Orientation and Mobility in Schools: Implementing the High Leverage Practice of Collaboration

For individuals who are blind, have low vision or are deafblind, access to safe and efficient mobility is associated with career opportunities, community inclusion, and improved quality of life (Cmar, 2015). Implementing inclusive mobility support with students who are visually impaired or deafblind involves thoughtful assessment and instruction from an Orientation and Mobility Specialist as well as collaboration with all members of the educational team. In this article, we will explore collaboration as a High-Leverage Practice to engage students, professionals, peers, and family members with integrating motivating mobility strategies within everyday home, school, and community routines. We will also examine the ways that collaboration leads to more holistic and sustainable mobility for diverse students.