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Resources
LS&S has developed a long list of resources for the blind,
visually impaired, deaf
and hard of hearing. Links to doctors, foundations, consumer advocacy
groups, non for profits, and state agencies provide a wealth of information.
If you would like to see a resource added to our list, please contact us.
Vision Related Resources
National Organizations
Foundation
Fighting Blindness (FFB) - The urgent mission of The Foundation Fighting
Blindness, Inc. (FFB) is to drive the research that will provide preventions,
treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular
degeneration, Usher Syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative
diseases.
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
- As a consumer and advocacy organization, the NFB is considered a leading
force in the blindness field today. The purpose of the National Federation
of the Blind is two-fold—to help blind persons achieve self-confidence and
self-respect and to act as a vehicle for collective self-expression by the
blind.
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
- The AFB is recognized as Helen Keller's cause in the United States and is
a leading national resource for people who are blind or visually impaired,
the organizations that serve them, and the general public. The mission of the
American Foundation for the Blind is to expand possibilities for people with
vision loss and to enable them to achieve equality of access and opportunity
that will ensure freedom of choice in their lives.
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
- The Council strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired
people by: serving as a representative national organization of blind people;
elevating the social, economic and cultural levels of blind people; improving
educational and rehabilitation facilities and opportunities, and cooperating
with the public and private institutions and organizations concerned with blind
services.
National Association for the
Visually Handicapped (NAVH) - NAVH is the only nonprofit health organization
in the world solely dedicated to providing assistance to the partially sighted.
They are committed to ensuring that impaired vision does not result in impaired
life. Their mission is to help the "hard of seeing" worldwide cope with the
psychological effects of visual impairment and to provide low vision services
and training to anyone in need of such assistance.
Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) – The
BVA is an organization specifically established to promote the welfare of blinded
veterans. Through their service programs, groups and benefits they hope to
make life easier for blinded veterans and help by being there with encouragement
and support.
National Association
for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) - NAPVI is a national organization
that enables parents to find information and resources for their children
who are blind or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities.
NAPVI provides leadership, support, and training to assist parents in helping
children reach their potential.
International Blind Sports
Federation (IBSA) - The IBSA believes that sport is the ideal means to
promote the integration of disabled people in general and the blind in particular.
Sport can help them overcome their disability by strengthening their self-esteem
and their ability to overcome difficulties and as an aid to normalization
in their living environment.
National Industries for the Blind – The
mission of the National Industries for the Blind is to enhance the opportunities
for economic and personal independence of people who are blind primarily through
creating, sustaining, and improving employment.
Macular Degeneration Foundation – MD
Foundation is a leading resource for information concerning Macular Degeneration
to a growing population of individuals affected by the disease and related
low vision conditions. They publish a monthly large print newsletter and provide
reports on the latest research, requests for research participants, links,
bulletin boards, and frequently asked questions.
Local Not-For-Profits
The Associated Blind, Inc (New
York) - The Associated Blind’s mission is to assist individuals who are blind,
visually impaired or who have physical disabilities to become self-reliant
and achieve financial independence through mainstream employment.
The Center for the Visually Impaired (Atlanta, GA) – the CVI is Georgia's
largest comprehensive, fully accredited, private facility providing rehabilitation
services for individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired. The
mission of the Center for the Visually Impaired is to offer comprehensive services
to promote independence with dignity and the preservation of self worth for
individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
The Carroll Center for the
Blind (Newton, MA) - The Carroll Center for the Blind is a private, non–profit
agency which serves persons of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
Throughout its 68–year history, the Center has pioneered innovative methods
for blind persons to gain independence in their homes, in class settings,
and in their work places.
The Guild for the
Blind (Chicago, IL) - The Guild for the Blind serves those who are blind
or visually impaired, including those with new vision loss. The Guild strives
to promote positive attitudes about visual impairment and to assist its members
in achieving dignity and independence at home, in the workplace and in the
community.
Lilac Blind Foundation (Spokane,
WA) - Since 1971, the Lilac Blind Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization,
has been helping blind and partially sighted people take back control of their
lives. Their purpose is to provide the services and encouragement needed to
enable participants to reach their potential level of independence.
Cleveland Sight
Center (Cleveland, OH) - Cleveland Sight Center is a multi-faceted private
agency founded in 1906 providing educational, rehabilitative, preventive
and support services for 10,000 people in the greater Cleveland area who
are blind or visually impaired. They offer specific programs and services,
as well as an infinite number of resources, social clubs, recreational activities,
and more.
Helen Keller Services
for the Blind (Brooklyn, NY) - For over 110 years, Helen Keller Services
for the Blind (HKSB) has been a pioneer in the field of blindness rehabilitation.
Their mission is to help individuals of all ages and degrees of blindness
to live as independently as possible within their own communities. http://www.helenkeller.org/
Keystone Blind Association (Sharon, PA) - Since 1947, the Keystone Blind Association
has been dedicated to serving people with visual impairments and preventing
blindness. Their operations are constantly growing, and their services reach
thousands of people annually in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.
Local Lighthouses
New York
Dallas
Ft. Worth
Houston
San Antonio
Seattle
San Francisco
Chicago
Columbia
Miami
West Texas
Duluth
El Paso
Austin
Tampa
Medical Resources:
American Academy of Ophthalmology – The
AAO provides information on health issues related to the eyes. The website
can also provide referrals to local ophthalmologists.
American Society of Retinal Specialists - The patient section of the ASRS website can assist you in finding a retina specialist in your area. In addition, the American Retina Foundation website Saving Vision contains a wealth on information on age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases.
American Optometric Association (AOA) – The
American Optometric Association is the premiere authority in the optometric
profession. Together, the AOA and its affiliates work to provide the public
with quality vision and eye care. The AOA has a special Low Vision Rehabilitation
Section which can provide references for a local optometrist emphasizing in
low vision. The AOA can also help you find an eye doctor that emphasizes low
vision.
Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary – Provides information in affiliation with the Harvard
Medical School related to disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and
neck. They also publish the Digital Journal of Ophthalmology, a journal of
research to prevent blindness.
Wilmer Eye
Institute at John Hopkins - The Wilmer Eye Institute has long been recognized
for bringing together ophthalmologists consistently ranked by their peers
as among the finest internationally, with a specially trained and highly
experienced team of nurses cited by patients for their knowledge, responsiveness,
and sensitivity.
Internet Resources
Blind
and Visually Impaired Web Ring – This web ring list lots of different
resources and personal pages with listings from blind piano tuners to resource
for teachers and parents of visually impaired children.
Reading and Audio Services
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
- RFB&D is a national organization dedicated to helping those with print
disabilities complete their education, advance their careers, and gain self-esteem.
It is a fabulous resource for recorded materal for the blind and visually impaired.
National Library Service
for the Blind - Through a national network of cooperating libraries,
NLS administers a free library program of Braille and audio materials circulated
to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail. Contact
your local library for more
Jewish Braille Institute (JBI)
- The JBI Library provides the visually impaired, blind, physically handicapped
and reading disabled of all backgrounds and ages with books, magazines and
cultural programs in Audio (in 7 languages), in Large Print and in Braille.
Its unique programs enrich the lives of 35,000 individual around the world.
Choice Magazine
Listening - Choice Magazine Listening is a free audio anthology for a
special audience of blind, visually impaired, physically disabled, or dyslexic
subscribers. CML was created in 1962 by the non-profit Lucerna Fund to offer
the best of contemporary magazine writing, completely without charge, to
adults unable to read standard print.
Radio
Reading Service - Radio Reading Services locally broadcast the reading
of newspapers, books and magazines to the blind, physically impaired and those
who have difficulty reading small print. Due to copyright law, Reading Service
radio broadcasts are restricted to a closed channel unavailable to the general
public. The only way to hear the service is by ordering a special ‘sub-channel’ radio
or through a webstream. Search your local area to find a radio station broadcasting
this service.
Hard of Hearing
Resources
Hearing Loss Association
of America (Formerly Self Help for the hard of Hearing – SHHH) The Hearing
Loss Association of American is the nations’ largest membership and advocacy
organization for people with hearing loss. Their mission is to open the world
of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education,
advocacy and support. The organization continues to fulfill its mission in
innovative ways, such as launching its groundbreaking online education program,
the American Academy of Hearing Loss Support Specialists™ in fall 2005, and
launching a new design for its web site in 2006.
National Association of the Deaf -
The mission of the National Association of the Deaf is to promote, protect,
and preserve the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals
in the United States of America. Through its promotion of legal rights and
active advocacy programs, the NAD has a long history of defending the rights
of deaf and hard of hearing people. Through its Law and Advocacy Center they
seek to educate, advocate, and litigate on behalf of and to empower deaf and
hard of hearing people.
Association for Late Deafened
Adults – ALDA is a consumer support group for people who have experienced
deafness post-lingually, or any time after the development of speech and
language. Usually a late-deafened adult (LDA) has identified with hearing
society through schooling, social connections, etc. They are usually unable
to understand speech without visual aids such as speech-reading, sign language,
and/or Computer Aided Real-time Transcription (CART). Local chapter feature
periodic meetings, while the web site hosts chat rooms and discussion lists.
The Ear Foundation – The
mission of the Ear Foundation is to enrich the lives of the hearing impaired
through public awareness and continuing medical education. They have four main
programs which focus on hearing health for school children, awareness creation
for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), a network for people with Menieres Disease,
and information for age related hearing loss. They produce the Senior EARS
Magazine which is full of information on hearing loss and related resources.
Alexander Graham Bell Association
for the Deal and Hard of Hearing – The AG Bell offers a series of programs
for parents, professional, Adults, and Teens with hearing loss. They are
seeking to become the leading international source for information, research,
and education on hearing loss and spoken languageTheir programs include a
Children’s Legal Advocacy program, a Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
program, and a teaching certificate program to help teaching professionals
expand their skills in the areas of auditory/oral and Auditory-Verbal approaches
to therapy and intervention.
Internet Resources
The Hearing Exchange is
an online community for people who are deaf or hard of hearing or a professional
who works with people with hearing loss. The website fosters the exchange of
ideas and information on hearing loss and related issues through chat rooms,
employment boards, message boards, article archives, and resource listings.
Gallaudet
University offers a wonderful, comprehensive list of state programs for
those that are deaf or hard of hearing. Please visit their web site for further
information.
Medical Resources
American Academy of Audiology – The
American Academy of Audiology is the world's largest professional organization
of, for and by audiologists. The active membership of more than 10,000 audiologists
join together to provide the highest quality of hearing healthcare services
to children and adults. For consumers, their website features many helpful
consumer guides and articles related to hearing health. Most importantly, the
site can help you find an audiologist in your area. |
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