Orientation and Mobility

A professional field and set of skills that enable blind and visually impaired people to travel safely and independently in their environments. Orientation refers to understanding one's position in space relative to landmarks and destinations, while mobility refers to the physical act of moving through the environment. Orientation and mobility specialists (O&M instructors) provide formal training in techniques including white cane use, guide dog handling, environmental awareness, route planning, public transit navigation, and increasingly, the use of technology-based navigation aids.