Orientation & Mobility (O&M) training kits and curricula—what they include, how they’re used, and where to find them:
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- Tactile Graphics Kit (APH)
What it is: A versatile set of materials—such as textured stripes, raised surfaces, and tactile tools—that instructors use to create custom raised-line maps, diagrams, charts, and graphics for orientation and mobility training. These tactile aids help individuals interpret spatial relationships through touch.
Usage: Designed for O&M instructors, teachers of the visually impaired, or transcribers to produce tactile learning aids personalized to learners’ environments (home, school, neighborhood).
Link: For more details, see the APH blog “Building Your Orientation and Mobility Toolkit.” Click Here
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- Portable Sound Source: Sport Edition (APH)
What it is: A compact device that emits audio tones to provide directional cues. Useful for sound localization training, orientation drills, indoor navigation exercises, or even adaptive playground and sports games.
Usage: Ideal for practicing orientation skills by following audio cues—great for both educators and learners in active, hands-on sessions.
Link: Details available via the same APH blog—“Building Your Orientation and Mobility Toolkit.” Click Here
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- Peabody Mobility Kit for Blind Students
What it is: A comprehensive program kit that includes assessment booklets, training manuals, and reusable forms focused on foundational skills: motor, sensory, concept development, and mobility for individuals with visual impairment. Includes step-by-step guides and evaluation tools.
Usage: Designed for professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents to assess developmental levels and teach essential O&M skills systematically.
Link: Available through Stoelting’s product page. Click Here
Product Reference:
• Stoelting Peabody Mobility Program Kit Buy It Here
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- TAPS (Teaching Age-Appropriate Purposeful Skills)
What it is: A structured, four-part O&M curriculum for students aged 3 to 21, including:
• Part 1: Curriculum (goals, objectives, teaching strategies)
• Part 2: Initial and ongoing evaluations
• Part 3: Appendices with supplementary resources
• Part 4: Street-crossing strategies tailored for travelers with visual impairments
Usage: Used by O&M specialists and educators to plan age-appropriate, functional mobility instruction across environments like home, school, community, campus, and transportation systems.
Link: Available from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s resource catalog.
Product Reference:
• TAPS O&M Curriculum (third edition) Get It On Ebay
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- Foundations of Orientation & Mobility, 4th Edition
What it is: A key professional reference and textbook, now in its 4th edition, covering:
• Instructional strategies
• Sensorimotor functioning
• Age-appropriate approaches for children and adults
• Complex traffic environments
• Integration of modern technologies and navigation apps
Usage: Ideal for O&M instructors—in training or in practice—looking for a deep theoretical and practical foundation in teaching orientation and mobility across varied contexts.
Product Reference:
• Foundations of Orientation and Mobility, 4th edition: Volume 2: Instructional Strategies and Practical Applications Buy It Here
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Summary Table
Kit / Resource Description & Use Case
Tactile Graphics Kit (APH) Create raised-line tactile maps/diagrams for spatial learning through touch.
Portable Sound Source (APH) Use directional audio cues for orientation and mobility training.
Peabody Mobility Kit Structured assessment tools and training materials for foundational O&M skills in learners with visual impairment.
TAPS Curriculum Comprehensive age-based O&M curriculum for school-aged students, including evaluation and outcomes.
Foundations of O&M (4th Ed.) In-depth manual/textbook for professional O&M instruction techniques and theory.
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Useful Web Resources for O&M Training Techniques & Benefits
• Orientation & Mobility (Perkins) — Explains core components and goals of O&M training: orientation (knowing one’s position) and mobility (safe travel using canes, guide dogs, assistive tech)
• O&M Training Benefits (NCOA) — Highlights how personalized O&M training elevates safety, boosts independence, incorporates assistive technology (GPS, apps, ultrasound devices), and improves quality of life
• World Services for the Blind (WSB) O&M Program — Offers a curriculum outline: pre-cane skills, cane techniques, indoor/outdoor travel, public transportation, GPS, landmark usage, and more
• Wayfinder Family O&M Training — Focuses on practical skills including long cane instruction, route planning, street crossings, guide dog prep, public transport, GPS and smartphone app training
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Final Thoughts
These kits and curriculum materials serve distinct but complementary purposes—from facilitating tactile learning and audio orientation drills, to structured training and advanced professional reference. Use them depending on the learner’s developmental stage, their setting (school, home, community), and your role (parent, educator, O&M specialist).
The Resource Plug 