Play environments for visually impaired children

The author compared the motor activities and environmental interaction of sighted and visually impaired children during unstructured play in their natural play environments to: 1) assess motor proficiency level; 2) establish frequency and kind of gross motor, manipulative, self-stimulation, and social/play behaviors; and 3) assess their use of the environment. Overall analyses suggest that some developmental delays observed in visually impaired children can be attributed to a lack of opportunity for gross motor interactions with the environment. An environmental intervention strategy and design principles are proposed which involve appropriate design of complex and accessible play environments, and personnel training to use the environment as an active eduational tool.