AFB eNews

October/November 2009

AFB Launches the eLearning Center for Aging and Visual Impairment

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has launched a comprehensive web-based learning center for professionals working with seniors with age-related eye conditions, the eLearning Center for Aging and Visual Impairment. Developed by AFB Senior Site® and featuring 21 mini courses on topics related to aging and vision loss, the eLearning Center's goal is to give service providers the knowledge and skills needed to help older Americans with vision loss live active, independent lives.

AFB created the eLearning Center to fill an information gap on how to help seniors cope with age-related eye conditions—a growing public health concern. Available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, the AFB Senior Site eLearning Center provides busy professionals a convenient way to expand their knowledge of aging and vision loss. The curriculum was designed for professionals in the field of aging and vision loss, including rehabilitation specialists, social workers, occupational therapists, and more. The courses were created by experts from around the country and cover everything from the health and psychological aspects of vision loss to the tools seniors need to take charge of their lives and continue their favorite hobbies and activities.

In addition to the courses, agencies who sign a licensing agreement to offer the eLearning Center to their employees will have online access to the blindness field's premier research publication, the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (JVIB); up to six AFB Press ePublications; two webinars per year; and an expert in aging and vision loss to answer questions. Starting in 2010, courses will be available to individuals on an à la carte basis. Continuing education credits will be available from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).

To view the course listings, visit www.afb.org/seniorsite/elearning. Contact Pris Rogers, course administrator, at pris@afb.net to find out more about the eLearning Center's pricing structure.

News & Announcements

Helen Keller Statue Unveiled in Washington, DC
On October 7, 2009, a new statue of Helen Keller was unveiled in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol—one of two statues representing the state of Alabama. AFB President and CEO Carl R. Augusto was one of a distinguished line-up of speakers at the event, which included remarks from Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Alabama Governor Bob Riley, and more. You can read more about the event at AFB's blog, view some photos from the event at AFB's Flickr page, or read an article at PBS that includes a video clip from the ceremony.

AFB Press Expands ePublications Offerings
AFB Press has completed an initiative to put a number of its most important print publications into digital format and make them available online as e-books, significantly expanding the offerings in the AFB Press ePublications bookstore. AFB Press' ePublications are less costly than their print versions, and offer the convenience of accessing and searching books online. Readers can choose to purchase the entire book or individual chapters. Some of the new additions include the following popular titles: Autism Spectrum Disorders and Visual Impairment: Meeting Students' Learning Needs; Collaborative Assessment: Working with Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, Including Those with Additional Disabilities; When You Have a Visually Impaired Student with Multiple Disabilities in Your Classroom: A Guide for Teachers; selected chapters from the textbook Foundations of Low Vision: Clinical and Functional Perspectives; and additional classic articles from the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB). For the full list of offerings, visit the ePublications bookstore.

JVIB Debuts "Comment on this Article" Feature
JVIB has inaugurated an exciting new feature that allows readers to interact with the authors of articles, the editors of the journal, and each other online. Like the comments sections that appear in most online publications, the JVIB "comment on this article" feature is intended to build the JVIB Online community by fostering highly visible discussions. Through this new functionality, subscribers to the journal can create a screen name and publish a comment at the bottom of any article, report, or news item that appears in the issue. Log on to www.afb.org/jvib today and join the discussion!