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Results for “Persons with Visual Disabilities”

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At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Introduction of the project "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ) for visually impaired" (a talking electronic daily newspaper)].

In order to complete the range of topical media, that is currently available for the visually impaired, a working group is developing and testing the "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Tageszeitung (WAZ) for the visually impaired", an auditive electronic daily newspaper. The intention of this project is to take into consideration the needs of the visually impaired, especially of those who acquired the handicap in middle or later age and might feel that not being able to read the daily newspaper anymore reduces their quality of life to a great extent. The central aim therefore is to put the modern computer technology at the disposal of the impaired in a way that enables them to make use of the newspaper without having had previous experience. In a first phase of several months twelve probands in different personal settings will test a first prototype of the newspaper reading machine, a modified and optimated multimedia computer system with modern and speech output, at home. During this period the users will be intensively looked after and undergo psychodiagnostic examination. By means of analysing the data collected in extended talks and questionnaires concrete proposals on how to improve the machine are to be made and a statement about the potential impact of the electronic newspaper on the quality of life of the visually impaired--in the sense of a contribution to their rehabilitation--is to be given.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of complex activities in daily living of elderly Japanese with visual impairment.

This study was conducted to determine whether elderly subjects with visual impairment differ in the performance of complex activities in daily living from those without visual impairment. The study subjects were residents in two homes for the aged in Japan, and consisted of 37 elderly people with visual impairment, and 42 elderly people, serving as controls; ages ranged from 64 to 95 years. Complex activities of the subjects were ascertained by interview using a 46-item questionnaire. The visually impaired elderly had lower performance levels for telephone use (p = 0.007), shopping (p = 0.049), cleaning up one's room (p = 0.001), and utilization of medical facilities (p = 0.001) in instrumental ADL (IADL); for interest in TV or radio (p = 0.004) and religious faith (p = 0.042) in "enriching activities"; and for visiting behaviors (p < 0.05) in "social role". The performances of complex activities by the elderly with visual impairment were diminished in specific categories, but not overall, and this may be attributable to poor mobility and/or more passive attitudes in their daily activities.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

[The development of a scale of life quality for diseases with visual impairment].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a scale of life (QOL) quality which measures the quality of life of Chinese patients with visual impairment. METHODS: 20 items were chosen to form a scale. 57 cataractous patients with visual impairment and 60 glaucomatous patients with visual impairment and visual field loss at different levels simultaneously were measured by the scale to evaluate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the scale. RESULTS: The scale consists of 20 items which cover four domains of QOL. The criterion related to the validity of the scale: r = 0.6865 (P = 0.000). The test-retest reliability of the scale: r = 0.8959 (P = 0.000). Coronback's alpha was 0.9358. The variance ratio (VR) of intra-individual variance to inter-individual variance was 0.0551 for overall scores. This correlation coefficient of split-half method was 0.9553. The responsiveness: t-test, t = 5.95 (P = 0.000). The effect size statistic was 1.533. CONCLUSION: The results also demonstrate that the scale has a satisfactory validity, reliability and responsiveness. It is suggested that the scale can be applied in clinical trails.

Cataract↗
PubMed1999

"KnowWare: virtual reality maps for blind people".

Much has been done to give blind people access to text-based information through computers. Unfortunately, the recent development of Windows operating systems and GUIs jeopardize these gains. Spatial information which is becoming more important to the sighted has never been widely available to blind people. Through a combination of gesture input with audio output, the KnowWare system offers blind users a new way to access spatial information. An invisible virtual map is defined on the desktop. When the user touches a feature on the map with the tip of his index finger, the computer tells him what he has touched by means of computer-generated speech or synthesized sound codes. Touching is detected by means of an overhead video camera that looks down at the user's hands as they rest upon the desktop. Specialized processors analyze the image of the user's hands and locate the fingertips. Because KnowWare is an electronic medium, it is possible to instantly zoom in on a particular state or country to examine it in more detail. Similarly, panning and overlays are possible. Twenty blind subjects have tested KnowWare and have been able to use it as well as they do traditional raised-line maps.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Outcome assessment of the rehabilitation of the visually impaired.

The purposes of this project are to establish the psychometric properties of instruments used to gather data relevant to blind rehabilitation outcomes, to refine the scaling and scoring protocols for the instruments, and to revise and refine the outcome instruments. This 3-year project will gather outcome and demographic data from an estimated 1,200 visually impaired veterans per year, along with a companion sample an estimated 1,200 visually impaired nonveterans per year, using the following core measures: Blind Rehabilitation Service Follow-up Outcome Survey (BRSFOutSur) measuring functional performance, Blind Rehabilitation Service Data Base (BRSDBase) recording subject characteristics, and Blind Rehabilitation Service Satisfaction Survey (BRSSatSur) measuring satisfaction with rehabilitation. As of July 1999, data from 2,624 veterans have been collected for the demographic instrument, from 1,630 veterans for the functional outcomes instrument, and from 1,655 veterans for the satisfaction instrument. Data collection and analysis are currently ongoing. These findings and the further development of outcome instruments in this area will contribute to greater efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of blind rehabilitation services by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

A biomechanical evaluation of visually impaired persons' gait and long-cane mechanics.

This study was designed to compare selected kinematic components of gait and long cane mechanics between groups of visually impaired travelers. Twenty subjects were placed in Traditional or Modified technique groups according to their long cane traveling technique. Subjects were measured during the following conditions; 1) normal walking (NW), 2) walking while anticipating a simulated drop-off (AD), 3) walking while responding to an audible task (ST) and, 4) walking while anticipating a simulated drop-off and responding to an audible task (STAD). Data were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's r correlation coefficient. Analyses revealed no differences between groups of travelers. However, significant differences were noted between trials for components of gait velocity, stride length, and hip flexion velocity. These findings may indicate a potentially dangerous alteration in the normal gait cycle of visually impaired travelers when faced with additional attention-demanding tasks while walking.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The use of the sonic pathfinder as a secondary mobility aid for travel in business environments: a single-subject design.

Two studies were conducted using a single subject research design in different business environments to evaluate the efficacy of the Sonic Pathfinder for increasing efficiency in travel with an experienced and accomplished blind traveller. The Sonic Pathfinder is one of eight or nine commercially available electronic travel aids (ETAs) designed for use by blind or visually impaired persons. The use of ETAs are thought to result in more rapid travel and a greater ability to detect and avoid obstacles in one's path. Elapsed time for travel and the number of unintentional contacts made while travelling were used as the dependent variables in both studies. No marked effect was observed for either variable in either study. An additional traveller who was slower and more tenuous in his movements was recruited to participate in the second study to investigate the possibility that a floor effect may have masked the results of the use of the ETA with the first subject. However, no marked effects were observed with this subject either. Yet, both subjects stated that the use of the aid increased their distance for environmental preview over and above that provided by the long cane alone, while providing them with the opportunity to judge the distance of objects approached beyond cane length. Discussion centers on the need to identify other means to evaluate the utility of this aid in light of the positive statements made by the participants of these studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Social rehabilitation of patients with severe visual impairment].

The author presents basic information about types of social rehabilitation of subjects with severely impaired eyesight in the Czech Republic. Rehabilitation is provided by Centres for early care, special schools, special pedagogical centres, Tyfloservis (to which special attention is devoted) and other centres of the Czech Blind United incl. contacts. A component of the paper is the whole list of all centers of social rehabilitation of the blind including contact. The aim of my paper is to summarize all the basic information concerning social rehabilitation of blind and people with impaired vision and to help ophthalmologists and their patients with impaired vision to get touch with concrete institute follow-up care.

Child↗