Resources
Websites, programs, and initiatives making a better world for students who are visually impaired, and their teachers and families
Eye Information and General Resources
AllAboutVision.com is a resource with more that 500 pages on eye health related topics, including Low Vision and Eye Problems. All articles are expert-reviewed by an Editorial Board of optometrists and ophthalmologists.
The American Council of the Blind: The mission of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) is to strive to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all people who are blind or visually impaired.
American Printing House for the Blind: American Printing House for the Blind provides information about living with visual loss, along with educational, accessibility and other resources
In Touch With Knowledge: The Educational History of Blind People: An exhibit provided by the American Printing House for the Blind, available online at the APH Museum website (then click on Menu to find the exhibits).
Blind Children’s Fund: Blind Children’s Fund provides resources and information for parents.
The Eyes of Me: ABCTX was the fiscal sponsor for a documentary film that follows 4 students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired for a year. The documentary had its world premiere at the SXSW film festival on March 20, 2009. The nationwide showing of “The Eyes of Me” on Independent Lens occurred on March 2, 2010. The film is available at this time in various venues, including on Netflix.
National Federation of the Blind: The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future.This website offers a variety of programs, services,and resources for blind and visually impaired people in a variety of roles, including parents, seniors, students, educators, and employers
Social Security Disability: The SSI program pays benefits to adults and children who meet our requirements for a qualifying disability and have limited income and resources.
Educational
Music for the Blind: Beginner courses taught completely “by ear” for over a dozen musical instruments. These courses use NO BRAILLE, NO PRINT, NO MUSIC, NO VIDEO. This format allows almost anyone to start playing their favorite musical instrument right away with only a standard CD player
Slide-A-Round Math Manipulatives provide visual aids and a hands-on approach that increases students’ understanding and comprehension of place value, estimating and rounding of whole numbers and decimals, simplifying and comparing fractions, as well as addressing the standards of elapsed time and weight
Texas Project First: This website provides well-organized resources about special education
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Serves as a leading center of expertise and resources, working in partnership with schools, families, communities, and organizations to transform outcomes for students, ages birth to 22, who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.
Visionaware.org: Over 21.2 million Americans report trouble seeing, and that number is on the rise. For adults experiencing vision loss for the first time, the diagnosis can feel overwhelming and stressful. To provide hope and help to handle the challenges of vision loss, and to connect users with the resources they need, Vision Aware created a Getting Started Kit. Comprised of 10 "tip sheets," each sheet addresses practical solutions to everyday tasks such as reading, cooking, using computers, and more. The tip sheets are available as accessible PDFs that can easily be printed and shared
Low Vision Devices
Orcam: OrCam My Eye is an artificial intelligence device for people who are blind or visually impaired, allowing users to independently access the world, read text from any surface, recognize faces, identify colors,products, and more.
Vision Buddy (Assistive Technology): Assistive device for visually impaired that allows users to access their surroundings.
National Federation of the Blind: The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future.This website offers a variety of programs, services,and resources for blind and visually impaired people in a variety of roles, including parents, seniors, students, educators, and employers
Assistive Technology
Electronic Glasses: Acesight and Acesight S are electronic glasses that let you see, even with severe low vision
Humanware: Humanware specializes in the design and manufacture of devices for people living with vision loss,including magnifiers, talking GPS, braille devices, audio assistants, and more. Available in more than 25 languages, Humanware products help users live independently and participate in today’s world
Iris Vision: Iris Vision provides software lens technology that provides headsets which deliver functional sight for low vision users
Patriot Vision Industries: Patriot Vision Industries provides a variety of assistive devices for the blind and visually-impaired.
ZooMax: Zoomax Snow 12 is a portable electronic video magnifier that allows users to more easily read, write, look at objects or even perform full-page content scanning with OCR text-to-speech. Standard features include a 12′′ full-HD display, magnification up to 19x, and a simple accessible interface
Orientation and Mobility
Technology
Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies: Spectronics provides a catalogue as well as support services and training opportunities for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) used with people who have little or no speech
TSBVI Technology Loan Program: TSBVI’s Technology Loan Program is a lending library of technological devices available to all Texas students with visual impairments.Technology will be loaned for the benefit of any student in Texas eligible for services as a student with visual impairments.
Parents
Early Childhood Intervention Services: Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is a statewide program within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for families with children birth up to age 3, with developmental delays, disabilities or certain medical diagnoses that may impact development. ECI services support families as they learn how to help their children grow and learn.
Moms With Apps: Moms With Apps is a blog supporting the thoughtful use of technology with a family-friendly point of view. It provides a list of apps for special needs.
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children: Provides a variety of resources for children Early Childhood through college. It helps IEP’s and IFSP’s with resources for Blindness with Additional Disabilities, Braille, Cane Travel, Technology, Low Vision, Science and Math, and more.
Wonder Baby: Wonder Baby teamed up with Paths to Literacy to create a list of our favorite iPad apps for children who are blind or visually impaired.This list is categorized by apps great for stimulating the use of vision, honing fine motor skills or teaching cause & effect, great communication apps, apps that tell stories and one app that is really nice for calming down and relaxation
Employment
Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind Envision Dallas: Dallas Lighthouse provides opportunities and community for people in the North Texas area who are blind or low vision. The Lighthouse also works with people to help build independence in all areas of their lives, including rehabilitation, assistive technology, orientation and mobility training, and services for seniors. Envision also provides meaningful employment opportunities to people in the North Texas area who are blind or low vision
Texas Work Force: The Texas Work Force Commission is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas that provides unemployment benefits and services related to employment to eligible individuals and businesses.
Reading Websites
Book Share is an online nonprofit library, free to any U.S. student who qualifies with a print disability.This library is at no cost to students thanks to funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Additionally, in Texas, there is a companion training group, funded by the Texas Education Agency, called Accessible Books for Texas, where local outreach coordinators provide no cost local training to schools and families to learn to use the library and free reading technologies. Bookshare just crossed over a quarter million titles in the library collection and now serves more than 300,000 members, mostly children and adolescents in K-12 schools. Click Here for the Bookshare Youtube Channel
How to Read with Amazon Echo: Instructions on how to listen to Bookshare books using your Amazon Echo
Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD): is a part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Downloadable Books and Magazines. Access to the BARD website is restricted to eligible readers. You will need a login ID and password to access it. If you do not have them, review the criteria for participation by reading the BARD application instructions and, if you qualify, request an account.
Braille Institute Library: Braille Institute Library offers a free library of resources for the blind and visually impaired, including Braille books, audio books, computers, and numerous other services and resources that can help those experiencing vision loss.
Learning Ally: Learning Ally is a leading nonprofit education solutions organization that transforms the lives of early and struggling learners through proven solutions from Pre-K through high school, to help students reach their potential.
National Library: The National Libraray Service (NLS) is a free braille and talking book library service for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials. Through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS circulates books and magazines in braille or audio formats that are instantly downloaded to a personal device or delivered by mail free of charge
Seedlings Books: Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high quality, low-cost children's books in braille. Braille books are provided at each level of development, from toddler board books to classic literature for older children. It also provides free encyclopedia articles in braille for student projects and reports.
Texas Talking Books Library services for blind and physically disabled Texans: A service of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Providing free library service to Texans of all ages who are unable to read standard print material due to visual, physical, or reading disabilities-whether permanent or temporary. Their books are available on digital cartridge, Braille, large print, and cassette, and they loan playback equipment to be used with TBP materials. Their materials can also be downloaded from the Web via BARD by registered readers. Best of all, books are delivered right to your door, sent and returned through the mail, free of charge. The program offers more than 80,000 titles in fiction and nonfiction, plus 80 national magazines for adults and children. Hours are 8am-5pm Monday-Friday-1-800-252-9605 Toll-free in Texas OR 512-463-5458 in Austin
Camps and Recreation
CampCamp: CAMP strengthens and inspires individuals with special needs and those who care for them through recreation, respite, and education. Year round, CAMP provides recreational opportunities for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities, as well as their siblings, respite for family members, leadership development for high-school students/young adults, and hands-on educational experiences for healthcare professionals.
Camp Summit: Camp Summit provides barrier-free outdoor experiences for children and adults with disabilities since 1947. Traditional camp activities are adapted to each individual and implemented by trained, caring staff. Campers are grouped by age, providing the opportunity to make friends in peer groups while having fun and experiencing new adventures.
Candlelight Ranch: A haven for children and families, providing outdoor educational, recreational and therapeutic programs for children with special needs
Texas Lion’s Camp: Texas Lions Camp invites children to try things that they may have thought out of their reach, all in a safe and inviting atmosphere. They provide special camps for children with physical disabilities, children with Down Syndrome, and children with Type-1 Diabetes
Morgan's Wonderland: The world's first completely accessible family fun park in San Antonio
Support Groups
National Organization for Alibnism and Hypo pigmentation: National Organization for Albinism and Hypo pigmentation is a support group where people with albinism and their families can find acceptance, support and fellowship.
Home - Family Connect: This website connects parents of visually impaired children.
National Family Association for Deaf-Blind: The National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that has served families with individuals who are deaf-blind since 1994. Originally started by and for families, NFADB has expanded to include any interested individuals, professionals, organizations, and agencies that wish to empower the voices of families with individuals who are deaf-blind.
Texas Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (TAPVI): A non-profit organization for parents, family, and friends of children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities. TAPVI enables parents to find relevant information and resources, offers networking opportunities and events to connect families, fosters communication among agencies and organizations, and increases public awareness so our children are included in their community.
Texas Chargers: The letters in CHARGE stand for: Coloboma of the eye, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retardation of growth and/or development, Genital and/or urinary abnormalities, and Ear abnormalities and deafness. The Texas Chargers organization provides support to individuals with this syndrome and their families; to gather, develop, maintain and distribute information about this syndrome; and to promote awareness and research regarding its identification, cause and management.
We Connect Now: A Website that connects and integrates college students with disabilities as a virtual community with a voice on important issues with particular emphasis on college students and access to higher education and employment. The We Connect Now website has been up and serving college students with disabilities since April of 2008.
Other Resources
Give As You Live: A website for internet shopping that donates part of your transaction to the nonprofit of your choice
Give Realty: A unique and boutique Austin real estate company that believes in giving back to the community. When you buy or sell a home, 25% of Give Realty’s commission is donated to a nonprofit or faith based organization of your choice.
Gone for Good: Donate your items and identify the nonprofit you want the funds from their sale to go to. Turn your stuff into cash to do good. Refresh, renew, de-clutter, downsize. One call or click to Gone For Good and you're finished.