Instructional Strategies

This section offers practical information on physical education for students who are blind and visually impaired, including instructional strategies, suggested activities, adaptations, and general considerations.

Adapted Physical Education for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Overbrook School for the Blind
http://www.obs.org/page.php?ITEM=39
Kathy Letcher lists specific strategies for students with visual impairments in physical education programs and suggests specific adaptations for the development of fundamental skills and games.

Adapted Physical Education; PELinks4U
http://www.pelinks4u.org/archives/adapted/090301.htm
Physical education teachers learn what they "should keep in mind when working with a student with a visual impairment," including a list of instructional strategies and suggested modifications of the environment.

Adapted Physical Education: Emphasis on Inclusion; North Carolina AER
http://www.ncaer.net/NCCVIB/2006/documents/GMSHandoutdeckerhughespresentation.doc
Jim Decker and Ann Hughes presentsa list of teaching strategies, suggested activities, and a list of resources for including children with visual impairments in physical education.

How to Help a Blind or Visually Impaired Child in Physical Education; Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind
http://www.csdb.org/blind/docs/Blind%20and%20Visually%20Impaired%20in%20PE.html
These adaptations for children who are blind or visually impaired in Physical Education classes emphasize the importance of creating a safe environment, as well as instructional strategies.

Physical Education and Recreation for Blind and Visually Impaired Students; Future Reflections, National Federation of the Blind
http://nfb.org/legacy/fr/fr6/frw0113.htm  
Angelo Montagnino offers instructional strategies, suggested adaptations for the development of fundamental skills, specific games, a list of body-centered or individual sports and activities, and popular team sports.

Physical Education, Sports, and the Blind Child; Future Reflections, National Federation of the Blind
http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr7/Issue1/f070108.html
Barbara Cheadle and Allen Harris discuss the benefits of physical education and sports for students who are blind.

Planning a Physical Education Programme for Children with Sight Problems; RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind)
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_ccpeplanning.hcsp
Rachael Warner offers teaching strategies for students with visual impairments, and discusses equipment and specific adaptations for many sports and activities.

Teacher Tips – Physical Education; RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_ccpetips.hcsp
"Teachers offer their ideas for useful equipment, games and activities that help include blind and partially sighted children in mainstream lessons."

A Teacher's Experience - Spotlight on Angela, a PE Teacher; RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind)
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_ccpecs.hcsp
A PE Teacher offers some pointers on equipment and instructional strategies, as well as adaptations for specific sports.

Visual Impairment and Blindness; Anchorage School District Online
http://www.asd.k12.ak.us/depts/APE/factsheet/Visual_Impairment.pdf (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Characteristics of visual impairment, effective teaching strategies, and resources are outlined in this fact sheet.

Research

The Effects of Trained Peer Tutors on the Physical Education of Children Who Are Visually Impaired; Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2a/72/a7.pdf
This study examines the effect of trained peer tutors on the academic learning time–physical education (ALT-PE) scores of children with visual impairments.

The Use of Tactile Modeling and Physical Guidance as Instructional Strategies in Physical Activity for Children Who Are Blind; Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2a/e7/7a.pdf
Megan O'Connell, Lauren J. Lieberman, and Susan Petersen discuss the benefits and issues of two types of instructional strategies, Physical Guidance and Tactile Modeling.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

Movement, Sports and Games; Blind Children's Resource Center (BCRS)
http://www.blindchildren.org/sports%5Fgames/5_1.html
This section of the BCRS website includes articles on suggested adapted activities, suggested activities for young or multi-disabled blind children, general considerations for physical education and recreation, and resources.

Parent/Teacher Resource for Children with Sensory Impairments: Promoting Physical Education and Recreation; American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
http://www.aph.org/pe/index.html
APH offers links to programs, organizations, articles, equipment, and other resources.

Physical Education; Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/recc/pe.htm
TSBVI has compiled this list as part of the "Resources for the Expanded Core Curriculum," and features information on Adapted PE and Instructional Materials.

Physical Education, Recreation and Games for Students with a Vision Impairment; Statewide Vision Resource Center, Melbourne, Australia
http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/PE.html
This site lists considerations for physical education and sports classes, activity concerns and possible solutions, and related resources.

Teaching Children who are Visually Impaired in Physical Education; Camp Abilities
http://www.campabilities.org/tvic-index.htm
The authors offer extensive information on all aspects of Physical Education for children who are visually impaired, including assessment tools, teaching techniques, inclusion strategies, and other resources.