“[O]nly 29% of the youths with visual impairments, between the ages of 16 and 21 years, were competitively employed 3 to 5 years following secondary school,” (National Longitudinal Transition Study).  A major barrier between blind youth and competitive employment is a lack of orientation and mobility instruction. One of the factors that significantly increases the potential for employment is the ability to travel independently.  Unfortunately, there is currently a need for an additional 10,000 orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors to assist blind and visually impaired people in gaining orientation and mobility skills.  Fortunately, the O&M graduate program at Louisiana Tech University was established to help meet this need.

It began when a cooperative partnership was established: Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB), Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), and Louisiana Tech University joined forces in 1996 to launch the orientation and mobility (O&M) graduate program. The Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness’ O&M program at Louisiana Tech University has three distinct features: 1) blind immersion training, 2) curriculum and laboratory experiences, and 3) regular involvement in a consumer organization of blind persons.

It is common knowledge that blind persons perceive the world differently from sighted people differently, but what does that really mean? To gain insight into this difference and to train for this program, each graduate student in the University O&M program, blind or sighted, is required to go through an immersion to blindness experience at the adult “adjustment to blindness” training program at the Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB). The students, wearing sleep shades, become familiar with the alternative non-visual skills that are necessary for blind persons to learn in order to become independent.  The graduate students learn these skills alongside the adult students.  Classes at the LCB include skills of daily living, woodshop, computer, and Braille.  Some of the activities that the students may participate in are whitewater rafting, horseback riding, rock climbing, attending Mardi Gras, or walking the seven miles from Ruston to Grambling, Louisiana.

Dr. Ronald J. Ferguson, a coordinator of the O&M graduate program and senior researcher at Louisiana Tech University, wants to improve employment opportunities for blind youth by reducing the shortage of O&M instructors. Dr. Ferguson received a $499,975 five year long-term training grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. Over 85% of the funds received will be used for direct student support. This support includes tuition, living allowances, and travel expenses for seven students per year. This grant program began in September 2004.  During the project’s first year, Ferguson is developing a strategic plan to evaluate the O&M program in order to identify areas that can be improved, developing programs that extend beyond the borders of Louisiana Tech University campus, increasing the number of internship sites for students in the O&M program, and recruiting seven students into the O&M program. For more information, visit the project’s website at http://www.instituteonblindness.latech.edu.