Indoor & Outdoor Travel Skills

If you are an adult who is blind or has low vision, you may have experienced several – or perhaps all – of the following Orientation and Mobility (O&M) problems and concerns:

  • Bumping into furniture, such as a corner of your coffee table
  • Falling or tripping on an obstacle or step that you cannot see
  • Feeling unsafe when crossing streets
  • Becoming lost or disoriented, either inside your home or in the community.

Losing your vision, however, does not mean you’ll have to relinquish your ability to travel safely and independently. Orientation and Mobility instruction can provide education and techniques to help you maintain your independence in these areas.

An Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist can work with you to plan an individualized program of instruction that reflects your personal needs, skills, and goals, which can include any or all of the following goals:

  • Getting around safely inside your home
  • Learning the route to your mailbox
  • Taking a walk around the block
  • Shopping independently
  • Using public transportation to get to work
  • Traveling around the world independently

In this section about independent indoor and outdoor travel, we provide you with information that can help you learn more about a wide range of helpful mobility skills, including: