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Cortical blindness is defined and its diagnosis is explained. Guidelines and sample activities are presented for use in a cognitive/visual/multi-sensory stimulation program to produce progress in cortically blind infants. The importance of using the eyes from birth through early development in order to form the nerve pathways responsible for visual perception is stressed. It is also emphasized that a child's visual skills can never be greater than his or her overall mental ability. In order for progress to be made in visual stimulation, three elements are necessary: a capacity for memory, a way for the child to signal a definite response, and motivation. General guidelines are offered to teachers and parents to develop infant visual skills in the areas of awareness and fixation, following and tracking, and cognitive/visual skills. Cognitive/visual skills involve recognition of familiar people, things, and events; anticipation of routine events; development of behaviors that produce changes in the child's environment; and memory for things and people not present. Includes 16 references. (JDD)

Symbol shelves are tools for developing two-way communication with multihandicapped children who can anticipate events, but who do not respond to speech or sign language. The purpose of symbol shelves is to allow children to be expressive through symbols, to enable them to feel some sense of control, and to serve as a bridge to a more formal method of communication. There are five steps involved in setting up a symbol shelf. The teacher should: (1) creatively find out what activities the child enjoys; (2) fit these activities into a classroom routine; (3) select obvious objects to serve as symbols for these activities; (4) place the objects in sequence on a shelf; and (5) have a box where the child can put each object after the activity is over. A large part of this document is a detailed scenario offered as an example of how a teacher might set up and use a symbol shelf as part of a child's daily routine. (DC)