How the Blind Move Without Seeing

Blind people have several aids that help them to move without the ability to see. One is to use a special cane, sometimes called a long or white cane because it is longer than the one used by people who have difficulty with walking. By sweeping the cane in front of the area they are moving towards, blind people can avoid obstacles and get to where they are going. They are taught other skills such as listening to the sounds the cane makes as it strikes the ground, listening to noises such as traffic to tell if cars are coming and to feel where the sun is to tell direction, etc.. The blind learn the routes that they take to work, school, and to places of leisure. They are taught by teachers called mobility instructors who specialize in this kind of teaching.

Another helper for the blind to get around is a guide dogs. Guide dogs are specially trained dogs that help blind people by learning routes of travel with them, protecting them from oncoming dangers and generally looking out for the blind person. Guide dogs generally spend one year being raised by a loving family and then are sent to guide dog school to learn how to be a good guide dog. People who need guide dogs apply to get one and then go to the guide dog training center to learn to work with their particular guide dog. This takes several weeks.

Links to Guide Dogs and other mobility topics: