Exeley Inc.

Gallimore, Ph.D., Desirée

Steer, Ph.D., Mike

International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 20118
We join Dr. Nurit Neustadt in welcoming 
you to IJOM’s fourth volume. Her 
refl ections on the history of our profession 
and its major international gatherings 
are particularly apposite on the eve of 
IMC14, as is her call to share ideas and 
innovate to provide signifi cant and relevant 
mobility opportunities to people with vision 
impairment.  
This volume of IJOM presents a diverse 
range of topics from such technical O&M 
papers as those on Trekker Breeze 2.0, scooter 
travel, and a novel navigation device; to Wolf 
Wolfensberger’s Social Role Valorization 
(SRV) principle; and consideration of the 
‘argy-bargy’ games played by stakeholders 
when new monies become available to 
fi nance new O&M service developments. 
Although perhaps appearing disjointed, the 
topics are inextricably interlinked. That is, 
the technical O&M focus requires constant 
mindfulness of SRV principles to ensure 
the delivery of high levels of O&M service. 
As well, in order that O&M services exist 
for clients with vision impairment, games 
of ‘argy-bargy’ need to conclude with 
stakeholder agreement on issues of policy 
implementation and the funding of service 
roll-out. 
Specifi cally, the lead article by Yeung, 
La Grow, Towers, Alpass, and Stephens 
investigates the extent to which a variety of 
such factors as ability to get around, as well 
as a variety of concomitant health conditions 
affect quality of life (OOL) among ageing 
people who have diffi culty seeing. The study 
confi rms that O&M skills are of central 
importance to the vision rehabilitation 
programs designed to enhance QOL in older 
persons.
Issues of client-centredness are 
investigated by Koda, Morioka, Kubo, 
Wada, Yoshikawa, Nakamura, and Shinoda. 
Their research focuses on the reasons why 
potential guide dog users in Japan are not 
applying for guide dogs. Those researchers 
offer a range of solutions that if implemented 
might increase guide dog applications.
The use of guide dogs as a mobility tool 
is largely accepted throughout the world. 
However, scooter travel for people who 
are vision impaired remains a contentious 
issue among health professionals. Deverell 
considers issues surrounding scooter travel, 
and confi rms that a majority of O&M 
instructors in Australasia is already involved 
in scooter assessment or training of clients 
with low vision. The degree to which 
assessment and training are conducted 
adequately is also addressed.
Orientation and mobility is often 
approached technically with emphasis on 
functional improvement. However, both 
Kendrick and Armstrong in their respective 
discussion of Social Role Valorization 
remind the reader that the technical approach 
to O&M can often be too narrow. In addition 
to teaching the technical aspects of O&M, 
instructors could pursue with the client 
improved mobility with the further agenda 
of seeking changed life circumstances for 
that person towards promotion of a fuller 
and more satisfying life.
Silveira and Steer discuss the ways that 
disability policy implementation works and 
reveals strategies employed by stakeholders 
Editorial
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 9
to undermine policy implementation 
processes. The authors suggest that 
stakeholders must remain mindful of setting 
goals that will ultimately benefi t clients 
requiring O&M services.
Deverell proposes a six step 
Environmental Complexity Scale which 
recognises that O&M is a dynamic interplay 
between physical, social, and sensory 
elements. This Complexity Scale might 
provide a standardised measure that might 
potentially be used to improve, for example, 
client travel performance; and facilitate 
research that seeks to demonstrate the 
effectiveness of O&M services; or support 
O&M funding applications. 
Wood’s describes a client trial of the 
most recent version of the GPS device 
Trekker Breeze (2.0). All clients agreed that 
version 2.0 was an improvement from the 
fi rst version as well as considering the aid 
secondary to a long cane or guide dog.
Holmes describes an echolocation 
training package that contains seven modules 
designed to assist mobility instructors in 
teaching clients this important skill. The 
package includes advice on specifi c training 
areas as well as echolocation and O&M-
related activities.
Finally, Hoefer describes his development 
of a hand-mounted sonar navigation device 
designed for affordability and replication. 
It is the technologist’s intention that this 
device will eventually become available as 
a ‘kit’ that can be assembled and customised 
to the requirements of an individual client.   
The diverse range of papers in this volume 
is a testament to the continued evolution of 
O&M as a profession. O&M professionals 
must of course continue to consider the place 
of technology within O&M and its many 
applications. However, equally important is 
the need for refl ection about the impact of 
O&M on a client’s quality of life, and the 
importance of tailoring O&M services to 
meet individual clients’ needs.
Desirée Gallimore Ph.D. and
Mike Steer Ph.D.
Editorial Note 
(1) In recognition of the passing of Dr. Wolf 
Wolfensberger 27th February 2011. Dr. 
Wolfensberger introduced the principle 
Normalization to a North American 
audience, and later refi ned and redefi ned 
it as Social Role Valorization. These 
principles have both exerted a major 
infl uence on disability practice and 
policy in developed countries and 
continue to have a positive impact on 
the lives of all people with disabilities, 
as well as those of us considered a part 
of minorities living among the majority.
(2) Special thanks to Ms Mardi Kent for her 
highly specialised editorial assistance 
with this volume of IJOM.


Editorial

Armstrong, John

International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 201162
Getting More than Mobility
John Armstrong
I met June as part of a small evaluation 
team visiting her service. We were assessing 
the service by fi rst understanding the identity 
and needs the people being supported 
and then assessing how well the service 
understood who they are serving. June had 
recently been placed in the nursing home we 
were visiting by her family who believed 
she could no longer look after herself. 
It was a pretty common scenario. But in 
June’s case this assumption was made (by 
very well-meaning people) as a result of her 
husband dying and her recent loss of vision. 
The family’s perspective was that she was 
now unsafe at home and could therefore not 
look after herself.
June too felt dismay and fear at her 
changing circumstances; grief stricken at the 
loss of her life-long partner, and overwhelmed 
by the decisions, appointments, and 
uncertainty that lay before her. Of course her 
children knew what was best and she needed 
to accept things as they were in-spite of the 
deep pain she felt at also losing her home 
- forever.
When I met June, she had been in the 
nursing home for six years. Being otherwise 
fi t and healthy, the blindness she experienced 
was perceived as a “super” impairment 
and it was assumed that it had produced 
total dependency. This meant that others 
assumed June would be unable to maintain 
the roles she had always held, and would be 
dependent on others for virtually meeting all 
of her needs. Thus her identity as a mother, 
grandmother, wife, bowler, church goer, 
avid gardener, neighbour, and best friend 
(and numerous other connecting roles) was 
replaced by “blind resident”. We discovered 
that much of June’s situation had arisen not 
just from her vision impairment, but from 
the perspectives of her impairment held by 
others. Indeed, the social repercussions of 
her impairment seemed to produce worse 
outcomes for June, than did the impairment 
itself. However, we also discovered that 
June’s residential service agency had also 
made heavy assumptions about her needs. 
For instance we learnt that June had not 
ventured independently from her room in 
all the time she had been in that facility. No 
one had taken the time to orientate her to the 
building and its many amenities, and June 
had maintained a lonely vigil in her room 
fearing getting lost should she ever attempt to 
venture out. The service apparently assumed 
there would be no benefi t in showing June 
how she might move through the facility 
independently and securing the resources of 
mobility instructors to enable this to happen.
We also learnt that the service had received 
glowing commendations from its recent 
audit; it had complied with all the funder’s 
requirements admirably, even to the point of 
claiming that the service represented “best 
practice” in aged care. But June spent most 
of her day alone, except for the routine visits 
of staff delivering meals, helping in personal 
care and cleaning, and by her children who 
visited occasionally from interstate.
We realised that much of the “Good 
Life”(Wolfensberger, Thomas, & Caruso, 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 63
1996) that June once had was now lost and 
that everyone associated with her now felt 
that her needs for identity, relationship, 
belonging, and connection were strangely 
irrelevant when you could not see. Her 
identity had become equated with her 
impairment.
We also learnt that mobility is not just a 
skill to be learned, but a major means for 
maintaining her personal identity roles, and 
therefore, maintaining and even enhancing 
the good things of life she had once had. 
Working with her on her orientation and 
mobility would have provided not just the 
competences necessary for her roles, but also 
the image of being competent, to the extent 
that it could have profoundly infl uenced the 
perspectives others had of June’s potential. 
Given that adjustment to her circumstances, 
she might well have kept her home and all 
that goes with it.
References
Wolfensberger, W., Thomas, S., & Caruso, 
G. (1996). Some of the universal “good 
things of life” which the Implementation 
of Social Role Valorization can be 
expected to make more accessible to 
devalued people. The International Social 
Role Valorization Journal, 2(2) 12-14. 
Note: Social Role Valorisation (SRV) is an 
empirically based concept that examines the 
ways humans evaluate each other and the 
ways that supporters, agencies, and even 
society might act to ensure that people at risk 
of devaluation can maintain valued social 
roles and the resultant “Good Life” that such 
roles enable. Training in SRV is available in 
each Australian state and in New Zealand. 
SRV training details are available at: http://
www.socialrolevalorization.com/training/
events/australasia/index.html
John Armstrong is a self employed consultant/trainer, 
formerly educational adviser in government, teacher, 
and teacher-of-the-deaf and is an associate of the 
Training Institute for Human Service Leadership and 
Change Agentry at Syracuse University, NY, USA. In 
addition, Armstrong is a Senior Trainer of SRV and 
works as a consultant/trainer across Australia and New 
Zealand. Website: http://www.socialrolevalorization.
com e-mail: <jarm@socialrolevalorization.com>.


Getting More than Mobility

Wood, Dip. Teach., B.Ed., M.Spec.Ed., Matt

International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 201178
Trekker Breeze 2.0: Trialled by 
Clients
Matt Wood
The Trekker Breeze (TB) is a Global Positioning System (GPS) device developed by 
Humanware (Humanware, 2011; Riessen, Ryan, & Battista, 2009). The system uses 
GPS and digital maps to inform its user of particular locations via audible output. 
Specifi cally, the Trekker Breeze informs the user of a current location (street names, 
intersections, business names), provides points of interest, record travel routes, 
and can be operated using one hand. Trekker Breeze version 2.0 was released in 
October 2010 and included a number of enhancements and improvements from the 
1.0 version. 
In early 2011 Guide Dogs NSW/ACT 
Coffs Harbour offi ce planned to trial the 
Trekker Breeze 2.0 (TB 2.0) inviting clients 
as participants. Of the nine clients that 
volunteered, fi ve had previous experience 
using Trekker Breeze 1.0 (TB 1.0) and four 
clients had no experience using TB 1.0. 
Of these four clients, two had used other 
GPS wayfi nding technology. Of the nine 
clients, fi ve were female and four were 
male. Further, four clients were guide dog 
users and fi ve clients used a long cane as a 
primary mobility aid. Six of the nine clients 
were over 50 years of age, two clients were 
aged between 40 and 50 years of age and 
one client was aged 16 years. 
An initial two day workshop was 
conducted. Day 1 included three orientation 
and mobility (O&M) instructors and a 
product consultant from Humanware, 
Sydney, Australia. Time was spent discussing 
the new features and enhancements of 
the TB 2.0 with the goal of instructor’s 
familarising themselves with the new 
features. Day 2 of the workshop included an 
additional two O&M instructors’ and four 
clients. Three of the clients were familiar 
with TB 1.0 and one client had previous 
GPS experience. During the day, a revision 
of the TB1.0 features occurred, followed by 
an explanation of TB 2.0. Practical activities 
using the improved features followed. Tips 
were offered to assist with GPS connection 
and reduction of interference problems 
when connecting (Doyle, 2006; Turnage, 
2010). Five clients were unable to attend 
the workshop. However, the instructors and 
one participant who attended the workshop 
provided these clients with the information 
and practical exercises during the following 
week.
Trialling Trekker Breeze 2.0: New 
features
From February to April 2011, O&M 
instructors worked with the clients to 
explore the existing and new features of 
the TB 2.0. O&M instructors spent a total 
of 149 hours providing direct training and 
support to clients during the trial period. 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 79
Instructors and clients explored such new 
features as (i) extending the available time 
for landmark titles (ii) exporting points of 
interest from the computer to the TB 2.0 
(iii) creating a landmark for an address (iv) 
reverse a prerecorded route and backtracking 
the previous session (v) using the pedometer 
facility. 
(I) EXTENDING THE AVAILABLE TIME FOR 
LANDMARK TITLES
When recording a landmark title, the 
default time available for users is four 
seconds. For most landmarks this amount 
of time is adequate, however, there may 
be occasions when there is a need to enter 
a longer title which requires more time 
to perform. The Humanware consultant 
suggested that the Windows Sound Recorder 
software on the TB 2.0 be used to extend 
the four second default time (Humanware, 
2011a). To enable the software feature 
requires approximately 14 steps. These steps 
require the user to manipulate the SD card, 
preview .wav fi les, choose programs, browse 
fi les, choose fi les, manipulate second-length 
fi les, and record landmarks. Following 
workshop discussions seven participants 
believed that only technically inclined users 
would use this feature. No client attempted 
to use this feature when trialling the TB 2.0.
(II) EXPORTING POINTS OF INTEREST
This feature allows the user to export the 
longitude and latitude points of a particular 
landmark or destination from the computer 
to the TB 2.0. This feature was demonstrated 
at the workshop. The feature was unable to 
be trialled with clients because of software 
restrictions on Guide Dogs NSW/ACT 
computers. However, once these restrictions 
are removed, the feature will be trialled with 
clients.
(III) CREATE A LANDMARK FOR AN ADDRESS
This feature is unique to TB 2.0. The 
feature permits the user to input an address 
of a specifi c location and the TB 2.0 will 
calculate the most direct route to the 
location. The TB 2.0 uses a modifi ed keypad 
to achieve this. For example, letters and 
numbers are located on the TB 2.0 buttons 
similar to a mobile phone keypad. An 
address can be entered using the letters and 
numbers on the buttons, similar to a SMS 
text message on a mobile phone. As there 
is no screen to display the keys pressed, the 
TB 2.0 uses audio output to alert the user 
to each character in the cycle as it runs 
through the letter sequence and then repeats 
the process until the user takes the fi nger 
off the key.  Once the most direct route is 
determined, the TB 2.0 will ask whether 
or not the user requires instructions for 
pedestrian or motorised travel, and also 
warns the user that the TB 2.0 instructions 
may take them to unfamiliar areas. The 
selected mode of travel has a bearing on the 
type and detail of the instruction provided. 
For example, when in pedestrian mode, the 
instructions are more detailed and include 
cross streets at intersections and distances 
to the next instruction. In the motorised 
mode, the instructions are less detailed and 
this refl ects the anticipated time available to 
pass on information to the user as a vehicle 
passes through intersections and landmarks. 
A basic assumption is that the user would 
typically be a passenger in a vehicle and, 
therefore, require less detail when travelling 
in this way.
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility •Volume 4, Number 1, 201180
All clients were able to access and use the 
SMS landmark creation feature as it enabled 
them to enter an address to which they had 
not previously travelled. Those clients who 
had experience with Wayfi nder (another 
GPS device) or writing text messages using 
mobile phones were able to quickly transfer 
those skills to the TB 2.0. Six clients who 
had not previously used SMS took longer to 
understand the procedures, however were 
able to successfully enter an address after 
instruction.
(IV) REVERSE A PRERECORDED ROUTE AND 
BACKTRACK THE PREVIOUS SESSION OR ROUTE 
The ‘reverse a prerecorded route’ feature 
enables a traveller to walk from point B back 
to point A. The backtrack feature is where the 
TB 2.0 recalls the route previously travelled 
assisting the user to return from point B to 
point A. The backtrack feature can be used 
even when the TB 2.0 is turned off, then on 
again. 
Clients attempted to use both features 
in open areas and in built up areas in a city 
streetscape. Open areas include suburban 
parklands and any area approximately 20 
metres or more away from the map used 
by the TB. Built up areas include the street 
and road network as used by the TB. Clients 
recorded routes from a single starting 
point and clients travelled to different 
locations recording routes and landmarks 
in a variety of directions. Clients found 
that neither feature functioned reliably in 
the open area. It appeared that the TB did 
not have maps to which it could refer. The 
Humanware consultant, concluded that 
these features required further refi nement 
to assist their effectiveness in open areas. 
However, clients concluded that the reverse 
feature functioned the most reliably of the 
two features when travelling in built up 
areas where street maps were available. In 
response to the overall inconsistency of the 
two features, clients preferred to record two 
separate routes for the same journey, one 
outward and one inward. Clients reported 
that recording two separate routes enabled 
them to subtly alter a journey as there were 
variations at road crossing points and other 
differences between each direction of travel. 
(IV) PEDOMETER
The pedometer enables users to keep track 
of walking distance, average speed, and 
walking time. The tracking record can be 
reset at any time. All participants in the trial 
were independent travellers. When using the 
TB 2.0 travelling familiar routes, no client 
used the pedometer. Clients concluded 
that they were familiar with the routes and 
therefore the approximate distances they 
travelled, and believed they had no use for 
the pedometer. The pedometer timer stops 
recording when the traveller stops walking. 
The rest time is not included in the total time 
travelled. Clients believed that not recording 
rest time would be confusing and diffi cult 
when trying to evaluate the total time taken 
to travel a route. 
Trialling Trekker Breeze 2.0: 
Enhanced features
There are a number of features on the TB 
2.0 that are improvements from the TB 1.0. 
Improved features include (i) landmarks, 
(ii) maps, (iii) use in vehicles, (iv) GPS 
coverage and connection.
(I) LANDMARKS
TB 2.0 sorts landmarks by creation date. 
All clients reported that this feature enables 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 81
landmarks to be more easily located as the 
user searches landmarks in the chronological 
order of a route. 
In recorded routes, the destination and the 
starting point can be included on the same 
street segment. Previously the destination 
and the starting point needed to be separated 
by a longer map segment. This enhancement 
removes some confusion that existed on 
shorter routes, as the TB 1.0 could not 
easily record routes on the same street 
block. Instead the TB 1.0 would pause for a 
lengthy period of time while it re-calculated 
the location. 
Further, when entering a round-a-bout, 
the instruction provided by TB 2.0 was 
“drive onto the round-a-bout”. The left and 
right directions provided by TB 1.0 were 
not provided in TB 2.0. This enhancement 
simplifi es the amount of information 
provided to the user when travelling in a 
vehicle.
One client who is a guide dog user made 
several trips to another city in another 
Australian state. She used the TB 2.0 to 
landmark several positions close to the 
front entrance of the hotel where she was 
residing. The landmarks included the 
front door, a rubbish bin, and a section of 
grass used to toilet her guide dog. With the 
landmarks in close proximity to each other, 
the TB 2.0 confused one landmark with the 
other. For example, the TB 2.0 would report 
the rubbish bin, when the landmark was the 
grass toileting area. Once the guide dog had 
become familiar with the landmarks, all but 
the ‘front door’ were deleted from the TB 
2.0. The TB 2.0 could reliably locate the 
front door once the other landmarks had 
been deleted. From this experience the client 
concluded that the TB 2.0 could be used as 
a back up or secondary mobility aid to a 
primary aid such as her guide dog. 
(II) MAPS
In the TB 1.0, inconsistencies were 
sometimes evident with map addresses. 
House numbers were sometimes nominated 
that did not exist or were actually several 
residences further along the street. In the 
TB 2.0 this same situation occasionally 
occurred. It was concluded that the maps, 
supplied by Navteq, needed updating. Clients 
were encouraged to note all anomalies 
encountered when travelling with the TB 2.0 
and to submit these to Navteq via their Map 
Recording website (Navteq, 2011).
(III) TB 2.0 USE IN VEHICLES
One client on a single occasion compared 
the TB 2.0 with the Garmin vehicle GPS 
to determine a route to a relatively remote 
rural location on a minor country road 50 
kilometres west of Coffs Harbour on the 
New South Wales Mid-North Coast. Both 
devices were given the address of the 
destination and compared for speed and 
accuracy of instructions provided during 
the journey. Although both devices provided 
timely turning instructions, the Garmin GPS 
placed the traveller at a destination several 
kilometres before the correct destination. 
However, the TB 2.0 continued to provide 
accurate directions to the front gate of the 
destination.
Six clients reported using the TB 2.0 
in vehicles and found that accuracy and 
effi ciency of routes nominated were high. 
In an inner city location the route to the 
destination sent the vehicle along several 
one-way streets. When the route travelled 
was reversed, the TB 2.0 nominated a 
different return route that safely led the 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility •Volume 4, Number 1, 201182
driver and passenger to their original 
departure point.
The six clients reported that when 
travelling a route, if an alternative turn was 
taken then the TB 2.0 was usually able to 
re-calculate the route quickly to provide 
new instructions leading to the destination. 
This re-calculation facility was reported to 
be reassuring to all clients who used the TB 
2.0 in vehicles.
(IV) GPS COVERAGE AND CONNECTION
Eight of the nine clients reported that 
they believed the GPS coverage of the TB 
2.0 to be improved from the TB 1.0. One 
client reported maintaining GPS coverage 
while enclosed in an elevator. This was re-
tested by the client 10 times with the same 
result. On one of the 10 trials the TB 2.0 also 
provided the correct approximate altitude 
while stationary on level two of the building 
in the escalator.
Another client used the TB 2.0 while bush 
walking away from mapped streets. The 
client was able to landmark many points on 
his regular walking track and most of these 
landmarks were under forest canopy. One 
landmark was under a dense forest canopy 
at the bottom of a gully at a creek crossing 
point. A member of the bush walking group 
attempted to use a handheld GPS device 
on the same training track and was only 
able to make contact with GPS satellites in 
open areas at the top of ridges. The TB 2.0 
occasionally lost contact with GPS satellites 
on heavily overcast days.
Conclusion
All fi ve clients who were familiar with 
using TB 1.0 agreed that TB 2.0 was an 
improvement on version 1.0 in many 
respects. All clients agreed that the TB 
2.0 was a useful orientation aid, however 
they still required and relied upon primary 
mobility aids such as the long cane or guide 
dog as well as their own sense of direction to 
accurately determine their location. Clients 
concluded that the TB 2.0 was used as a 
reinforcement and auxiliary support to assist 
their travel between destinations. 
Following the trial, a competency-based 
TB 2.0 training module was devised to fi rst, 
train O&M instructors to use the aid, and 
second, teach instructors the sequencing and 
techniques to teach clients (e.g., children and 
adults of various O&M skill levels and GPS 
experience). Clients who are interested in 
using the TB 2.0 are fi rst assessed.  Second, 
those clients who might benefi t from the 
aid then commence TB 2.0 training. Once 
a client can use the aid competently and 
independently, then an TB 2.0 is issued to 
the client. As at 31 October 2011, 59 Guide 
Dogs NSW/ACT have been issued and 
trained with a TB 2.0.
From client reports it appears that the TB 
2.0 provides them with greater independence 
and confi dence when travelling and learning 
new routes. It is important to note however, 
that a prerequisite to using the TB 2.0 safely 
and accurately is existing competent O&M 
skills. Humanware does recognise that 
the TB is not a primary aid, but rather a 
secondary orientation aid and this cannot be 
overemphasised. Further, also highlighted 
by Humanware (2010), is that the aid should 
not be used with headphones when walking 
the streets as this interferes with the users 
ability to hear traffi c and other potentially 
dangerous situations in the environment.
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 83
References
Doyle, D. (2006). How to improve GPS 
accuracy. Retrieved from http://www.
doylesdartden.com/gis/Improve_GPS_
Accuracy.html
Humanware. (2010). Trekker Breeze 
2.0 upgrade. Retrieved from 
h t t p : / / w w w. h u m a n w a r e . c o m / e n -
austral ia /support /breeze_support /
trekker_breeze_20_upgrade
Humanware. (2011). Find your way in a 
breeze. Quebec: Humanware.
Humanware. (2011a). Software and 
documentation. Retrieved from http://
www.humanware.com/en-australia/
support/breeze_support
Navteq. (2011). Map Reporter. Retrieved 
from http://mapreporter.navteq.com 
Riessen, A., Ryan, A, & Battista, M. (2009). 
TrekAbout Adelaide: One agency’s 
experience of introducing GPS technology 
to O&M services. International Journal 
of Orientation & Mobility, 2(1), 73-80.
Turnage, P. (2010). Trekker Breeze: 
An innovative orientation aid from 
Humanware. Retrieved from http://
www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sour
ce=web&cd=6&ved=0CEIQFjAF&
url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fimcvi.
org%2Fwp-content%2Fthemes%2Ffim
cvi%2Farticlepdfs%2FTurnage%2520-
Trekker%2520Breeze1.pptx&ei=X8IiTo
6aEevymAXlsuCvAw&usg=AFQjCNE
wwuobQ1Xa7DFvN5ZX7Zou_Tc0Tg
Matt Wood, Dip. Teach., B.Ed., M.Spec.Ed., (Sensory 
Disability), O&M instructor, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, 
3/62 Moonee Street, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450, 
Australia; e-mail:<mwood@guidedogs.com.au>.


Trekker Breeze 2.0: Trialled by Clients

Berline, M.Ed., M.Sc., (OT), James

International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 99
Orientation and Mobility: 
Techniques for Independence
(2nd Edition) Revised and expanded
ISBN: 978-0-9821792-4-6
soft cover.
Steven J. La Grow, & Richard G. Long. (2011). Alexandria, VA, USA: 
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually 
Impaired.
Orientation and mobility: Techniques for independence (2nd edition) is an essential 
handbook for orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists-in-training, O&M specialists, as 
well as others interested in the methods and techniques used to orientate a person with vision 
impairment. The authors are internationally renowned academics and specialists in the 
profession of human service, vision impairment, and O&M. The book is organised into nine 
chapters with the table of contents clearly indicating the topics within each chapter. Clear 
illustrations assist to aid the comprehension of O&M concepts and techniques. Chapter 7 
is unique to the 2nd edition and focuses on the important topic of street crossing strategies. 
The chapters include:
Chapter 1 Instructional strategies: defi nition of O&M and its purpose; assessment of 
O&M needs and desires; establishing goals and planning programs; instructional strategies 
(e.g., reinforcement, prompting, shaping, fading, and chaining); an introduction to training 
sequencing.
Chapter 2 Human guide techniques: basic guiding technique; modifi cations to the basic 
technique; teaching considerations; guiding through narrow spaces and doors; transferring 
sides and reversing directions; ascending and descending stairs; seating; accepting or 
refusing assistance; common courtesies.
Chapter 3 Self-protective and positional techniques: defi nitions, upper-hand-and-
forearm; lower-hand-and-forearm; trailing; parallel alignment; squaring off.
Chapter 4 Systematic search patterns and familiarisation procedures: defi nitions; 
explanation of various search pattern (e.g., linear, fan, expanding box); locating objects; 
familiarisation procedures.
Chapter 5 Cane techniques: description of the long cane; cane techniques (e.g., diagonal 
techniques, touch techniques, three-point touch techniques, touch-and-drag technique); 
contacting objects and drop-offs; negotiating doorways and stairs.
B
O
O
K
 R
E
V
IE
W
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011100
Chapter 6 Environmental sequence and selection: sequencing O&M training; selection 
of the training environment (e.g., indoors, outdoors, business environments); travel patterns; 
recovery strategies; veering strategies.
Chapter 7 Street crossing strategies: fi ve components of street crossing; intersections 
and appropriate crossing points; analysing intersection geometry and traffi c as well as 
pedestrian controls; alignment; identifying low risk times to cross streets or considering 
alternative street crossing strategies; maintaining a desired line of travel when crossing; 
instruction sequencing.
Chapter 8 Special travel environments: shopping malls; department stores; supermarkets; 
escalators; elevators; rural areas; railroad crossings.
Chapter 9 Use of public transportation: travel between cities; travel within cities (taxis, 
buses, trains); trip planning. 
Excluded from the 2nd edition that was evident in the fi rst edition of the text are the 
sections: ‘Defi nitions and terminology’ and ‘About the authors’. There is no doubt that a 
terminology section would provide a useful resource and reference to those less familiar 
with O&M. Also it is always interesting and useful to read information about the authors 
and their careers, especially those new to the profession unfamiliar with the extensive  work 
of these authors. 
As minor points, although this text is a concise handbook, it might benefi t from an index 
to assist a subject search, as well as a website listing of recommended resources to gain 
credible O&M-related information. It is interesting to note that the 2nd edition does not make 
reference to other O&M-related aids such as the Miniguide or GPS devices, although these 
are widely incorporated into O&M programs particularly in developed nations. However, it 
is recognised that these aids are considered predominantly secondary mobility aids and the 
long cane is considered a primary aid. 
This text includes information relating to the profession of O&M that is presented in a 
concise and easy to understand format. It could easily be considered an essential training 
text for the profession. For this, the authors should be congratulated and the book highly 
recommended.
James Berline M.Ed., M.Sc., (OT), Orientation and Mobility Consultant, University of Cape Town, South 
Africa.


Orientation and Mobility: Techniques for Independence

Holmes, B.A.Soc., Nicole

An Echolocation Training Package

Deverell, B.Ed., Grad.Dip. O&M, M.Ed., Lil

Orientation and Mobility Involvement with Scooter Travel in Australasia

Kendrick, Ph.D., Michael J.

International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 201148
Mobility As A Means To An End: 
Acquiring Valued Social Roles
Michael J. Kendrick
“It is not length of life, but depth of life.”
R. W. Emerson
While mobility is a challenge in the 
lives of people with vision impairment, it 
is greatly overshadowed by the persistence 
of socially devaluing perceptions of who 
people with a vision impairment actually 
are. In many instances, this has resulted in 
stigmatisation, social exclusion, negative 
and low expectations and other forms of 
mistreatment. The consequences for people 
who are socially devalued are largely in 
the direction of a diminishment of their life 
possibilities and standing within community. 
Though such conditions have eased in recent 
decades as people with vision impairment 
have become a greater presence in the 
mainstream of communities, it would be 
fair to say that various forms and effects of 
social devaluation are still a factor in far too 
many peoples’ lives.
It is of course possible to see mobility 
enhancement as largely a technical question 
focused principally on improvements in 
functioning. This may be a much too narrow 
focus in light of the fact that one seeks 
mobility not merely for its own inherent 
rewards, but also because it can play a 
signifi cant role in expanding people’s life 
opportunities and the enjoyments that 
might come with them. Apart from these 
important existential benefi ts, there is also 
the opportunity to occupy valued social 
roles within community. Valued social roles 
are roles that enable people to more fully 
participate in all aspects of community life 
that might interest them. Occupying such 
roles brings people the additional benefi ts of a 
greater likelihood of being seen as being like 
all other people rather than being understood 
largely in terms of one’s impairment. It 
also gives people standing, status, and 
value within community and moves people 
from the margins of community into the 
mainstream.
These many benefi ts of having routine 
access to valued social roles within 
community are neither accidental nor 
unexpected, as they are well described in 
social role valorization theory, authored by 
Wolf Wolfensberger the recently deceased 
professor emeritus at Syracuse University. 
This theory, which has had considerable 
infl uence on many matters affecting people 
with disabilities as well as other persons and 
groups who are at risk of social devaluation, 
essentially posits that human beings are 
constantly making judgments about others, 
some of which are devaluing. These 
devaluing perceptions of people may be so 
entrenched in the culture of a given society 
that they can permanently place the people 
seen in such negative terms in devalued 
social roles. These differences that have 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 49
been historically seen in negative terms have 
included such diverse human characteristics 
as skin colour, age, religion, health status, 
ethnicity, language, appearance, clothing, 
gender, and class.
It is not the specifi c human difference that 
is important, but rather how this difference 
is evaluated by people. If it is seen in largely 
negative terms it increases the likelihood 
that people seen this way will be placed in 
devalued social roles. On the other hand, if 
this perception is challenged and changed, 
it is also possible that these devalued social 
roles can diminish and make way for people 
to occupy valued social roles. In concrete 
terms, we can see this transformation 
in terms of such prominent examples as 
President Obama in the United States. There 
was a time in that society when people of 
mixed racial heritage would not have been 
able to occupy such a highly valued social 
role. Nonetheless, this example helps 
illustrates that deeply held attitudes can be 
changed, though it obviously is not easy to 
do so.
For the person or group experiencing 
social devaluation, the fi rst and foremost 
effect is that they are placed in what 
social role valorization theory refers to as 
devalued social roles. In historical terms, 
this has included being placed in a variety of 
recurring devalued identities such as child, 
sick, sub-human, burden of charity, menace 
and so on. The effect on the person or group 
of being seen this way is in turn refl ected 
in how they get treated. This can include 
being rejected, excluded from community, 
deprived of normal life opportunities, 
mistreated, abused and subject to violence 
and even death, impoverished, denied 
basic rights and necessities, experiencing 
the imposition of distorting and degrading 
stereotypes and so on.
Obviously, social attitudes and perceptions 
are present as underlying factors at every 
level in society. Social role valorization 
theory recognises this and describes actions 
that can be taken at various levels of society 
that can help address, challenge and replace 
these devaluing views of people. In all 
likelihood, those involved in enhancing 
a given person’s mobility will tend to see 
these forces play out one person at a time 
in all sorts of community settings. What 
may not always be apparent is that these 
everyday life situations frequently contain 
the possibility of creating opportunities for 
given individuals with a vision impairment 
to acquire valued social roles and to change 
many attitudes and perceptions.
This challenge of changing community 
thinking and behavior at a “micro” level is 
helped considerably if those involved have 
become familiar with the key contents of 
social role valorization theory. The value 
of having theory of this kind is that it can 
provide a guide to both seeing the potentials 
of situations and being able to act decisively 
with regard to emerging possibilities. It can 
also help point out what not to do, thereby 
providing a preventive dimension about 
how action is taken. It will also mean that 
the aims of mobility enhancement can be 
linked to other important needs in the lives 
of people that are inevitably intertwined with 
mobility. This more holistic view of people, 
their lives and their needs, in turn means that 
we can each do our part to make a positive 
difference in the ways our communities 
see and relate to people. What follows is a 
brief description of some of the more salient 
advantages of acquiring valued social roles.
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility •Volume 4, Number 1, 201150
Valued social roles and the 
meeting of one’s needs 
Most of our everyday needs will more 
likely be suitably met the more we are 
able to access the many resources within 
our communities. Persons restricted from 
accessing the benefi ts of communities 
through imposed segregation and social 
isolation will obviously be deprived in terms 
of meeting their needs. Being excluded from 
‘community’ can impact all aspects of daily 
life including employment, relationships, 
education, leisure, income, community group 
membership, and so on. On the other hand, 
through the acquisition of valued social roles 
such as employee, acquaintance, student, 
club member, leisure program participant, 
taxpayer etc., it then becomes possible to 
participate more fully in community life and 
thereby enable people to better meet their 
personal needs at a given moment. Since 
people with vision impairment share all of 
the normative needs of their fellow citizens 
irrespective of the specifi c additional needs 
generated by living with vision impairment, 
it also means that they can more realistically 
enjoy a ‘normal’ life within community.
In contrast, if we are unable to get our 
needs met, we will experience deprivations 
of all kinds and the distress that can come 
from doing without what we genuinely need. 
For instance, if we live a socially isolated 
life because our access to community is 
limited, then we will lose many of the 
benefi ts of community including such 
important personal needs as friendship, 
careers, income, education and community 
membership to name a few. Any persistent 
deprivation of our needs increases our 
levels of stress, vulnerability and potential 
suffering. Consequently, it is prudent to link 
the acquisition of valued social roles to a 
person’s overall well-being.
Valued social roles and the 
pursuit of one’s life interests and 
passions
Though many people might think of 
“community participation” in somewhat 
general terms, the term actually plays out 
in practice in quite unique and personal 
ways for each person. We normally do 
not extensively participate in elements of 
community life that do not coincide with 
our personal life interests and passions. On 
the other hand, our points of attachment to 
community refl ect our personal life interests 
throughout our lives, be they religion, sport, 
pastimes, recreation, employment and so 
forth. These points of attachment to various 
components of community contain within 
them many varieties of valued social roles. 
When we acquire these roles, we then gain 
whatever benefi ts they provide us in terms 
of being able to pursue and enjoy our life 
interests and passions. As many people 
would recognise, having passions and 
interests in life that engage and satisfy a 
person, are part of what they would consider 
an important element of “the good life” they 
seek for themselves. 
Valued social roles can be considered 
pathways not only to community resources 
and connections, but also to their benefi ts 
in terms of the enjoyment of activities, 
involvements and connections that come 
with specifi c life interests. If the person does 
not have access to these roles associated 
with their life interests, then they will lack 
the means to pursue important forms of 
engagements with their enduring interests in 
life. In other words, it would be very diffi cult 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 51
to have a fulfi lling life if one is constrained 
from successful access to valued social roles. 
This underlines the importance of acquiring 
valued social roles to one’s eventual quality 
of life.
Valued social roles as a 
fundamental safeguard against 
the potential impacts of social 
devaluation
As previously stated, persons with 
disabilities share in common with many 
other groups in society a heightened risk of 
being evaluated negatively by others due to 
whatever is believed by the perceiver about 
the worth and value of a person with some 
sort of human condition or trait that they 
see as signifi cant. Valued social roles act to 
insulate people from many of the devastating 
impacts of social devaluation in various 
ways. Most notably, it is hard to sustain 
misleading stereotypes of people once you 
actually meet them. This kind of opportunity 
for people to more accurately understand 
each other is in turn made possible because 
the occupation of valued social roles tends 
to signifi cantly strengthen people’s valued 
social participation throughout all of the 
community. 
Valued social roles also act to prevent 
the mistreatment of people by enfranchising 
them with expectations, legal standing 
and the normative protections of society. 
Having access to these roles also tends to 
enable people to develop and mobilise the 
alliances that lead to vigorous advocacy 
against instances where a given person or 
group has been subject to discrimination or 
mistreatment. As people are enabled to enter 
and succeed in valued social roles, their true 
abilities and nature are revealed, thereby 
breaking down the damaging stereotypes 
that create so much false understanding 
of who people are and what they are like. 
It is also the case that occupying valued 
social roles makes it more likely than not, 
that people can make positive contributions 
to their communities thereby undermining 
negative expectations and presumptive 
prejudices.
Mobility as a component of 
obtaining good lives in the 
community
It is very diffi cult to imagine people 
with mobility challenges optimising their 
conceivable life opportunities within 
community if they are not supported in their 
pursuit of the various valued social roles 
that are pertinent to their lives, interests and 
engagements within community. The task of 
facilitating people’s enhanced mobility can 
be envisioned at one level solely in regard 
to a given person gaining greater profi ciency 
with mobility. On another level, if a given 
individual seeks more in his or her life, it can 
mean that those involved pursue improved 
mobility with the further agenda of seeking 
changed life circumstances for that person in 
the direction of a fuller and more satisfying 
life. This second purpose would then enable 
those involved with mobility support to 
potentially have signifi cant impact on the 
broader challenge of assisting people to 
obtain valued social roles and the benefi ts 
that come with these.
Taking up this second challenge at the 
request of the person concerned would 
mean that mobility is now linked to and 
possibly subordinate to the achievement of 
targeted lifestyle changes. At a minimum, 
this would require that those involved 
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility •Volume 4, Number 1, 201152
become more aware of what may be 
involved in obtaining and succeeding with 
these new roles and experiences. It may 
also require the development of a set of 
skills appropriate to supporting people with 
these new opportunities. It may also require 
that mobility be seen as a key strategy that 
needs to be integrated and coordinated with 
other change strategies not only in regards 
to individual efforts at acquiring both valued 
social roles and improved life circumstances 
but possibly also for more collective 
instances of social changes of this kind.
Obviously, by linking mobility assistance 
to these more extensive agendas, it adds 
considerably more responsibility and 
demands to the roles of mobility supporters. 
While this challenge can understandably be 
disconcerting, they may nonetheless appeal 
to many people because of the potential to 
add considerable value to people’s lives 
as well as helping restrain the tendencies 
in people and communities to devalue 
and reject people whom they see as being 
different for whatever reason. It is very 
unlikely that these tendencies will ever be 
eliminated, so the real promise will rest 
both in the reduction of their presence as a 
damaging factor in people’s lives and the 
facilitation of enriching life opportunities. 
These ambitions, while taxing in many 
ways, may also yield important and even 
profound gains for the persons involved and 
for the health of the larger society.
References
Flynn, R. J., & Lemay, R. (Eds.). A quarter-
century of normalization and social 
role valorization. Ottawa: University of 
Ottawa Press. 
Kendrick, M. (1994).  Some reasons why 
Social Role Valorization is important. 
SRV/VRS: The International Social 
Role Valorization Journal/La revue 
internationale de la Valorisation des 
roles sociaux, 1(1), 14-18. 
Lemay, R. (1995).  Social Role Valorization 
and the principle of normalization as 
guides for social contexts and human 
services for people at risk of societal 
devaluation.  In A. E. Deli Orto, & R. P. 
Maraneli, Encyclopedia Of Disability and 
Rehabilitation.  New York: McMillan. 
Lemay, R. (2006). Social Role Valorization 
insights into the social integration 
conundrum, Mental Retardation, 44(1), 
1–12.
Osburn, J. (1998). An overview of 
Social Role Valorization theory. The 
International Social Role Valorization 
Journal/La revue internationale de la 
Valorisation des roles Sociaux, 3(1), 7-12. 
Wolfensberger, W. (1983). Social Role 
Valorization: A proposed new term for 
the principle of normalization. Mental 
Retardation, 21(6), 234-239. 
Wolfensberger, W. (1984).  A 
reconceptualization of normalization 
as social role valorization. Mental 
Retardation (Canada), 34(7), 22-26. 
Wolfensberger, W. (2000). A brief overview 
of Social Role Valorization. Mental 
Retardation, 38(2), 105-123.
Wolfensberger, W., & Thomas, S. (2007). 
PASSING: A tool for analyzing service 
quality according to Social Role 
Valorization criteria (3d ed.). Syracuse, 
NY: Training Institute for Human Service 
Planning, Leadership, & Change Agentry 
(Syracuse University).
International Journal of Orientation & Mobility • Volume 4, Number 1, 2011 53
Wolfensberger, W., Thomas, S., & Caruso, 
G. (1996). Some of the universal “good 
things of life” which the implementation 
of Social Role Valorization can be 
expected to make more accessible 
to devalued people. SRV/VRS: The 
International Social Role Valorization 
Journal/La Revue Internationale de la 
Valorisation des Roles Sociaux, 2(2), 
12-14.
Michael J. Kendrick Ph.D., Kendrick Consulting 
Intl, 4 Bullard Ave., Holyoke, MA, USA 01040; 
website: http:// www.kendrickconsulting.org  e-mail: 
<kendrickconsult@attglobal.net>.


Mobility As A Means To An End: Acquiring Valued Social Roles

Silveira, M.HSc.Ed., Dip.App.Sc. (Orth), Sue

Steer, Ph.D., AM., Mike

Substantial New Monies Into National Orientation &amp; Mobility Services Development: The Game and Play of Public Policy Implementation

Lusher, Dean

Ackland, Robert

A Relational Hyperlink Analysis of an Online Social Movement

Koda, Ph.D., Naoko

Morioka, B.S.A., Nae

Kubo, B.S.W., Masumi

Wada, Takafumi

Yoshikawa, Akira

Nakamura, Hirofumi

Shinoda, Rinka

Opinions by People with Vision Impairment about Wanting or Not Wanting Guide Dogs

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