Is Orientation & Mobility Training Right for Me?

Orientation and mobility, or O&M, is a series of skills that allows a person who is blind or visually impaired to travel independently through a constantly changing world. Solid O&M skills are what makes it possible for someone who is blind to navigate confidently with a white cane, and these skills are the foundational tools of being able to work with a guide dog. The free, one-week Orientation & Mobility Training program at Leader Dogs for the Blind may be right for you if you need basic O&M skills or if you have had changes in your life. These may include:

You have relocated and you want to feel more confident orienting yourself to an unfamiliar environment.
Your vision has changed and you want to feel confident traveling using more non-visual techniques at different times of the day or year.
You feel like you are relying too heavily on your guide dog, your friends or family members for direction.
You want to prove to yourself, friends and family that you have what it takes to be an independent traveler.
You are thinking about retiring your current guide dog and want to brush up on your O&M skills before training with a new guide dog.

In the week-long Orientation & Mobility Training program at Leader Dog, clients benefit from a program that is individualized for their specific needs. Areas of training may include basic cane skills, utilizing a human guide, street crossings, traveling in residential, business shopping and rural environments. To further tailor training to each client’s needs, we offer the following training options for O&M:

Introduction to O&M: Great for people with little to no experience with a cane. Don’t have a cane yet? You’ll receive one for free as part of this program.
O&M Brush-Up: Ideal for those who have had previous O&M training and could use a refresher course or additional skills.
Guide Dog Readiness: For cane users who are thinking about whether a guide dog may be right for them, this option helps build the necessary skills. This option does not guarantee acceptance into Guide Dog Training.
Advanced O&M: Designed for individuals who are traveling in complex environments and more challenging intersections.

As with all of our programs, the O&M Training program is free (including travel to and from our campus, room and board, and equipment). Clients do not have to be interested in getting a Leader Dog to participate in O&M Training. If you’re thinking this sounds like the right option for you or someone you know, call our client services team today at 888-777-5332 or contact us online.