VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 3
Our students need to embrace the lands and environments in which they live
and learn to travel safely and efficiently on them. Partnerships and support from all
types of agencies have been crucial in providing the wide variety of experiences
our students need. Beyond what our students have gained, the reciprocal impact on
the partner organizations has been a powerful outcome. We hope that our
collaborations can continue in future years to ensure our students learn how to
navigate urban and rural environments in order to be successful travelers here in
Alaska.
The following are some potential organizations to partner with for
orientation and mobility experiences:
● National Park Service: connecting with Education Specialist for local
programming and practicing travel skills in natural environments
● Bureau of Land Management: connecting with Educational Specialist for
local programming and practicing travel skills in natural environments
● Local museums and/or cultural organizations: e.g. Alaska Native Heritage
Center, Anchorage Museum
● Community Transit Travel Training Programs: touring empty city bus, first
experiences riding a city bus, learning about independent travel
● Public Library: inclusive story time, tour of library, and library services
● Municipal Parks and Recreation Department/Park Foundations: gardening
programs, inclusive city programs, accessing city trails, recreation centers
and playgrounds
