Travel Behavior of Blind Individuals before and after Receiving Orientation and Mobility Training (Phase 2)

Examination of the travel behaviors of blind pedestrians traditionally relied on subjective data supplied by research participants in the form of travel diaries or surveys. The proposed study builds on our Phase 1 TRCLC effort in which we devised, tested, and refined a new method for the assessment of O&M training. Visually impaired travelers were recruited from scheduled recipients of O&M training at Bosma Enterprises and Leader Dogs for the Blind. Prior to receiving the training, participants’ travel activities were recorded objectively with a GPS travel recorder and an accelerometer, and subjectively with a travel diary. The Difficulty with Mobility Questionnaire (DMQ-23) was administered to measure the participants’ perceived level of difficulty in getting around. Similar data were collected upon completion of the O&M training. The outcomes of the study can provide guidance on recommending changes to current O&M training to allow more active, confident, and safe travel by blind individuals in their communities. The outcomes of the study may also shed light on characteristics of the physical environment that inhibit access by blind pedestrians and are more amenable to mitigation through good transportation planning (e.g., geometric design of intersections) than through O&M training.