This series on sensory efficiency is intended to provide those working with learners who are blind and low vision with information related to maximizing the use of the various senses, as well as introducing activities for developing skills and applying skills in real world settings. These sessions are meant to cultivate an interest and curiosity in the use of the various sensory modalities so that you as the professional can match a learner’s strengths with their needs, as well as help learners develop the use of remaining senses they may never have identified as potential contributors to their understanding of the world around them.

Session 1

Sense: Auditory

• Distance sense
• Auditory horizon
• Localization
• Sound Shadows
• Sound Masking
• Gap Determination
• Alignment
• Echolocation
• Auditory games on smartphones
• Binaural field recordings of intersections and other environments
• Auditory maps

Session 2

Sense: Vestibular, Kinesthesia, and Proprioception

• Joint movement and the role in cane use
• Muscle sensation
• Muscle memory
• Training on slopes
• Wrist activities
• Ankle awareness
• Movement sensation
  
  

Session 3

Sense: Tactile, Olfactory, Gustatory

• Textures
• Tactile Maps
• Vibration
• Canes, tips, and grips
• Tactile information for the hand
• Tactile information for the feet
• Sensory substitution
• Haptics
• Taptic Engine on iPhone
• Apple AirTags and Tile for Geocaching

Session 4

Vision

• Visually efficient scanning
• Eccentric viewing
• Optical magnifiers
• Electronic magnifiers
• Smartphone cameras
• Monocular telescopes
• Flashlights
• Glare

This series will contribute 4 PD points towards COMS recertification with ACVREP/OMAA.