1. 2012-13 SWOMA Conference
A SWOMAsborg of O&M Topics
November 1-3, 2012
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Austin, Texas
Introduction to the 3rd Edition of TAPS: An Orientation and
Mobility Curriculum for Students with Visual Impairments
Presented by
Rona Pogrund, Associate Professor, College of Education
Texas Tech University
Rona.pogrund@ttu.edu
and
Debra Sewell, Curriculum Director
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
debrasewell@tsbvi.edu
Friday, November 2, 2012
3:30-5:00 PM

3. Introduction to the 3rd Edition of TAPS: An Orientation and
Mobility Curriculum for Students with Visual Impairments
Rona Pogrund, Associate Professor, College of Education
Texas Tech University
and
Debra Sewell, Curriculum Director
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Four Parts of TAPS
Part 1: The Curriculum
Part 2: Comprehensive Initial and Ongoing Evaluation
Part 3: Appendices
Part 4: Supplement: Street Crossings for Travelers Who Are Visually Impaired
What’s New in Part 1: The Curriculum
• Terminology has been updated
• Additional information has been added for teaching students with multiple impairments
• Functional Mobility Tasks have been updated
• Several new goals have been added
• Additional objectives have been added to many of the goals
• Additional teaching strategies have been included for many of the goals and objectives
Functional Mobility Tasks: changes in the Public Transportation section
2nd Edition
A. Seat self in a vehicle.
B. Ride comfortably in a variety of vehicles.
C. Take arranged public transportation using a learned procedure.
D. Execute a given bus route.

4. E. Solicit information to plan a bus route.
F. Execute a simple route to a familiar location.
Functional Mobility Tasks: changes in the Public Transportation section –
cont.
2nd Edition
G. Execute a route with one transfer to a familiar location.
H. Execute a route with multiple transfers to a familiar location.
I. Know emergency procedures if a planned stop is missed.
J. Solicit information and execute a bus route to an unfamiliar location.
K. Solicit information, purchase a ticket, and execute a route on intercity transportation.
What’s New in Part 2: Evaluation Booklet
Comprehensive Initial and Ongoing Evaluation
• Still available in print booklet form
• Available soon in electronic format to be used on multiple platforms (for example iPad,
Kindle, laptops)
New Part 3: Appendices
New Appendices have been added:
• Resources for Explaining the Benefits of O&M
• Legal Issues in O&M
• Research Studies in O&M Supporting Evidence-Based Practices
• Problem Solving
• O&M Strategies for Working with Students with Deafblindness and Other Communication
Challenges
• Mobility Terms in Spanish
• O&M Evaluation Report Template and Sample Reports
Appendices - revised
Some appendices were significantly revised:
• Early O&M Evaluations