Orientation to Campus and Mobility Training

Boston University is a large, urban campus. BU and Disability Services wish to ensure that students can easily and safely travel around the Charles River Campus and immediate surrounding area. Boston University provides Orientation and Mobility Training for the purpose of making certain that blind and low vision students can attend to both their academic and social needs.

Procedures for Requesting Orientation and Mobility Training

  1. Students seeking Orientation and Mobility Training must be approved for this accommodation service.
  2. Students requesting Orientation and Mobility Training must meet with the Assistant Director of Disability Services Lorraine Norwich at 617.353.3658 or lnorwich@bu.edu
  3. Disability Services will coordinate an initial meeting between the student and a Mobility Orientation Specialist from a local agency.
  4. The student and the Mobility Orientation Specialist will arrange meetings and training sessions between themselves.
  5. It is the responsibility of the student to meet and work directly with the Mobility Orientation Specialist. However, should any problems arise, he or she should communicate with Disability Services as soon as possible.

Limitations of Orientation and Mobility Training

The primary purpose of Orientation and Mobility Training is to assist students with blindness and low vision safely and securely find their way on and around the Charles River campus and immediate surroundings. It is recommended that students and orientation specialists refer to the BU campus map for a visual indication of where these borders lie.

Non-visually, these borders are approximately as follows:

  • To the NORTH
    • Charles River East of the Massachusetts Turnpike & BU Bridge
    • Boston & Maine railyard West of the Massachusetts Turnpike
  • To the EAST
    • Massachusetts Avenue between Storrow Drive and Commonwealth Avenue
  • To the SOUTH
    • Lenox & Mountfort Streets East of Essex Street
    • Adams & Dummer Streets West of Essex Street
  • To the WEST
    • Malvern Street North of Commonwealth Avenue (Packards Corner)
    • Fuller Street South of Commonwealth Avenue (Packards Corner)

Mobility and Orientation Training for travel outside of these prescribed areas is the responsibility of the individual student. Special circumstances, such as the need to travel to and from an internship site, should be brought to the attention of Disability Services.