• Motion analysis lab

    Leading research

    Our research looks into many topics of interest to people with visual impairment, including long cane biomechanics, social networking, labels and packaging and more.

  • Working with students

    Vision Rehabilitation Therapy

    VRTs provide specialized methods or adaptive techniques for communication and coping with the demands of daily living.

  • student with long cane

    Orientation and mobility

    Teaching people to travel safely, efficiently and independently in their environment.

Links

WMU’s orientation and mobility and vision rehabilitation therapy personnel preparation programs are the longest-running programs of their kind in the U.S. Over the past 58 years, in close collaboration with state vocational rehabilitation agencies and Veterans Administration Hospitals, our program has been the nation’s largest preparer of VRTs and O&M specialists. Our department has also spent decades preparing Teachers of Children with Visual Impairments and has recently begun training professionals in Assistive Technology.  

We welcome you to explore studies in this exciting field that promotes productive and independent lifestyles and helps:

  • Adults and children to travel independently around the house and around the world.
  • Adults to gain skills to compete for professional positions.
  • Children to succeed in educational programs and learn academic curriculum and expanded core curriculum skills.
  • Adults and children to gain proficiency in using modern assistive technologies.

Information Sessions

Learn about master's degree options in this exciting field of study.

Our programs

Meet our faculty

Video of #FacultyFeature with Dr. Elyse Connors

Meet our faculty

Learn a little more about the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, and a little bit about our instructors in a #FacultyFeature video with Dr. Elyse Connors.

News and Updates

Outcomes

Graduation and Certification Stats - Fall 2018 – Summer II 2022

 

% of students completed
within expected time frame

Average time to completion (years)

in-person

online

Orientation and Mobility

95%

1.60 

2.20

Vision Rehabilitation Therapy

94%

1.58

2.52

Assistive Technology

100%

1.41

 

Note: The average time to completion indicated above was inflated since some of the students simultaneously pursued multiple degrees, and as a result, it took longer for them to complete each degree.