Portland State University program trains specialists to help blind people navigate environments safely

Orientation and mobility specialists help people who are blind or low-vision learn to safely navigate their environments. Portland State University is one of a handful of schools nationwide that train these specialists, and the only school in the Northwest. Research suggests that demand for orientation and mobility specialists will increase as more adults experience age-related vision impairments such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Amy Parker is an associate professor at PSU and coordinator of the university’s Orientation & Mobility Program. Patricia Kepler is the accessibility analyst for the Portland Police Bureau. They join us to talk about the growing need for orientation and mobility services.

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