LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Texas Tech University students are getting a lesson in what it takes to navigate the world without the ability to see.<\/p>\n
Students in an orientation and mobility program are switching roles, learning how to walk with little to no sight and the proper way to guide someone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, by the time they\u2019re done, they\u2019ll have seen everything that they need to be able to teach to someone who\u2019s blind or visually impaired,\u201d said Troy Abrams, instructor.<\/p>\n
Abrams said hands-on experience is important, making sure everything is broken down into easy and teachable steps.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take turns being the roles as the person who\u2019s blind, and then also the individual who\u2019s being the instructor for the person who\u2019s blind. And so as the instructor, they\u2019re learning how to convey all the task analysis to the person,\u201d Abrams said.<\/p>\n
For master student Alyssa Alfaro, the first priority is safety, making sure the person feels confident with every step.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of our number one priorities is making sure that our traveler or student feels safe,\u201d Alfaro said.<\/p>\n
Students learn how sound can provide direction at intersections, helping them understand traffic patterns and where they are in space.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd so based off of where you\u2019re standing, and where you\u2019re hearing that sound around you can give you a lot of orientation,\u201d Abrams said.<\/p>\n
Doing the skills under a blindfold changes everything, especially in a fast-paced summer schedule.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s different doing it under blindfold than it is to tell someone how to do it. We\u2019re fitting two full classes into just one month,\u201d Alfaro said.<\/p>\n
With only a handful of programs like this nationwide, they say the need keeps growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a big need for it, and there\u2019s not a lot of people who do it,\u201d Abrams said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so small within the state and within the country, we\u2019re one of 20 programs in the entire nation and one of two in the state. It\u2019s just really impactful knowing that I will be able to make a difference in this way,\u201d Alfaro said.<\/p>\n
Abrams said the program is also an opportunity for advocacy, not just for independence.<\/p>\n
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