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Phys Ed & Recreation for the Visually Impaired—
General Considerations
By Angelo Montagnino

Learn About the Student's Eye Disorder
Check the student's records to see if any physical limitations are imposed on him. Take advantage of any residual vision the student might have. Find out if the child sees better under certain lighting conditions. Some children prefer incandescent light (yellow light) to fluorescent light (white light). Others may desire a high degree of light to best see a target, while some children are bothered by the glare of bright light.

Use Descriptive Verbal Instructions
Since the main avenue of learning for many visually impaired children is through hearing, verbal instructions should be given when demonstrating a skill. Give clear, concise and consistent directions. Say what it is you are actually doing in body-oriented language. For example, when teaching a child to hop, say, "Stand on your left foot, raise your right foot, and jump in the air on your left foot." Cite large landmarks in the playing area and elsewhere to guide a low vision child: "Walk to the exit door, turn toward the window." Using terms like "quarter turn," "half turn," or "full turn" may be helpful to the totally blind person. Use tactual, hands-on demonstrations with verbal instruction. Describe where things are by using the face of a clock for orientation, with the child at six o'clock: for example, "The water fountain is at seven o'clock, about 12 feet away."

Use Movement as a Mode of Learning
Guide the student, but do not overprotect him. It is much better for a child to get a few bumps and bruises by interacting with his environment than to let inactivity stagnate his body. By moving and physically interacting with his environment, the visually impaired child has another way to learn about himself and his world.

Involve the Student in a Physically Active Way
Try to avoid having students only participating as scorekeepers or timers in a game. They need the activity. See that the visually impaired child is totally active during his gym period. Try to work the student into at least part of the game or enjoy/experience the activity with another student.

Allow the Visually Impaired Child To Be Near Enough To See or Touch When Demonstrations Are Given
A child with low vision may be able to observe procedures if he is near enough to the demonstration. For the totally blind child or child with little usable vision, the demonstrator or some other participant can position the child's body or allow the child to touch another person in the correct position and give more verbal explanations. Allowing the child to perform the activity with individual guidance is sometimes helpful.

Provide a Fun and Safe Environment
Give the student an orientation to the area in which he and others will be playing. Help him discover where large pieces of equipment are placed. If equipment is moved into a different location, help him find where it is relocated and its relationship to walls and other equipment.

Beware of Flying Objects
The surprise element of not knowing where the ball is going in a fast-moving ball or flying object type game can result in frustration and grave consequences for the visually impaired youngster.

Make Use of a Partner
In many activities and games, a partner can greatly enhance the enjoyment and safety for the visually impaired student.

Carefully Experiment
Within reason, carefully experiment and see what works best for the visually impaired student. Each visually impaired student has his own unique abilities and difficulties. Don't underestimate his ability.

Consult with the Visually Impaired Child not only To Determine Activity Preference but also To Decide Which Activities Might Be Safe
As mentioned earlier, there are eye conditions that limit activity, a fact which should be discussed with the visually impaired child, or if the child is young, with a parent, physician, or low vision specialist. Consultation with these persons will give the recreation specialist a great deal of information about the needs, interests and abilities of the child. For example, children who are at high risk for detached retina should not participate in contact sports or diving. Children with diabetes may be advised to avoid certain sports or to increase their daily exercise gradually.

Modify the Rules of the Game
Rules may be modified to accommodate visual limitation but care should be taken not to alter the basic structure of the game if at all possible. (For example, in volleyball, the ball may be permitted to bounce once or the visually impaired student may take one serve before each team begins serving.) The visually impaired child will want the activity to remain as close to its original form as possible.

Use "Special Equipment"
In some cases, special equipment is desirable to facilitate the full participation of the child in a given activity. This equipment can be purchased from a supplier or can be developed by the physical education or recreation specialist. In archery, for instance, an auditory signal can be placed behind the target. When developing modified equipment, it would be advisable to seek the assistance of the visually impaired child. He or she may or may not want to use a balloon, beach ball, etc.

Next teach the child to jump, land, and roll while standing in place, while moving, and while jumping off equipment. This is a good safety skill, and the children will become more confident knowing that they can handle themselves on a spill.

Go from the Less Difficult to the More Difficult Skills and Break Down Skills into their Component Parts
For example, to teach the child to catch a ball, begin by bouncing the ball to the child from a short distance away. Gradually increase the distance. Then decrease the distance again, but eliminate the bounce. Finally, increase the distance again. A large, lightweight, softer ball will help.

Also, be aware of the child's previous experiences in recreation and other areas. Some visually impaired children have not developed activity skills because they were never given opportunities to participate in play. Thus, the physical education/recreation specialist may need to begin working with basic skills before involving the child in some regular play activities.

Limit Playing Space
Table tennis is an example of a game with a limited area that a child with a narrow visual field may be able to enjoy. Playing games in a small gym or a handball court may facilitate greater involvement for the visually impaired child without greatly distorting the experience for the normally sighted participants.

Slow the Action
For example, instead of a regular ball, a balloon may be used in a game of catch. A child with a field loss may be able to keep the balloon in the central portion of vision because it is moving with less speed.

Use Larger or Smaller Playing Objects
For example, a beach ball can be used to play volleyball. A child with an acuity loss may be able to see the object when he is far away from it if it is larger than regulation size. Also, targets can be made larger or moved closer to the player. If the eye condition has resulted in limited visual field, it may be helpful to use a smaller ball or move the target further away so it can be seen in the field of vision.

Use Proper Lighting and Coloring Contrast
A ball can be taped with bright yellow/orange fluorescent or black tape, so that it contrasts with the floor and walls. A shuttlecock can be painted a bright color to contrast with a playing court. Colored tape can be used to mark the playing areas. Contrasting colors can also be used for table games.

As previously discussed, find out if the child sees better under certain lighting conditions. It is also helpful to discuss with the child what factors may be visually distracting. For example, stripes, polka dots, certain plaids or colors, strobe lights, and lights reflecting off glass bother some children.

Tag Games
Have the person "it" wear an elastic band with bells on it on the wrists or ankles, or maintain verbal contact while pursuing the visually impaired student, or buddy the visually impaired student with a helper.

Boundaries
Provide a change in floor texture. For example, place a rubber carpet runner or tumbling mats next to the wall so that the child knows when he steps onto the changed surface that he is stepping out of bounds. The change in surface is also a warning signal to him that a wall or object is coming up so he needs to put on the brakes. The child will move much more freely if he knows that hazardous objects are not on the playing area.

Throwing and Catching
Before throwing the ball, give the receiver a sound clue. A bounce pass will be easier to receive than a direct pass. Utilize a large, heavy balloon as a ball to slow down the speed of the action. The use of yarn balls, fluff balls and nerf balls lessen the impact of a direct hit to the body. These should be used when playing the popular game of dodge ball. When throwing at a target, provide a sound reinforcement (e.g. bells) behind the target. Beepers can be used or just have someone strike the target first.

Striking and Hitting
To practice striking skills, place a lightweight ball with a bell in it or attached to it on a tee or suspend it from the ceiling. If you want the ball to be knocked off the rope when it is whacked, attach it with Velcro. (Place one part of the Velcro on the end of the rope and the matching Velcro onto the ball.) In this way, the child will learn about the projection of the ball as well as learning how to control his hit in determining the power and direction in which the ball will go. The visually impaired student may also use a slow motion ball or large whiffle ball and oversize plastic bat. A ball can be rolled on a table or the floor. A large bell or several small bells placed inside a large whiffle ball will make an excellent rolling target.

Running
Partners can provide safe assistance in running. They may hold hands or use brush contact (lightly touch back of hand to back of hand or arm to arm). Visually impaired student and guide runner can each hold the end or loop of a flexible piece of material (loop can go over one wrist of each runner). A visually impaired runner may be able to run to a "caller" for a short run. A student can also run by himself by holding onto a rope stretched out between two points. Provide a warning signal about 8 feet from each end. If tape is wrapped around the rope, the student can quickly turn at that point and continue a shuttle run.

Body Centered or Individual Sports and Activities
These activities are most valuable for the visually impaired student and require very little change. Give explicit body oriented instructions such as "to your left", or "Pull elbow into sides" or "reach forward and then up."

Dancing
Rhythms can provide great fun for the visually impaired student. Line dances—one line, everyone holding hands. Novelty dances—all doing same movements in own self-space. Partner dances—keep in body or voice contact. Modern or jazz—give student a specific boundary area free of obstacles. Aerobic dance—step aerobics and basic movements are great. Where needed provide extra verbal instructions, "up close" or hands on demonstration.

Gymnastics
Vaulting—start with hands on vault or use a one-step approach.
Beam—encourage bare feet or light slippers; or use a long strip of carpet the same size as the beam on the floor.
Tumbling—provide an area free of objects; have a buffer area around the exercise mat to give a warning of upcoming obstacles. The mat should be of the best color contrast, a verbal cue could help keep student going straight and signal a totally blind tumbler when he approaches the end of the mat.

Archery
Provide a tactual floor cue (long board or sidewalk) perpendicular to the target. Have student stand sideward to tactual floor cue. Provide a sound cue below or in front of target. Help student site target by telling him to move bow to the left, right, up, or down. Use large traffic cones about 1/3 distance to help a visually impaired student locate the target.

Bowling
Use a handrail with the free hand to guide bowler in a straight path toward pins. Square student up with pins. Give immediate feedback as to how many pins are knocked down.

Golf
Square student up with ball and target. Help the student get the side of his body facing the target. A sound or visual cue can be used. Student should wait for an "all clear" signal before swinging.

Swimming
When student is swimming the front crawl along the side of the pool, watch that he doesn't bump his head against the wall. Teach him to use a delayed arm stroke as he anticipates the upcoming wall. A racing lane should be about 3 feet wide in order to give immediate feedback to the student about the direction of his stroke in relation to a straight line. When diving, have the student request an "all clear" signal before taking his dive.

Track and Field
Run tandem with a sighted guide (use brush or holding contact). In high jumping use a one-step approach; some visually impaired students may be able to take more than one step and be successful at clearing the bar. The hop, step, and jump and the long jump can be attempted from a standing start. Provide a sound source from the direction you want the student to move in. The discus and shot-put require the use of a sound clue (clap, beeper, or counting) from the direction you want the object to go in. Some visually impaired students may not need any modification; some may need a visual cue to see the jump board or the bar.

Wrestling
Use a hand touch start. Whenever body contact is lost, start again in the stance position with the hand touch.

Popular Team Sports
Although the actual game of most team sports can be quite difficult for total involvement of a visually impaired student, most of the fundamental skills of each sport can easily be taught to the student and then modified games can be played. The game should not be changed so much that it no longer resembles the intended game. More focus on the basic skills of the sport not only benefits the visually impaired child but also helps improve the sighted child's skills. Try to find the best position for the visually impaired student to play or the part of the game to become involved in.

Basketball
Focus on dribbling skills. Visually impaired children can become very skilled at dribbling a ball in different directions. Another player can dribble alongside to provide a sound cue.

Make up short ball-handling and dribbling routines.

During free throws, help position student at free throw line and give a clapping sound clue while standing directly under the basket. With some exploration or trial and error, the student will learn at what angle he must release the ball in order to make a basket. If needed, tap the rim with the ball once or twice. If needed, protect the student from a rebound.

A beeper could be placed at the back rim of the basket and the student could locate the sound source to shoot his basket.

A small carpet square could be stuck to the free throw line and the student could dribble around the court. When he gets to the carpet square, he would then turn to the sound source and shoot.

When playing with a partner or group, be sure to warn the blind student of an upcoming pass. For example, "Hey, Todd" (get attention), (pause) yell "Catch," (then pass the ball).

When passing the ball, the use of a bounce pass gives additional warning.

Visually impaired students can be "special foul shooters."

Baseball/Softball
Practice hitting a ball off a tee or from a suspended rope. First use the hand and then practice with a bat.

Playing in the field can be extremely hazardous. A visually impaired student may be able to play the field, especially with a good buddy.

A good choice is to be a designated hitter for both teams. Use of foam balls or whiffle balls and a rubber or plastic bat can provide a much safer environment and the game could also be played indoors. Bat off tee if needed, run to the foul side of first if needed. Run with a partner. The partner is on the inside. Get behind the partner or buddy if on third.

Kickball
Run bases with a sighted guide. Avoid having someone else run for the blind child. He needs the running activity.

Kick at a stationary ball if needed. Be a designated kicker for both teams.

A visually impaired student can learn to deliver the ball in a good underhand pitch while the catcher gives him a sound clue. Have a defensive player to the side and several feet closer than a visually impaired pitcher.

Soccer
A visually impaired student may be able to play defense by himself or with a partner side by side, put the ball into play for both teams, corner kick or take penalty kicks.

If needed a beep soccer ball is available. For kicking practice, use a box about 1-foot square as a soccer ball. The child can hear where the box is sliding to; when the sound stops, so has the movement of the box. The child can easily locate the box and kick it again.

A milk carton with bells in it is also a fun item to kick and track. Keep away games can easily be made up with a partner or small group teams.

A tin can with pebbles in it can be used when playing outside on an asphalt or concrete surface.

Hockey
Make use of the same hitting items as in soccer.

Allow the visually impaired student to use the goalie's wider and flatter stick (greater surface area will aid the student in finding the puck or ball).

Volleyball
Practice lead-up skills of volleying with a large, heavy balloon. The slower speed of the balloon gives the partially sighted student a better chance to track the motion. This activity could provide more success for sighted children, also.

Modified games can be played with a sponge ball, nerf ball, beach ball, or large balloon. Visually impaired players can stay up close to the net or may be able to do everything under ideal or good conditions. Visually impaired students can be a designated server. The team gets their regular serves in addition to the designated serve. A totally blind student should be given a chance to learn all the striking fundamentals with a good toss and a strike command.