Teaching Science through Inquiry Based Field Experiences Using Orientation and Mobility

Abstract

Instruction in science can be difficult for students with visual impairments due to the use of visual instruction that is often used for conceptual understanding. Pedagogical approaches to teaching science continue to evolve, with inquiry-based science instruction as a primary instructional method used in current classrooms. In teaching students with visual impairments, inquiry is a strategy that has been traditionally been used in orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction, in an effort to teach students with vision loss to explore and make conclusions about their environments through the use of all senses. The purpose of this review is to outline how orientation and mobility (O&M) lessons can reinforce early science concepts for students who are blind or visually impaired through inquiry based experiences.