A well-designed assessment is a key component of every student’s educational plan. When a student’s needs are identified, a certified orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist can provide informed lessons and better understand progress. You are likely familiar with various O&M assessments such as Teaching Age-Appropriate Purposeful Skills (TAPS) or the New Mexico Orientation and Mobility Skills Inventory (NMOMSI), but what do you need to complete those assessments? As you enter the new school year, consider the tools and materials you will need for your O&M assessment. Being prepared will help you save time and reduce the frustration of forgetting a critical tool when you begin assessing the student.
Tools for Different Scenarios
Consider age-appropriate skills you might assess for each student. You will likely need some common items for every assessment, such as your assessment protocol, a clipboard, an eye chart, and a tape measure. For some assessments, you may want a variety of tactile maps, an American Printing House (APH) Wheatley kit, and a GPS to examine map reading and route planning. You may assess a student’s money skills by using a wallet, coins, dollar bills, a money reader, or a money reading app. Don't forget a visor, hat, and sunglasses for students with light sensitivity. For students with low vision, you may wish to carry a magnifier or monocular, and road and safety signs such as those you might find in the APH NewT kit. You might also need a vehicle to demonstrate entering and exiting a car. In addition, having a few fun recreational items such as stickers, a small toy car, and a ball, can be useful for positional concepts, catching and throwing, and demonstrating understanding of vehicle placement on a tactile drawing or map.
‘Built-In’ Resources
Some of the necessary tools come in the form of built-in resources such as elevators, escalators, and stairways. Consider where you can assess these skills. Locating a revolving door, T-intersection, pedestrian crossing signal, or a city bus may be challenging in some locations. Keep a list of these and where to find them in your district. You may need to venture to a nearby district to assess some skills. Be sure to have a conversation and get written permission from the child’s assessment team and family about the need to potentially travel to other locations for the assessment.
Travel Conditions
In addition to built-in resources, you will want to assess a variety of travel conditions. Locating areas that transition from light to dark are helpful. You may also consider exploring how the student travels on uneven surfaces, such as broken sidewalks, or transitions from pavement to stones or grass.
O&M Assessment Kit Checklist
Tools and Materials:
- Assessment protocol
- Clipboard
- Eye chart
- Tape measure
- Tactile maps
- Wheatley kit
- GPS
- Wallet
- Coins
- Dollar bills
- Money reader
- Money reading app
- Visor
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Magnifier
- Monocular
- Road and safety signs
- Vehicle
- Stickers
- Toy car
- Ball
'Built-In' Tools:
- Elevator
- Escalator
- Stairway
- Revolving door
- T-intersection
- Pedestrian crossing signal
- City bus
- Light/dark location
- Transitions: broken sidewalk/stones/grass
Upcoming Workshops
Preparation is the key to a successful assessment. The more information you can gather, the easier it will be to determine the child’s needs. What additional tools do you use for your assessments? In spring 2026, MDE RBLV will host two O&M workshops on assessment skills:
- March 13: Indoor O&M Assessment Workshop
- May 15: Outdoor O&M Assessment Workshop
More information will be available soon at mdelio.org/events.
From MDE RBLV Education Consultant Amanda English, EdD