We build on foundations we did not lay
we warm ourselves by fires we did not light
We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant
We drink from wells we did not dig
We profit from persons we did not know…
Together we are more than any one person could be.
Together we can build across generations.
–The Rev. Dr. Peter S. Raible

In July 2024, in Charlotte, NC, 600-plus of us celebrated AER’s 40th anniversary. Through shared stories and replayed memories, we acknowledged and honored the significant insight, courage, and plain old audacity it took

Abstract

This article looks at experiences of setting up and maintaining peer support groups in two states with long-standing peer support networks for seniors who are blind or low vision (B/LV).

Abstract

This article reports on a two-part study that examined the effectiveness of two types of technology designed to provide information and increase safety for travelers who are blind or have low vision as they prepare to make street crossings at complex signalized intersections. The project was approved by the institutional review board of North Carolina Central University. The subjects of this study consisted of 31 individuals who were blind or had low vision and who self-identified as experienced cane travelers. The first objective of this study was to evaluate a means of communicating intersection information to travelers from Bluetooth beacons to user smartphones so that they could better understand the configuration and characteristics of a complex intersection. The study identified the most critical information that should be presented through this system and obtained data on its level of importance to the traveler. The second objective of this study was to explore the use of a smartphone to initiate the walk signal at an accessible pedestrian signal (APS) and, thus, avoid the need to find and press the pedestrian button. The study evaluated the value of these smartphone applications and identified changes that would enhance their use. The results from part one of this study verified the relative importance of the information provided to subjects and established the value of a Bluetooth beacon system in providing information about the characteristics of an intersection prior to making crossings. The results from part two of this study found that the use of a smartphone to initiate the walk signal at an APS eliminated the need of the traveler to leave the crossing point to find the call button and then return. Subjects reported that, without having to turn and find the APS, they were able to maintain a direct line of approach to the corner, which allowed them to better establish alignment with the traffic prior to initiating a crossing. In addition, the use of a countdown timer embedded in the application provided helpful information about the time remaining during the crossing.

From the Editors

Keeping with a TNR tradition, we periodically include a legacy article that was previously published in AER’s earlier journal, RE:view. For this issue of TNR, we have chosen an article that has become a favorite of many practioners and has frequently been referenced by our fellow professionals. In this reprint, author Derrick Smith illustrates how math concepts can be incorporated within and strengthened through Orientation and Mobility (O&M) instruction.

Foundations We Did Not Lay

Supporting Military-Connected Students with Visual Impairments

Developing a Statewide Peer Support Network for Individuals Who Are Blind or Low Vision

Abstract

Evaluation of Smartphone Applications to Provide Intersection Information

Abstract

Impact of an Art Therapy Program for Those with Thyroid Eye Disease and Care Partners

Enhancing Functional Capacity for Clients with Physical Limitations Associated with Multiple Sclerosis

Developing Mathematical Concepts Through Orientation and Mobility

(First printed in RE:view, Volume 37, Number 4, Winter 2006)

From the Editors

Developing Mathematical Concepts Through Orientation and Mobility

(First printed in RE:view, Volume 37, Number 4, Winter 2006)

Enhancing Functional Capacity for Clients with Physical Limitations Associated with Multiple Sclerosis

Developing a Statewide Peer Support Network for Individuals Who Are Blind or Low Vision

Foundations We Did Not Lay

Evaluation of Smartphone Applications to Provide Intersection Information