TrekAbout Adelaide: One Agency’s Experience of Introducing GPS Technology to O&M Services

Guide Dogs Association of South Australia and Northern Territory (Guide Dogs SA.NT) provides Orientation & Mobility (O&M) programs for people with vision impairment, including training in the use of Electronic Travel Aids (ETAs). Recent developments in wayfinding technology have included introduction of specialised Global Positioning System (GPS) devices for people with vision impairment. This article describes considerations that were made by Guide Dogs SA.NT in selecting wayfinding devices designed for use by blind and vision impaired travellers. Additionally, the way in which these devices have been incorporated into services is discussed, including details of an event to inform the community of this new technology.