board approved this study to compare current practice competencies related to O&M with the competencies documented in the 1983 study. The survey methodology utilized the survey used by Uslan et al. to determine if current practitioners have similar levels of agreement with the competencies and if there have been shifts in the ranking of their importance. Results: Survey data are surprisingly similar between the 1983 and 2019 evaluation of competencies, with some changes in the relative importance of some categories. The results indicated the current relevance of the competencies for the O&M profession in the twenty-first century. Discussion: The evidence indicates that the professional standards reported in 1983 remain extant and viable in the twenty-first century. As the profession develops, it is important these standards be revisited periodically to ensure they reflect the core standards of the O&M profession. Implications for Practitioners: It is evident that professionals support all original competencies and those competencies remain viable. Universities should be certain that all competencies are being taught to meet the requirements for quality services.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"270 - 277"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49128101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Kendall's W and Inter-rater Reliability","authors":"R. W. Emerson","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231188882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231188882","url":null,"abstract":"In this issue, the article entitled, “Improving Learning of Figurative Concepts in Individuals with Blindness: Adopting Teaching Strategies to Enhance Learning Motivation,” reports the results of a statistical test called Kendall’s W. The full name of the test is Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance, and it is a statistical test that is designed to measure the level of agreement among raters, or a measure of interrater reliability. It ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 being full agreement among raters and 0 being absolutely no agreement among raters. The easiest way to measure how much agreement exists among raters is by looking at the percent agreement, which also ranges between 0 and 1. A more rigorous and more common statistic is Cohen’s Kappa, which calculates the percentage of items the raters agree on but also accounts for the fact that raters might happen to agree by chance on some items. Cohen’s Kappa (k) also ranges from 0 to 1. As with most statistical tests, Kendall’s W comes along with a p value or level of significance. This means that the W statistic can be evaluated both from the point of view of statistical significance as well as the actual size of the effect. This item is similar to one known as a Pearson correlation coefficient, which is a measure of how closely two variables are related. This statistical test also results in an output measure (r) that ranges from 0 to 1 and a significance level. However, Kendall’s W is not a true correlation coefficient and the raw W measure cannot be viewed in exactly the same way that we view the r connection between two variables. However, there is a linear transformation between the two. The equation is","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"336 - 336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45345053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mental Health and Depressive Mood in People With Visual Impairments","authors":"Agnus M. Kim, Jae-Hyun Park","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231193970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231193970","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Understanding depression in view of the characteristics of disability would be important for establishing strategies for mental health among people with visual impairment. This study was conducted to assess the mental health of people with visual impairments and examine the factors associated with depressive mood. Methods: The data were obtained from the 2016 Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled in Korea. The group difference in explanatory variables according to depressive mood was examined by the chi-square. To assess the effect of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behavior, stresses, discrimination, and social relationships on depressive mood, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The prevalence of depressive mood was higher in people with visual impairments compared to the general population. The demographic characteristics of people with visual impairments differed from the general population in terms of economic conditions and marital status. Not only stress in daily life but also stress due to disability was found to contribute to a depressive mood. Satisfaction with relationships with friends and family was associated with a lower likelihood of depressive mood. Discussion: This study demonstrates that people with visual impairments are likely to be more susceptible to depression than the general population. The association of depressive mood with not only stress in daily life but also stress due to their visual impairment suggests that disability, aside from the inconvenience due to it, can have a negative effect on mental health. The association of friends and family relationship suggests the importance of their supportive role. Implications for Practitioners: The specific characteristics of people with visual impairments in relation to mental health need to be considered and reflected in designing mental health support for the population.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"314 - 325"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47366836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}