Does my child need an orientation and mobility assessment?

An orientation and mobility assessment is used to determine whether a child who is blind or has low vision could benefit from orientation and mobility services. An O&M assessment often occurs after a referral based on a vision/eye report, or is warranted if the student can’t travel in an age-appropriate way in any environment in the same manner as their peers.

Not every child qualifies for an O&M assessment in the IEP. A key factor is an official diagnosis of visual impairment or DeafBlindness because, in 2006, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated O&M services be reserved only for those students “who are blind or who have a visual impairment” and need the services to help the student to benefit from special education.

For more information, see our full article Orientation and Mobility (O&M) 101.