Spatial Mobility of the Visually Handicapped Active Person: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Specific aspects of mobility and spatial orientation of the visually handicapped have attracted the attention of researchers for a quarter of a century; generally speaking, their work can be placed in four fields of study. First, interest has been focused on the capacity of blind people to move unaided in various spatial settings and to mentally map an environment. A second preoccupation revealed by the literature has been the spatial information transmitted to the visually handicapped by tactile maps, by adapted sign system and by electronic guidance systems. Other projects have focused on the environment in which visually handicapped move and on the environmental aspects that affect their mobility. Finally, some researchers have investigated how the development of technical aids has facilitated the mobility of blind people.