ABSTRACT
Motor development, according to Clark and Whitall (1989), refers to the “changes in motor behavior over the lifespan and the processes which underlie these changes and the factors that affect them” (p. 194). Gross motor skills are the building blocks to participating in physical activity, sports, and games and include three domains: stability, locomotor, and manipulative skills. If children do not learn their gross motor skills at an early age, they may not realize the gross motor skill learning potential that could have occurred with early learning. Despite its importance as an underlying mechanism supporting positive developmental trajectories for health, very little is known regarding the gross motor development of individuals with visual impairments across the lifespan. Within the following chapter, I will discuss what motor development is, why it matters, what we know about the motor development of individuals with visual impairments, implications for practitioners, and future research recommendations.
