Visual Motor Integration (VMI) is the ability to integrate visual input with motor output.  This is how individuals plan, execute and monitor motor tasks, such as threading a needle, tying shoe laces, catching or hitting  a ball.  It is also essential in academic performance.

Children with known learning disabilities have a high prevelancy of VMI deficiencies.  In one study, out of 51 LD elementary students, 85% of them were correclty identified as being learning disabled by finding problems in this area.

Visual Motor Integation (VMI) also correlates with math skills.  Children with poor VMI skills have a difficult time on written assignments and tests, erase excessively, show poor penmanship, and do not do well when copying down information.  These same children often seem to perform better when answering aloud and can verbaliize that they know the material they are being tested on, but seem to test poorly on that same material when writing is required.  Not a good thing when you are taking standardized test.

Signs and Symptoms of Visual-Motor Integration Dysfunction:

• Sloppy writing or drawing skills
• Can't stay on or in the lines
• Erases excessively
• Poor organizatio
• Does not recognize mistakes
• Close working distance
• Poor posture when writing
• Excessive or inadequate pencil grip
• Trouble aligning numbers in columns for math problems
• Can't get answers on paper
• Tests poorly even if they know the subject

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