Orientation and Mobility (O&M)

Orientation and mobility (O&M) teaches students with a visual impairment to utilize their remaining senses to determine their position within their environment and to negotiate safe movement from one place to another.  O&M specialists teach individuals with visual impairments on a one-to-one basis in a home, school, or community setting.  O&M is a related service and may be provided for all students with a visual impairment from birth through age 21 in a school setting, regardless of additional disabilities. 

“Visually impaired students” means students whose sight is so impaired that they cannot be adequately or safely educated in the regular classes of the public schools without the provision of special services.  (TEA Section 21.503)

Agencies for the blind and visually impaired:

American Foundation for the Blind Center on Vision Loss

11030 Ables Lane
Dallas, TX 75229
(214) 352-7222 (Local)
http://www.afb.org/cvl

Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services: Division for Blind Services

4800 North Lamar Boulevard
Suite 310
Austin, TX 78756-3178
(800) 628-5115 (Toll-Free)
(512) 377-0500 (TDD/TTY)
http://www.dars.state.tx.us

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

1100 West 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756-3494
(800) 872-5273 (Toll-Free)
(512) 206-9451 (TDD/TTY)
http://www.tsbvi.edu

National Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (National Headquarters)

15 West 65th Street
New York, NY 10023
(800) 562-6265 (Toll-Free)
http://www.napvi.org

National Federation of the Blind

200 East Wells Street
at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314 (Local)
http://www.nfb.org