White Cane Day

On that day, two Orientation and Mobility Specialists will lead an event to provide hands-on opportunities for participants to better understand how some of the commonly used tools, techniques, or adaptations are performed daily by folks who are blind/low vision.

The O&M specialists hope to do the following during the event:

• Discussion of public perception of blindness/visual impairment
• Human Guide techniques – strategies used by someone who is B/VI to travel through an environment with a physical connection/support of someone else.  B/VI traveler grasping their guides arm to follow their movement through an environment.
• Protective techniques – strategies used by someone who is B/VI for guarding their body from obstacles within the environment.  Protection from open doors along an indoor route, from low hanging branches outdoors, for finding waist high objects like desks/chairs/table tops etc.
• Introduction to a mobility canes (white cane)
• Purposes of the cane – identification as someone who is B/VI, protection from obstacles along a traveled route, information gathering about environment
• How does someone use the cane?
• Hand position, grasp, sweeping the cane and interpreting its feedback
• Traveling stairs

Please call 814-863-1807 for more information.