South Jersey Orientation and Mobility

Well, this is fun!!

“I’ve done lots of small things, I’ve tapped people’s ankles and slipped my cane between their feet. A cane by its very nature has to impinge on people’s space because you use it to scope out the ground around you and if it’s full of people then your cane will be exploring the ground they’re trying to stand on.”

-Amie Slavin, interviewed by BBC, on handling the encounters that occasionally happen during white cane use. A great, no-nonsense perspective.

I came upon this Reddit thread today titled, “VI folks who use a cane, how did you get over the feeling you weren’t blind enough to use it?” And it rang so true to my experience as an instructor, counseling clients through their learning process for the cane.

The cane is an identifier, but it is not a validator. It is a tool for you to use, and out of all the clients I have ever worked with, the clear majority of them had some level of vision. Many of them can read signs and see traffic lights, as well! The visually impaired population is as diverse as any other, and any tools that will help you achieve your goals are fair game.

From the Blind community on Reddit Explore this post and more from the Blind community

Blind people play sports, too! Get active, get involved! Serving the Greater Philadelphia Area.

Blind Sports Organization Blind Sports Organization provides, promotes, and advocates sports and recreation for blind and visually impaired youth and adults.

We now take a break from your regularly scheduled intersections and traffic lights for something a little more…relaxing.

Familiarizing with a portion of trail along the Wissahickon that I’ll be working on with a client, soon! Even on this gray winter day, the water is so peaceful.

Another great installment from Hadley Presents, this time on managing get togethers when visually impaired.

Hadley Presents: Managing Social Gatherings with Vision Loss Join us as we chat with author Hannah Fairbairn about the tips and tricks she has learned to take some of the stress out of holiday get-togethers, no matter ...

Cats for the dogs!

Curious about orientation and mobility training? This is by no means an exhaustible resource, but start with the FAQ page on my website! I have begun a resource list, as well. Those in the know, send me resources you think would fit the list!

FAQs — South Jersey O&M FAQs What is orientation and mobility?Orientation and mobility is a set of skills and knowledge that a person who is blind or visually impaired can use to answer the questions, “Where am I?” (orientation) and “How do I get where I need to go safely and effectively?” (mobility). What is an or...

The TEI residents are at it again! 😅

We’re optometrists… #optometrist #eyedoctor #eyecare

A friend shared this article with me. I’ve seen this type of interaction go down a bunch of times, so no surprises there, but it’s a great example of why the term “sighted guide” was changed to “human guide” in the past decade.!

Lionel Richie recalls hilarious Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder story from 'We Are the World' recording Co-writer of "We Are the World" Lionel Richie tells "The View" what he remembers most about recording the Grammy award-winning song.

Hadley offers a fabulous podcast where they highlight the life experiences of so many different people living with visual impairment.

This one was recommended to me a long time ago, and it’s the one I share when a student is struggling with their decision to train with a white cane.

Hadley Presents: The Not-So-Straight Line to the White Cane Listen in as Dorrie Rush of OE Magazine shares how she resisted using a white cane for years, the stigma she feared, and the confidence and security she foun...

Here’s your friendly reminder to take an extra minute to save and re-post the meme using the “three dots” button to edit the “Alt Text.

Now it is screen reader accessible!