Visual Impairment

1. Visual Impairment By: Nick Bauman

2. Definition: An overall term that includes all levels of vision loss, from partially sighted to complete blindness • Two main categories: • Low vision and Blind • Characteristics: • Physical fitness is below those of sighted peers • Balance development is impaired • Fundamental motor patterns and skills are delayed • Physical growth and maturation may be impaired • Wide variation in residual vision

3. Teaching Strategies: • Call student by name to avoid confusion • Identify yourself, don’t assume they will recognize your voice • It is not necessary to speak louder. • Use other sensory modalities for providing information • Use games for social development • Use a beeper, constant sound source, etc. • Place students where they can best hear instructions • Use contrasts between figure and background • Increase or decrease the grade to indicate play boundaries • Begin new game in slower motion • Use descriptive words such as straight, forward, left, etc. in relation to the student's body orientation. Be specific in directions and avoid the use of vague terms with unusable information, such as "over there", "here", "this", etc. • Beware of flying objects.

4. Importance of Fitness: • Visually impaired or blind exhibit lower levels of fitness than sighted peers • Activities of daily living demand more energy • Hence a greater need to be fit • Adaptations • Break down skills into component parts • Slow down the action • Use larger playing objects with bright colors

5. Activities • Running: • Guide wire • Rope hand high around track with a warning knot at least 2 feet from the end. • Treadmill • Students can use this without the need of a sighted guide or guide wire.

6. Bicycling: • Stationary bicycling can be done without a sighted guide and can be done almost anywhere where space is available. • Great for a warm-up to begin the days activities • Low impact aerobics: • Sustained by keeping one foot on the ground at all times • Marching in place • Walking around the gym with a guide

7. Resistance bands for weight lifting • Beeper Balls • Students can throw, kick, and bounce these. • They respond to the beep to locate the ball

8. Accomadations • Tag games: • Have the person who is “it” wear elastic bands with bells on it. • Boundaries: • Provide a change in the floor texture. Place rubber mats along the walls. When the child feels safe they will move more freely. • Table tennis: • Great for low vision students. They can focus on a smaller space. • Striking and hitting: • Use tees and beeper balls. • Throwing and catching: • Start with slow moving objects and work up. • Ex. Balloon, ball of yarn, dodge ball, basketball