VIDBE-Q Volume 65 Issue 3
appreciated the opportunity to be active participants in lessons and to better
understand the use of the white cane as well as reinforcing what their children were
learning. Involving families as partners in O&M activities is recommended for
face-to-face instruction (Crone et al., 2005). In distance-based coaching, it is
especially important for creating a shared understanding of the importance of
O&M at home and in the community (Dewald & Smyth, 2014). Use of materials
readily available in the student's home further ensured that lessons could be
reinforced by parents.
This experience not only satisfied internship requirements, but provided us
with invaluable training for future remote instruction. We collaborated with one
another and parents to quickly develop and implement quality O&M lessons. The
success seen with these lessons suggests that remote O&M instruction could be
used even in rural and/or underserved areas after the COVID-19 pandemic. Further
research is needed to identify evidence-based practices and develop standards and
guidelines for practitioners.
