Spatial Organization Skills of the Blind in Large Outdoor Places

This research study attempted to test the ability of §a verbal response survey instrument to predict the §ability of subjects who are blind to spatially §organize large outdoor areas. In addition to the §verbal respose survey instrument, a near §space lapboard task where the subject was §required to memorize the positional relationships of §attached objects and then replace them when the §board was turned, and a procedure conducted in a §residential and light business area in Louisville, §Kentucky, where the subject was conducted on a three §block route by a competent sighted guide and then §asked to return to his point of origin by §determining the closest alternative route were §included in the procedure. The route task was §conducted twice, first using the sighted guide who §took full responsibility for the subject s safe §travel, and then by using the subject s preferred §mobility device, i.e., cane, dog guide, or §electronic travel aid. In this manner the study also §attempted to determine and quantify the impact of §poor mobility skills on spatial organization tasks §in typical outdoor travel situations and §environments.