The Need for Motor Development Programs for Visually Impaired Preschoolers

Visually impaired children have difficulty acquiring spatial orientation concepts necessary for proficient locomotive movements and independent mobility. The majority of past research on remedying spatial deficits has focused on older visually impaired individuals. It is the purpose of this paper to advocate the development of movement programs for preschool visually impaired children in order to compensate for their orientation deficits. Skills necessary for acquisition of spatial concepts should be taught through movement programs at an early age in the normal developmental sequence instead of attempting to remedy deficits at a later age.