• The development of the child who is blind or visually impaired is highly individual as it is with all children.

• Vision is the primary learning modality and source of information for most children.

• No other sense can stimulate curiosity, integrate information or invite exploration in the same way, or as efficiently and fully, as vision does.

• The child who is blind or visually impaired has many needs in common with all children. Among these are the needs for a sense of worth and accomplisment.

• Children who are blind cannot learn to do things by visual imitation.

• Children who are blind or visually impaired often require more "hands on" experience, time, practice, and guidance in order to learn skills.

• More efficient hearing and a finer sense of touch, smell or taste do not develop automatically in an infant who is blind or visually impaired.

• Specialized training in the effective and efficient use of vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste can bring about increased skill in their use.

• Because most parents have not had the opportunity to know a child who is blind or visually impaired, they can often benefit from the assistance provided by trained professionals and other parents who have had such an experience, and adults who are blind or visually impaired.

• Many children who are blind or visually impaired have other disabilities.

• The relationship between blindness and other disabilities is complex.

• Assessment and programming become complicated and may require the services of a variety of disciplines.

• Instruction specific to their disability is essential for young children who are blind or visually impiared in order to meet their unique developmental needs.