Organizations

Note: Organizations dealing with the medical aspects of visual impairments are listed on V.I. Guide's Medical page.

The Special Ed Exchange (SpedEx) web site offers searchable directories of various professional affiliations, such as Orientation & Mobility associations, teachers of the visually impaired, rehabilitation teachers, deaf-blind specialists and intervenors, Braille transcribers, and more. If you're a vision professional, you can have your name added to these directories. If you're trying to locate a vision professional, here's a good place to start.!

American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB)

This national consumer advocacy organization is for people who have combined hearing and vision impairments. They encourage independent living, provide technical assistance, and direct onsite assistance regarding social skills, community living, technology, etc.

American Council of the Blind (ACB)

The ACB, located in Washington DC, strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people. Their products and services include their free monthly magazine The Braille Forum, public education and awareness training, advocacy support and legal assistance, legislative training, scholarship assistance, and annual conventions. Their web site contains current and back issues of Braille Forum, press releases, information from their Washington office regarding upcoming legislative happenings, and newsletters from their state affiliates.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

This New York City, New York organization is dedicated to enabling visually impaired individuals to achieve equality of access and opportunity that will ensure freedom of choice in their lives. They provide several publications including the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness; identify and help resolve critical issues such as public policy and education; and produce Talking Books and other audio material. It also   includes information on how to order their publications; their Careers and Technology Information Bank (CTIB) (a service that connects visually impaired individuals with other visually impaired individuals to share information about job experience and assistive technology); policy and position papers; research and technical reports; as well as downloadable software for The Computerized Braille Tutor.

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

This is a professional organization for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students. The site has highlights from current and past issues of their "PT" magazine plus additional information about physical therapy educational programs.

American Printing House for the Blind (APH)

Under the federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind, this Louisville, Kentucky organization is the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students below the college level in the U.S and its territories. APH also provides products that appeal to adults and pre-school children. Information on their products is accessible via their web site, and from there you can also request to have a catalog mailed to you. You can also search LOUIS, their database of brailled textbooks available throughout the United States. They also have a good list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

This is a professional organization for speech/language pathologists and audiologists. The site offers brochures, booklets and fact sheets on a variety of subjects, including recognizing communication disorders, hearing loss, etc., plus information on subscribing to their professional journal. They also offer a listing, by state, of accredited audiology and speech-language pathology facilities.

Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visual Impaired (AER)

AER is an international membership organization dedicated to rendering all possible support and assistance to professionals who work in all phases of education and rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired children and adults. Their web site offers information on their certification program, the divisions and chapters into which their membership is divided, upcoming conferences, and books and resources they sell (such as the Computerized Braille Tutor software program and a manual on how to screen a preschooler to determine their need for orientation and mobility services).

Blind Children's Center

Blind Children's Center, located in Los Angeles, California, is a non-profit organization committed to helping blind and partially sighted children and their families gain a supportive and positive start in their young lives. Their center offers preschool programs, family services, and referral services, as well as several publications aimed primarily at infants and toddlers such as Dancing Cheek to Cheek, First Steps, Learning to Play, Learning to Eat, etc. Their web site provides a means to order many of these publications at a nominal fee, plus information about the Center's services.

Braille Authority of North America (BANA)

This organization's mission is to assure literacy for tactile readers, through the standardization of braille and tactile graphics. Through their web site, you can obtain their publications such as Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcriptions and Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation.

Braille Producers in North America

This page is part of the Raised Dot Computing (makers of MegaDots software) web site and it attempts to list, by zip code, all resources available to produce braille. For zip codes beginning with 0, for instance, over 50 resources were listed.

British Diabetic Association

This organization in the United Kingdom provides significant funding for research into the treatment and cure for diabetes.

British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society (BRPS)

This organization was found in 1975 to help those with Retinitis Pigmentosa live with an dovercome their visual problems, and to stimulate research into the causes and treatment of RP. Their site has a tremendous amount of literature about this disease and related resources.

Canine Companions for Independence (CCI)

This non-profit organization is located in Santa Rosa, California with regional offices around the United States. CCI provides trained service, hearing and social dogs to serve the needs of people with disabilities. Their web site lists the eligibility requirements of getting a guide dog as well as answers to the most frequently asked questions about raising, obtaining and learning how to use a guide dog.

Capper Foundation

This organization in Topeka, Kansas, provides services for children with physical disabilities to maximize their ability to achieve independent life skills. Their services include loaning assistive devices, making adaptive modifications to equipment, and preparing comprehensive applications of assistive technology for students (C.A.T.S.). Although their web site offers merely a description of their services at this time, they may be worth contacting for additional information

Carroll Center for the Blind

The Carroll Center is located in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Its services include rehabilitation programs for newly blinded adults, independent living training programs, career training, assistive technology evaluations, and training to visually impaired individuals and professionals on assistive technology. Their web site provides information about their services, classified ads, as well as information about their summer youth programs.

DB-Link

This site, part of the National Information Clearinghouse on Children who are Deaf-Blind, contains a searchable database of organizations relating to the field of blindness and/or deafness. Resources can be located by keyword, location or name.

 

Federation for Children with Special Needs

This Boston, Massachusetts organization offers a variety of services to parents, parent groups and others who are concerned with children with special needs. They are best known locally for their parent training programs which teach parents how to navigate the maze of special education laws and the IEP process. Their web site offers information about their programs and upcoming events, as well as links to other sites that might be of interest.

The Foundation for Blind Children

This Phoenix, Arizona organization offers many programs and services, including infant through secondary, orientation and mobility, their Arizona Instructional Resource (media) center, a demonstration and training center for adaptive technology, and more.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc.

This Yorktown Heights, New York organization provides guide dogs to enhance and promote safe travel, independence, security and dignity for people who are blind or visually impaired. Their site features eligibility requirements, descriptions of the typical training experience for individuals getting their first guide dog, as well as downloadable files containing information about state and international laws pertaining to guide dogs.

Hadley School for the Blind

This organization offers over 90 distance education courses free of charge, to blind adults, parents or grandparents of a blind child, professionals in the blindness field and family members of an adult who is blind. Courses include "Braille Reading for Family Members", "Self-esteem and Adjusting with Blindness" and "Accessing Local Sports and Recreation Programs", as well as academic and high school study courses.

Illinois Parents of the Visually Impaired (IPVI)

This organization is the Illinois affiliate of a national organization called National Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI). Although this site is relatively sparse, it offers information about their annual conference and quarterly newsletter (IPVI Insights), as well contact information.

International Blind Sports Federation

This organization is using their web site as an international communications channel to let everyone be aware of the sporting capabilities, at all levels, of blind and visually impaired people. Information on many sports, including swimming, goalball, wrestling, torball, lawnbowling, powerlifting, and alpine and nordic skiing, is available

The Lighthouse, Inc.

This New York, New York vision rehabilitation organization was founded in 1906. Its goal is to overcome vision impairment for people of all ages through rehabilitation, education and research.Their rehabilitation services include early childhood and preschool education, career counseling and placement, low vision services, and training in the use of information technology.

Lions World Services for the Blind (LWSB)

The LWSB, located in Little Rock, Arkansas, helps blind and partially sighted individuals learn independent living skills and job training skills, and offers personal adjustment programs, a vision rehabilitation clinic, a college preparatory program and an assistive technology laboratory. Their web site provides information on their services as well as links to other Lions Clubs' home pages.

Massachusetts Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (MAPVI)

MAPVI is the Massachusetts affiliate of NAPVI. Through its meetings, events, newsletters and other efforts, MAPVI provides a means for parents of visually impaired or blind children to network with each other and exchange information.

Michigan Parents of the Visually Impaired (MPVI)

This organization, established as a parent empowerment program of the Upshaw Institute for the Blind, is comprised of parents and professionals across Michigan. They offer meetings, an annual family retreat weekend, field trips, recreational activities, and experiential programs to facilitate these groups share information and expertise.

National Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI)

This is a national non-profit organization which enables parents to find information and resources for their blind and visually impaired children, including those with additional disabilities.

National Association for the Visually Handicapped (NAVH)

This non-profit health agency focuses on that portion of the visually impaired population that still has some usable vision (not sightless or handicapped in some other way). Their site features an on-line catalog for ordering assistive products, educational articles, as well as the services and help available through the NAVH offices located in New York and California.

National Braille Association

This Rochester, New York organization is a volunteer-run non-profit organization dedicated to assisting transcribers and narrators develop and improve the skills and techniques required to produce reading materials for individuals who are print-handicapped.

National Braille Press

National Braille Press, located in Boston Massachusetts is a non-profit braille printing and publishing house. Best known, perhaps, for its children's Braille Book-of-the-Month club, they also offer many other publications. Their catalog can be viewed on-line, with orders placed by phone, fax or e-mail. If you're ever in the Boston area, their site also explains how to arrange for a free tour of their facility to learn about how they produce braille.

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

This organization, located in Baltimore, Maryland, was founded to help the blind help themselves and be integrated into society on the basis of equality. The NFB offers training and counseling programs, conferences, college scholarships and several publications such as Future Reflections and The Braille Monitor. Their web site contains back issues of their magazines, full text of many of their books, information about current and proposed legislation, information from their conferences, and more. Click here to visit the NFB's FTP site or use telnet to visit the NFB at nfbnet.org.

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)

NLS administers a free library program of braille and recorded materials which are circulated to eligible borrowers through a nation-wide network of cooperating libraries. At their web site, you may search their on-line catalog and also download several publications like the Braille Book Review and Talking Book Topics, circulars, and full text of new legislation from their related FTP site.

National Association for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH)

This non-profit organization located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania offers information and support to people with albinism, their families and professionals who work with them. Their site offers information about their projects, upcoming conferences, as well as a number of information bulletins about various forms of albinism, sun protection, and assisting students with albinism.

National Parent Network on Disabilities

This organization was established to provide a presence and national voice for parents of children, youth and adults with special needs. They help coordinate the mailings of the Toys 'R' Us "Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids." Among other things, their site features information on pending legislation that can affect families with disabled children.

New Zealand Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted

This is a voluntary national organization with branches throughout New Zealand which advocates on blindness-related issues to the government, service providers and the private sector. They offer a RealAudio recording of their weekly Feedback Line, where callers can leave messages discussing various issues or services.

Northeast Vision Consultants (NVC)

NVC is an educational consulting organization that places teachers of the visually impaired and blind and orientation & mobility instructors with employment opportunities in New England. Most placements are in Massachusetts and are primarily in public school and collaborative settings. Click on the link above to request additional information.

National Sports Center for the Disabled

This organization in Winter Park, Colorado, offers summer and winter programs that provide innovative outdoor recreation for children and adults with disabilities. Activities include mountain biking, white water rafting, rock climbing and skiing. Their site contains information about their programs' rates, instructors and schedules.

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NAHRA)

This organization has over 500 NAHRA therapeutic riding centers throughout the United States. Based on the qualifications, some centers focus their skills on serving individuals with certain disabilities. Likewise, a center may offer activities in addition to therapeutic riding, such as hippotherapy, vaulting, etc. A list of all centers, by state, is available at their web site.

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

This organization is an educational lending library of academic and professional textbooks on audio tape from elementary through post-graduate and professional levels. Dictionaries, reference materials and professional books on computer disk and other products are also offered. Their web site provides an on-line listing of their book catalog (books must be ordered by phone, fax or mail), as well as information about news and events about RFB&D's efforts to keep up with and encourage emerging adaptive technology.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision

This organization is part of Mississippi State University. Its mission is to prevent or alleviate the vocational, economic and personal effects of blindness and severe visual impairment. Their web site has information about their many technical reports that are available at a nominal charge. Their  Information and Resource Referral Center (I&RR) project provides listings of services and programs (by state) such as braille and transcription services, blind sports and recreation resources, sources for accessible publications, etc.

Royal Blind Society

This organization, located in New South Wales, Australian, provides technology, rehabilitation, and library services to blind and visually impaired children and adults.

Royal National Institute for the Blind

This organization has offices in England and throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland and Scotland. It is dedicated to raising awareness of and tackling discrimination against blindness, as well as providing and improving the quality of services to blind and partially sighted people. Some of the information contained on the RNIB web site includes information about various eye conditions; and various publications and magazines aimed at parents, professionals and the general public.

SABAH

Sabah is a non-profit organization in Buffalo, New York which teaches people with disabilities how to ice skate. They help set up local chapter programs for this purpose, providing them with instructional expertise, specialized assistive products, administrative support and consultative guidance.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children

This organization, located in Livonia Michigan, provides high quality, low cost braille books for children ages 1 to 14. Some of the titles are available in twin vision (braille and print). Their entire catalog is available for on-line browsing but as of yet orders must be placed via phone, fax or mail.

The Seeing Eye

This guide dog school, located in Morristown, New Jersey, provides service dogs to blind people. Their web site includes articles and short books about guide dogs, information about how O&M specialists can assist dog guide travelers and information about laws pertaining to guide dogs.

Ski for Light

This non-profit organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota promotes the physical fitness of visually and mobility impaired adults, in an environment where "we can't" is replaced with "we can." Ski for Light sponsors physically-demanding sports events throughout the country, including regional and international Ski for Light programs that teach cross-country skiing to visually and mobility impaired persons.

Touch The Arts Foundation

This is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a variety of cultural experiences and educational programs for visually impaired visitors of differing ages and abilities. Their web site offers tactile imagery which, when printed on a tactile image enhancer machine, provide the means for visually impaired individuals to explore art through touch.

United States Association of Blind Athletes

This organization is trying to change the general population's attitude about the abilities of the blind and visually impaired. They provide coaching and training in several sports, including alpine and Nordic skiing, judo, swimming, tandem cycling and track and field. Their site features a calendar of upcoming events across the country (and world!) and news articles about their many successes.

Upshaw Institute for the Blind

This non-profit organization is located in Detroit Michigan and is dedicated to preventing blindness, reducing the impact of blindness, and advocating for those with severe vision loss. Their web site provides information on their various programs and services.

Visually Impaired and Blind User Group, Boston (VIBUG)

This organization, formerly with the famed Boston Computer Society, is dedicating to advancing access by visually impaired and blind persons to the world of computer applications. Through monthly meetings and various projects, they share information and advice and advocate for expanding computer literacy within the visually impaired community.

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