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Sensory Development for Independent Travel

On August 13, 2019, the LighHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Training Department will host a new class: Sensory Development for Independent Travel. The class facilitator, Sarah McIntyre, Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist, will focus on auditory development and exploration of different types of canes and cane tips.

What will you learn? Sarah will introduce auditory training, including sound identification, localization, and alignment; judging distances using sound; and beginning echolocation. These skills are vital to confident and efficient travel for individuals who are blind or have low vision, especially in unfamiliar environments. Students wanting to develop confidence and efficiency while transitioning from a visually-dependent traveler to an independent traveler who can apply additional sensory skills for travel are encouraged to register.

The class will be held at the LightHouse Headquarters Fitness Room, 1155 Market Street from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. There will be a one hour break for lunchin which students should plan to bring their own lunch. To ensure effective student-to-instructor ratio, attendance is limited.

Participation Eligibility Criteria: This class is open to anyone who is considered legally blind and has had a minimum of 6 hours of O&M training (please bring your cane with you). Students with known or suspected hearing loss are eligible and may benefit substantially from the program.

The cost of the class is $165.00. DOR (Department of Rehabilitation), VA and Regional Center Counselors who are interested in referring a consumer, please send authorizations to the LightHouse at 1referral@lighthouse-sf.org. Scholarship funding may be available for students age 55+ (living in the counties of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Contra Costa or Marin) who are not with DOR, VA or the Regional Center. For those who may be eligible, there is a $20 registration fee to be paid prior to the class. This fee is only refundable with a 48-hour cancellation prior to the class start. Please contact Briana Kusuma to sign up for the class and let her know if you will be receiving an authorization from DOR, VA or Regional Center to participate, or if you are seeking eligibility for scholarship. You can reach Briana at bkusuma@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7335.

If you are unable to attend this workshop, there will be another workshop on October 21, 2019.