An Investigation of the Experiences of Orientation and Mobility Trainers in India
Rohit Asave, Ravi Kuber, Foad Hamidi · 2024 · Proceedings of the 21st International Web for All Conference (W4A) · doi:10.1145/3677846.3677847
Summary
This qualitative study examines the experiences of twelve orientation and mobility (O&M) trainers working across urban and rural settings in India, a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) where infrastructure, resources, and cultural attitudes toward disability differ markedly from high-income countries where most O&M research has been conducted. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews lasting 30-60 minutes, conducted remotely in English, Hindi, and regional languages including Kannada. Participants had between 2 and 40+ years of experience and all worked for NGOs. The study explored how trainers received their own education, how they instruct individuals with visual impairments, what role technology plays in their practice, and how urban versus rural training contexts differ. Most trainers entered the field through Special Education degrees that included O&M modules, or through the National Association for the Blind's Train the Trainer program. Training typically follows a six-week intervention covering cane use, wayfinding through urban and suburban neighborhoods, bus stops, steps and escalators, and the shorelining technique. The research reveals the complex, multi-faceted roles these trainers play — far beyond mobility instruction — and highlights how cultural context, infrastructure limitations, and social stigma shape O&M practice in ways that differ fundamentally from high-income country experiences.
Key findings
Trainers described fulfilling roles well beyond O&M instruction, simultaneously serving as special educators, counselors, advocates, and resource identifiers. A significant portion of their work involved combating social stigma around disability, particularly in rural areas where families sometimes resist sending children with visual impairments for training due to patronizing attitudes or fears about exploitation and trafficking. Trainers in rural areas adopted creative, context-appropriate strategies — for example, one described a trainee who navigated by holding the tail of a buffalo taken out to graze, using the animal's safe path-finding instincts. Technology played virtually no role in training: none of the trainers' clients had asked about navigation apps like Google Maps or Lazarillo, and trainers cited prohibitive device costs, intermittent Internet connectivity, and concerns about using a phone while simultaneously holding a cane as barriers. This contrasts sharply with findings from HICs where O&M trainers actively integrate GPS and mapping tools. Service animals were also absent from Indian O&M practice due to training costs, maintenance concerns, and risks from stray dogs. Rather than emphasizing independence through technology, Indian trainers taught strategies for safely soliciting help from sighted pedestrians — making the long cane more visible to attract assistance. Employment prospects for trained individuals remained poor, with some former trainees ending up begging despite having acquired O&M skills.
Relevance
This study is essential reading for anyone developing assistive technologies or accessibility programs intended for global deployment. The findings powerfully illustrate that accessibility solutions developed in high-income countries cannot simply be transplanted to LMIC contexts. Navigation apps that assume reliable Internet, expensive smartphones, and well-maintained sidewalks are largely irrelevant to the Indian O&M context described here. For technology designers, the study highlights the need for offline-capable, low-cost solutions that account for infrastructure realities like unpaved roads, absent sidewalks, and heavy traffic without signals. The multi-faceted role of trainers — who must address family attitudes, social stigma, and employment barriers alongside mobility skills — suggests that holistic, community-centered approaches are needed rather than purely technical solutions. The paper also raises important ethical questions about disability simulation exercises (blindfolding) used in trainer education, which research has shown can amplify stereotypes rather than build genuine empathy.
Tags: orientation and mobility · visual impairment · Global South accessibility · training · blindness · disability stigma · assistive technology · low and middle income countries