| Budget Amount *help |
¥9,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥7,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥7,500,000)
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| Research Abstract |
This research examined the effectivity of Orientation ＆ Mobility training to visually impaired and blind children. Moreover, the training tools which are useful to walking of visually impaired and blind children were examined. In Chapter 1, the feature of the spacial cognition which visually impaired and blind children was considered. Some of the studies conducted on visually impaired children indicate that the range of space sensed by these children is smaller than that sensed by sighted children. In Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, an approach of bungee training was proposed as a method of conquering this problem.
The experiment, which used a long rubber strap with its one end attached to a child's body and the other end to an object, demonstrated that the child, who moved around an object in this state, could experience wider range of space than when he used tactile, auditory and motional senses alone. In Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, the newest method of O＆M training for adults was shown. In order to apply the O＆M training method developed for adults to O＆M of children, in Chapter 6, a O＆M training curriculum was proposed! The difference with adult's case was pulling out a child's interest and making a child gain an everyday saptial experience. Moreover in this chapter, AMDs (alternative mobility devices) developed through this research were introduced. In Chapter 5, the measure of movement development of a blind child was made by digitizing and recording body movement. Seven kinds of body movements, such as a walk and hopping, were measured. The feature that the center of gravity remains behind the body was shown in the movement posture of th'e blind child. Since record of body movement of blind child has measured only two years, the necessity of continuing this record was discussed. And, the possibility as the method of measuring movement of blind children was discussed.
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