Training of color and form identification in cortical blindness: a case study

A procedure was developed for retraining color and form identification in a multiply handicapped cortically blind adolescent girl who had sustained anoxic brain damage. Treatment involved systematic presentation of four different colored shapes with verbal feedback on performance. The trainer used a multiple choice procedure and traced the edge of the stimulus with a pointer. The patient attained near perfect performance with the four colored shapes in less than 10 sessions, while identification of visual and tactile stimulus materials not used in training remained essentially unchanged. Results suggest a specific effect of training on performance.