ASSESSMENT OF SATISFACTION AND USE OF AN ORIENTATION
AID (TREKKER) BY A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS (PILOT PROJECT)
Presenter(s)
Yves Jalbert
Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille
4788, 6蠁ve
Montr顬 Qu颥c H1Y 3N8
Day Phone: 514-864-1311
Fax: 514-864-1616
Email: y.jalbert@inspq.qc.ca
Presenter #2
Carole Zabihaylo
Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille
1111 St-Charles Ouest
Longueuil Qu颥c J4K 5G4
Day Phone: 450-463-1710
Fax: 450-463-0243
Email: zabi@videotron.ca
The Trekker, an orientation aid using Global Positioning System (GPS) will
be assessed by gathering probative data, from persons with visual impairments
on its utility, efficiency and safety.
ASSESSMENT OF SATISFACTION AND USE OF AN ORIENTATION AID (TREKKER) BY A
GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS (PILOT PROJECT)
Yves Jalbert 1, Carole Zabihaylo 1, Carole Guillemette 1
1 Institut Nazareth et Louis Braille
Without vision, everything is more difficult for persons with a visual
impairment; urban elements such as street and store names, building or
residence addresses are all visual landmarks inaccessible to them (1).
Orientation aids have been in existence for several years now and two types of
devices are used in orientation and mobility (2): electronic mobility aids
allowing detection of obstacles located on the route of a person with a visual
impairment, and orientation aids whose goal is to supplement the white cane or
guide dog by providing information on the environment.
To our knowledge, in the literature, no scientific assessment of an
orientation aids exists. To fill in this gap somewhat, we will assess an
orientation aid (Trekker), developed in
Three dimensions associated with this orientation aid will be assessed: the
advantages and pitfalls of the orientation aid identified by participants,
participant?s frequency of use of the orientation aid, and the rate of
participant?s satisfaction regarding the orientation aid. In addition, we
wish to assess independence in travel management and safety and efficiency in
travel by individuals who use Trekker in different meteorological and
environmental conditions. Also, with this research, the Institut Nazareth
et Louis-Braille wishes to have the aid placed on the list of vision aids
obtainable through the Quebec Medicare plan.
Twelve persons ranging in age from 16 to 60 (six men and six women), from
the Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille and travelling independently with a
white cane in familiar and unfamiliar areas were chosen randomly. First, a
telephone survey was done with persons who already own a Trekker (n=4);
comments and opinions were gathered allowing us to develop and structure our
group discussion interview grids and a self-administered questionnaire.
Second, all participants were assessed by Orientation & Mobility specialists
in their capacities to travel independently in familiar and unfamiliar areas
(pre-utilization assessment without the Trekker and post-assessment with the
Trekker). Third, subjects kept a log book to note their comments on using the
Trekker for a period of two months. Fourth, two discussion groups were done
after 1 week and at the end of the study. Lastly, all participants answered a
self-administered questionnaire to measure their rate of satisfaction.
Data has been gathered from discussion groups and travel logs of
participants and analysis is now being completed. Results will be available for
the 2006 C-Sun conference. Ultimately, the questionnaire will be offered to the
instructors of the Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille in the context of its
knowledge dissemination activities. Trainees, students and O&M
instructors will be offered a more realistic portrait of Trekker's utilization.
1.Farcy, R., Damaschini, R., Legras, R., Leroux, R., Bellik, Y., Jacquet,
C., Greene, J., Pardo, P.,
Agro, L., Murienne, J.-M., Zoghaghi, A. Perception de l?espace et
locomotion des non-voyants par
profilom鴲ie laser ? Aides 鬥ctroniques ࠬa locomotion, n. d., 7 p.
2.Thibault, M.-J. Where am I ?: a review of products and projects relating
to
technology in the field of orientation and mobility for the visually
impaired, VisuAide, 2000, 33 p.
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