VIDBE-Q Volume 68 Issue 4
81
Hong Phangia Dewald
Utah School for the Deaf and Blind, hong.phangia@utah.edu
When we think about orientation and mobility (O&M) and literacy,
the connection between the two may not be obvious at first glance. How does
learning how to move about in one's environment as independently and safely as
possible tie in with what we commonly perceive as the ability to read and write?
Definitions of the term "literacy" are wide-ranging, but two stand out when
pondering the term's relationship with O&M: (1) "the ability to read, write, speak
and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the
world" (National Literacy Trust, 2017); and (2) "competence or knowledge in a
particular area" (Oxford University Press, 2023). As I look at these two definitions
through the lens of an O&M specialist, I see various ways in which O&M and
literacy are intertwined, and how O&M instruction can support literacy
development in students with visual impairment.
Supporting Literacy Development Through
Orientation and Mobility Instruction
