Section 4: Teaching to determine crossable gaps --
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USING VISION
to determine when it is "clear to cross"
Knowing what to look for, and how to see all vehicles effectively and reliably
Just as students who use their hearing need to learn how that hearing is affected by conditions such as ambient sound level, blockage and masking of sounds, and clogged ears or head congestion, students who use vision to watch for vehicles need to understand how lighting, sight lines, and features of vehicles can affect their ability to see them.
For example, they may notice that
- certain features of vehicles (headlights, sun reflection, certain colors, etc.) make the vehicles easier or more difficult to see.
- they can see a vehicle more easily if they see its movement, so that it is easier to see vehicles approaching at an angle where there is cross-movement than to see vehicles approaching directly toward them.
- lighting conditions (sunny, cloudy, night) can affect their ability to see the vehicles.
- their line of sight may be blocked temporarily by passing vehicles.
- their vision fluctuates, and they can see better or worse at some times than at others.
They may also benefit from learning to use their vision more efficiently.
- Students with central scotoma (such as macular degeneration) might use eccentric viewing to look for vehicles with their best point of fixation.
- Students with sensitivity to light may benefit from sunglasses and visors that shield them from the sun and glare.
- Students with acuity loss might see approaching vehicles sooner by using a telescopic aid effectively.
- If using a telescopic aid, they may need more time for their crossing.
- Using a telescopic aid may reduce their field of vision which could affect their ability to scan left/right for approaching vehicles, so it is important that they learn to do so efficiently (see the next few pages for suggestions about reduced visual fields).
As with hearing, there will be Situations of Uncertainty where they cannot reliably see all the vehicles with enough warning to be confident that it's clear to cross whenever they see nothing coming.
These situations should be handled as explained in Section 3.
Once your students have learned to watch for "all clear" as efficiently as possible when looking in one direction at a time,
they need to learn how to do it when looking from one side to the other.
That is covered in the next few pages.