Wayfinding with Impaired Vision: Preferences for Cues, Strategies, and Aids (Part II-Perspectives from Orientation and Mobility Instructors)

Background/objectives: People with visual impairments can participate in orientation and mobility (O&M) training to learn how to navigate to their desired destinations. Instructors adapt their approach to each individual client. However, assessments of client characteristics and resulting instructional adaptations are not standardised and may therefore vary. This study aimed to identify which individual differences instructors consider during O&M training and why. Methods: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 O&M instructors. Participants were asked to describe how they prepare for a training trajectory, and to describe a route they taught a specific client. Thematic analysis was used to determine instructional choices and the relevant client-specific factors. Results: We observed a common four-step instructional process in which clients are taught to notice, interpret, act upon, and anticipate relevant sensory cues until a destination is reached. Four main themes captured the individual differences impacting this process: Sensory modalities, Capacities and limits, Personal contextual characteristics, and Training approach. Conclusions: Instructors perceive route learning to be shaped by clients' sensory abilities (even fluctuating within sensory modalities), mental and physical capacities (especially concentration and energy), and personal characteristics (especially age and anxiety). The dynamic social context in which training takes place (e.g., the instructor-client relationship) is shaped by individual differences between both clients and instructors. We speculate that trust-related themes (e.g., building confidence) may explain why certain client characteristics are emphasised by instructors, as they are associated with training outcomes.