[Slide start] >> This is a video about basic Guide Technique for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: Guide Technique is a way of walking with and guiding a person who is blind or visually impaired safely and efficiently and is a mobility system that is widely used. The guide acts as a travel aid and is always in the lead. The guide’s position ensures safety in the same way as primary aides or devices. Guides can be blind, visually impaired, or sighted. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Guide technique. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a young woman who is visually impaired is guiding her friend who is blind down a hallway and they turn into a doorway. The person being guided should walk one step behind and to the side of the guide following the movement of the guide's body while walking. The guide’s arm should be at her side in a natural and comfortable position and the traveler should have her arm at a 90 degree angle. The grip should be firm enough to ensure continuous contact, but should not be uncomfortable for either party. It is appropriate for the guide to talk to the person she is guiding and to explain any obstacles that must be avoided. Walking at a normal pace is important for the person being guided to understand distance traveled and auditory changes. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Offering to be a guide. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a man approaches another man who is visually impaired and asks him if he would like to be guided. When offering to serve as a guide you should identify yourself and ask the person if they would like to be guided. If so, touch the back of their hand with the back of your hand and the person will run their hand up your arm to just above the elbow. Fingers on the inside; thumb on the outside. It is not appropriate to grab a person unless that person is facing imminent danger. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Changing sides. >> Narrator: In this clip a woman guides a man [Slide end] [Video start] who is visually impaired down a hallway. Midway down the hallway, the traveler changes to the other side of the guide. >> Guide: Let’s change sides. Let’s change sides. >> Narrator: Either party may initiate this technique verbally and this can be while stationary or moving. The person being guided contacts the guide with his free hand, extends his arm fully while stepping in behind the guide, trails along the back of the guide while maintaining contact and reestablishes basic guide technique with the guide's other arm. It is important for both parties to maintain continuous contact while transferring sides. [Video ends] [Slide start] >> Walking through a narrow passage. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a woman is guiding a woman who's visually impaired through a library. They approach an aisle and the guide initiates the narrow passage technique by moving her arm towards the small of her back. This indicates to the traveler to walk behind the guide, and she should slide her hand from above the elbow to the guide’s wrist. The person should walk with their arm extended so they do not walk on the guide’s heels. The guide and the traveler will then occupy one person’s width instead of one and a half body widths. When the narrow space has been negotiated, the guide returns her arm to the basic guide technique position, naturally by her side. The traveler will respond by returning to just above the elbow of the guide. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Walking through a doorway. >> Narrator: In this clip [Slide end] [Video start] a man is guiding a woman who is visually impaired through a doorway. The person being guided should be on the same side of the guide as the hinges of the door. The guide should verbalize whether the door opens toward or away from them and if it’s on the right or the left. The traveler should use her hand to catch the door as the pair passes through the doorway. >> Guide: The door is opening on our left and away from us. [guide and traveler walk through door] [Video end] [Slide start] >> Walking up and down stairs. >> Narrator: In this clip [Slide end] [Video start] a woman is guiding a woman who is visually impaired. They walk down a hallway and approach ascending stairs. The guide should tell the person she is guiding if the stairs go up or down. The guide should approach the stairs at a perpendicular angle and pause to indicate where the first step is to the traveler. The pause allows the traveler to anticipate change in the upward or downward movement of the guide’s arm acts as a nonverbal cue to move forward and step up or down. The guide should be one step ahead of the person she is guiding. The technique for ascending or descending stairs also works for single steps or curbs. It is appropriate to use handrails or move at a slow pace if the traveler is anxious. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Making a turn- reversing directions. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a woman is leading a woman who is visually impaired down a hallway. They stop, reverse directions, and continue traveling. Reversing directions is a technique which enables the guide and traveler to turn 180 degrees without using more space than they currently occupy. Either the guide or traveler may initiate the reverse of directions. The pair stop walking, the traveler releases the grip on the guide’s arm, both people turn towards one another completing 180 degrees, and the guide reestablishes contact with the traveler by offering the back of her hand. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Seating at a table with chairs. >> Narrator: In this clip, [Slide end] [Video start] a woman guides a woman who is visually impaired to a chair at a table. The guide places her hand on the back of the chair so that the traveler can slide her hand down to make contact with the chair. The traveler can then pull the chair out, clear the seat, and sit. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Seating at a couch or bench. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a woman guides another woman who is visually impaired to a couch. The guide approaches the couch and gently leads the traveler to contact the seat with the front of her legs. The traveler can then feel to see if there is a back to the seat and if anything is in the seat before she sits down. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Auditorium seating. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a woman is guiding a man who is visually impaired down an aisle to a row in an auditorium. They pause at the desired row and begin side stepping into the row. The traveler places the back of his hand on the back of the seats in front of him to avoid contact with feet and knees of people already sitting in the row. When the seats are reached the guide pauses while positioning the traveler in front of the intended seat and they sit. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Crossing the street. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip a man guides a woman who is visually impaired across a street. As with stairs it is important to square off with curbs so that the traveler can step straight up or down. The guide should be positioned between the traveler and traffic for safety. [Video end] [Slide start] >> A modification with a child. >> Narrator: In this clip, [Slide end] [Video start] a man is leading a little girl from her classroom down a hallway. Children or people considerably shorter than their guide may establish a grip below the guide’s elbow. This allows the person being guided to maintain a 90 degree angle with their arm to ensure adequate reaction time. Small children should hold on to the index and middle finger of the guide and should not hold hands with the guide. Notice that this little girl is half a step behind her guide traveling with her arm at a comfortable height and angle. [Video end] [Slide start] >> A modification for people needing additional support. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip you’ll see a man offering assistance to a woman seated at a table who needs additional support. People needing more stability may modify the grip by looping their arm inside the guide's arm and over the forearm. The guide changes the position of his arm to a 90 degree angle providing a base of support. The guide offers a stable base while the traveler stands and continues to provide support while guiding. >> Guide: Hi Linda, it’s Frank. Are you ready? >> Traveler: Yes. Thank you. [walking] [Video end] [Slide start] >> Common courtesies. [Slide end] [Video start] >> Narrator: In this clip you see two women using guide technique in an interior hallway. In the first sequence, the guide leaves the woman in the middle of the hall. In the second sequence, the guide uses hand under hand technique to rest the traveler’s hand on the end of a railing. A guide should not walk away from a person with a visual impairment without indicating so because it could leave the person in an embarrassing situation of holding a conversation without an audience. Do not leave a person who is blind or visually impaired person out in space without putting her in contact with a permanent object in a safe area even if you’re just walking away for a moment. [video sequence 1] >> Guide: I have to go get something. [video sequence 2] >> Guide: I have to get something. [Video end] [Video start] >> Narrator: Guide Technique is a safe, efficient way for people to travel together. However, it is a dependent way of travel. There are other travel techniques used by people who are blind that are independent and do not rely on another person such as the use of a long cane or a dog guide. When offering to be a guide, always make sure that the person wants to be guided. [Video end] [Slide start] >> Reference 1. Hill, E. and Ponder, P., 1976. Orientation and mobility techniques: A guide for the practitioner. New York: American Foundation for the Blind. Reference 2. LaGrow, S. Weessies, M., 1994. Orientation and mobility: Techniques for independence. Wellington. Dunmore Press. [Slide end] [Slide start] Actors. C.J., Cassie, Charlotte, Frank, Linda, Meika, Sarai, Zach. Content Producers. Charlotte Simpson, Frank Vanderpool. Video Producers. Mike Bicknell, Kendra Dorty. Video Editor. Mike Bicknell. [Slide end] [Slide start] Executive Producers. William Daughtery TSBVI Superintendent. Cyral Miller TSBVI Outreach Director. Rona Pogrund, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Texas Tech University. DeAnn Lechtenherger, Ph.D Project Director for Project IDEAL. [Slide end] [Slide start] This video has been a collaboration between Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Outreach Programs and Project IDEAL. TSBVI Contact. 1100 West 45th Street, Austin, Texas 78756 USA. Telephone. 512-454-8631. Website. www dot tsbvi dot edu. [Slide end] [Slide start] Project IDEAL Contact. Website. http colon slash slash projectidealonline dot org. Song Credit. ‘Analogs’ by Moby. Copyright Moby at www dot mobygratis dot com. Video Copyright TSBVI and Project IDEAL 2010. All rights reserved.