Agencies that Serve People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 800.424.8666
Web: www.acb.org
National consumer organization with local, state, and special-interest affiliates; providing support, information, referral, and advocacy.
Association for the Education and Rehabilitation
of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)
Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: 703.671.4500
Web: www.aerbvi.org
Professional organization offering continuing education opportunities, publications, a Listserv, job postings, etc.
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 800.232.5463
Web: www.afb.org
Provides comprehensive information on every aspect of blindness and visual impairment and a searchable database of nationwide services.
Associated Blind, Inc.
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.683.4950
Web: www.tabinc.org
Focuses on career and employment opportunities and offers an accessible web site, professional development workshops, and interning opportunities.
Braille Authority of North America (BANA)
Web: www.brailleauthority.org
Promotes and facilitates the standardized use, teaching, and production of braille through their braille formatting books. Many of these books are available through this catalog in the professionals section.
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
Toronto, ON M4G 3E8
Phone: 416.486.2500
Web: www.cnib.ca
Consultant and resource agency for the helping professions, government departments, and private industry throughout Canada.
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 888.232.7733
Web: www.cec.sped.org
Professional organization that seeks to improve educational outcomes through professional standards and continuing development. CEC provides an active Division on Visual Impairments that provides publications and continuing education opportunities.
Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB)
Aberdeen, SD 57401
Phone: 605.626.2580
Web: www.cosb1.org
Professional organization serving as an information clearinghouse and advocate for areas of interest related to residential schools.
DB-LINK: The National Information Clearinghouse on Children who Are Deafblind
Monmouth, OR 97361
Phone: 800.438.9376
Web: www.tr.wou.edu/dblink
Identifies, coordinates, and disseminates free information related to children and youths who are deafblind (ages 0-21 years).
Hadley School for the Blind
Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: 800.323.4238
Web: www.hadley-school.org
Provides academic, personal enrichment, compensatory, or rehabilitation education through free home study courses for parents, family members, professionals, and paraprofessionals.
Hilton/Perkins Program of the Perkins School for the Blind
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617.924.3434
Web: www.perkins.org
Conducts training activities for programs and staff serving children who are multihandicapped blind or deafblind and provides support services for parents.
Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)
Washington, DC 20542
Phone: 202.707.5100
Web: www.loc.gov/nls
Library network that provides free braille and recorded materials to individuals unable to read standard printed material. The Braille Development Section of NLS also offers a program of courses leading to certification as a braille transcriber or proofreader.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202.872.0888
Web: www.n4a.org
Manages Elder Care Locator, (800.677.1116) a free telephone service with information for seniors about health and social service resources in their community.
National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI)
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 800.562.6265
Web: www.spedex.com/napvi
Operates a national clearinghouse for information, education, and referrals for parents of blind or visually impaired children.
National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703.519.3800
Web: www.nasdse.org
A professional organization emphasizing special education laws, regulations, and policy issues.
National Braille Association (NBA)
Rochester, NY 14623
Phone: 585.427.8260
Web: www.nationalbraille.org
A professional organization providing continuing education through seminars, workshops, consultations, and the publication of instructional manuals for braille transcribers.
National Council on Disability (NCD)
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202.272.2004
Web: www.ncd.gov
NCD is an independent federal agency that makes recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting people with disabilities.
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone: 410.659.9314
Web: www.nfb.org
National consumer organization, with local and state chapters and special-interest divisions that provide information, advocacy, and employment programs.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: 800.221.4792
Web: www.rfbd.org
Records educational and reference materials that are not available on tape or disc from other sources, in areas such as history, math, science and economics. There is a registration fee for this service.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Blind Rehabilitation Service
Washington, DC 20420
Phone: 202.273.8481
Web: www.va.gov/blindrehab/index.cfm
Assists veterans in making an emotional and behavioral adjustment to blindness through courses designed to promote independence.
Vision World Wide
Indianapolis, IN 46220
Phone: 800.431.1739
Web: www.visionww.org
Provides information, education, guidance, support and consumer protection, not only to the blind and visually impaired, but to the many professionals (medical, social, and technical) who serve them.