BRS Rehabilitation Techniques & Mobility Training 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the role of echolocation in blind rehabilitation mobility training?
- A technology that emits sonar pulses from the white cane
- A learned skill in which reflected sound is used to detect nearby objects and surfaces (Correct answer)
- A GPS-based audio navigation system for outdoor travel
- A technique used exclusively by individuals with congenital blindness
Correct answer: A learned skill in which reflected sound is used to detect nearby objects and surfaces
Echolocation is a natural auditory skill that can be trained, allowing individuals to interpret echoes of ambient or self-generated sounds to perceive nearby obstacles and surfaces.
Question 2: A client with a brain injury resulting in cortical visual impairment (CVI) is referred for O&M services. Which O&M adaptation is most important to consider?
- Teaching Braille as a primary literacy medium before O&M
- Minimizing visual clutter and using high-contrast, simple visual targets in the environment (Correct answer)
- Avoiding all visual tasks and training exclusively with tactile methods
- Increasing ambient lighting throughout all training environments
Correct answer: Minimizing visual clutter and using high-contrast, simple visual targets in the environment
CVI affects visual processing rather than the eye itself; reducing visual complexity and using high-contrast targets helps the brain more effectively use available visual function.
Question 3: During public transportation training, a client needs to identify bus stops independently. The BEST low-tech strategy to teach for consistent stop identification is:
- Always sitting in the front seat near the driver
- Counting stops from a known departure point combined with listening for announcements (Correct answer)
- Asking fellow passengers to notify the client of their stop
- Using a printed schedule read aloud by a companion
Correct answer: Counting stops from a known departure point combined with listening for announcements
Stop counting from a known reference point combined with listening for audio announcements is a reliable, independent strategy that does not depend on others or technology.
Question 4: A BRS is writing O&M goals for a client with progressive vision loss. According to best practice, goals should be written to:
- Restore the client's vision to functional levels through training
- Reflect the client's own priorities and be measurable with a defined time frame (Correct answer)
- Mirror the goals set by the ophthalmologist's medical plan
- Focus exclusively on safety skills before addressing community access
Correct answer: Reflect the client's own priorities and be measurable with a defined time frame
Client-centered, measurable, time-bound goals that reflect the client's own priorities are the standard for O&M goal writing in rehabilitation practice.
Question 5: Which of the following is the most important factor when determining appropriate cane length for a client?
- The client's height: cane should reach the chin
- The client's walking speed and the length of preview time needed (Correct answer)
- Standard length of 48 inches for all adults
- The weight of the cane relative to the client's grip strength
Correct answer: The client's walking speed and the length of preview time needed
Cane length should be determined primarily by the client's walking speed, as faster walkers require longer canes to provide adequate preview time to react to detected obstacles.
Question 6: A client with low vision who prefers not to use a cane in familiar environments refuses cane training for outdoor use in new areas. The BRS should:
- Respect the client's full refusal and document it without further discussion
- Document the refusal and also document the client's understanding of the associated safety risks (Correct answer)
- Immediately contact the referral source to revise the client's rehabilitation plan
- Require cane use as a prerequisite for all outdoor O&M training
Correct answer: Document the refusal and also document the client's understanding of the associated safety risks
Informed consent in rehabilitation requires that the client's autonomous decision be respected while ensuring they understand the safety implications, which must be documented.
Question 7: When teaching a client to use a long cane on an escalator, the BRS should instruct the client to:
- Hold the cane vertically against the body and feel for the first moving step with the foot (Correct answer)
- Sweep the cane across the steps continuously while riding
- Fold the cane and hold it under one arm before stepping on
- Use the cane to tap each step on the escalator as they ride
Correct answer: Hold the cane vertically against the body and feel for the first moving step with the foot
Holding the cane vertically close to the body prevents it from getting caught in the escalator mechanism while the client uses their foot to locate and step onto the first moving step.
BRS Rehabilitation Techniques & Mobility Training 5
Which of the following best describes the role of echolocation in blind rehabilitation mobility training?