Orientation and mobility specialists (O&M specialists) teach blind and visually impaired persons, and those with multiple disabilities, how to establish and maintain orientation within an environment and how to move through it safely and efficiently.
Orientation and mobility specialists work with clients of all ages—children and adults. To help their clients improve their coordination, motor skills, and sense of touch, O&M specialists may recommend body image awareness and sensory training activities, especially those related to posture, gait, and kinesiology.
Orientation and mobility specialists guide clients to an awareness of the relationships between objects, both fixed and moving, and within spatial systems. They help clients become aware of body movements, position, and direction. They show clients how to protect the body by using arms, hands, and cane to detect obstacles
O&M specialists work with physical therapists, rehabilitation personnel, occupational therapists, and other health professionals when working with individuals who also have other disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, or brain damage. They keep records of assessments, instructional objectives, and individual instructional sessions. They prepare progress reports useful for members of the rehabilitation team in evaluating the progress of clients.
