Efficiency in Visual Scanning by Children with and without Visual Disabilities

Abstract

Visual scanning behavior and scanning efficiency of children between the ages of 3.5 and 10 years was studied. Twenty-two children with visual disabilities and 25 children without visual disabilities visually searched a line drawing and identified objects as the examiner recorded the objects named. A scan path was then constructed and scanning efficiency was computed by dividing the scan path length by the number of objects named. Significant differences were found between the two groups in the length of the scan path and number of objects reported, but no significant differences were found in scanning efficiency. There was no evidence that coordinated binocular eye movements are correlated with the ability to scan and identify objects.