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About AFB

The American Foundation for the Blind—the organization to which Helen Keller devoted her life—is a national nonprofit whose mission is to eliminate the inequities faced by the ten million Americans who are blind or visually impaired.

Annual Report 2008 | Possibilities | Board of Trustees | Contact Us | AFB eNews | Experts Guide | President and CEO Biography | AFB History | AFB Historical Facts

Press Room

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Living with Vision Loss

If you are among the more than 10 million people in North America who are visually impaired, you know how important it is to find ways to accomplish routine daily tasks....

Getting Around | Reading and Writing | Everyday Skills | Adapting Your Home | Recreation | Specialized Services | Independent Living Resources and Products | Glossary of Eye Conditions

Education

All children deserve equal access to a quality education. For most people, vision is fundamental to learning. But what happens when a child has a visual impairment?

Early Education | Families Working with Schools | K-12 | Skills for Success

CareerConnect

More than half of working-age Americans who are blind or severely visually impaired are not employed, but most would like to work. Find information and resources for job seekers, employers, and service providers to promote and support the employment of people who are blind or visually impaired.

For Job Seekers | For Employers | For Professionals | For Mentors | For Family and Friends | For Teens | Success Stories | CareerConnect Multimedia | Navigation Guide | CareerConnect FAQ

Technology

Braille

Learn more about the braille code's history, and how it is used today.

What is Braille? | Resources for Teachers of Braille | Braille Resources for Parents | DOTS for Braille Literacy | Where to Get Braille

Friends and Family

Tips for friends and family members of people who are visually impaired.

Etiquette | Help for an Older Relative | For Parents

Seniors

Age-related vision loss and blindness affects one in six—or 4.9 million—Americans age 65 and older.

Vision Loss After Fifty | Help is Available | Self-Advocacy

Professionals

Helen Keller

The Helen Keller Archives contain the Helen Keller Papers, the Helen Keller Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection, the Helen Keller Photograph Collection, and books from Helen Keller's library. This archive is a unique collection of material about an extraordinary person and an important American historical asset. Selections from the Archives can be found here, thanks to the generous support of The New York Times Company Foundation.

Helen Keller Biography | Photographs | Correspondence and Writings | Artifacts | Books About Helen Keller

Public Policy and Policy Research

AFB advocates before Congress and Executive Branch agencies on behalf of people who are blind or visually impaired. Find testimony and regulatory comments on issues and issue research affecting blind or visually impaired people and learn how to become an effective advocate. Subscribe to AFB's free electronic legislative network, AFB DirectConnect.

AFB's Rx Label Enable Campaign | Policy Research | Advocacy Resources | Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 501; Section 504 | Education Issues | Employment and Rehabilitation Issues | Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security Issues | Technology Issues | Telecommunications Issues | Transportation Issues | Voting Accessibility Issues | Public Policy and Policy Research Archive | Disability Language in House and Senate Telecommunications Bills

Understanding Vision Loss

All of us experience some degree of vision decline as we age. But once eye problems have made simple daily tasks difficult or impossible— and glasses and contacts don't help — chances are the reason isn't just a matter of "getting older."

Common Causes of Vision Impairment | Emotional Adjustment to Vision Loss | Visiting Your Eye Care Professional | Hearing and Vision Loss | Diabetes and Vision Loss | Vision Loss and Other Medical Conditions | The Human Eye | What Is Normal Vision? | What is Low Vision? | Glossary of Eye Conditions | Signs of Vision Loss | Medical Resources Roundup

Events

Find out about projects, events, and activities of the American Foundation for the Blind.

Access Awards | Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Awards | Gallagher Award | Helen Keller Achievement Awards | Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute (JLTLI) | Migel Medal Awards | The Stonewall Transition Conference | Families Connecting with Families Conference

Finding Help & Support

Vision loss never has to be faced alone.

There are some 1,400 agencies across the country devoted to helping individuals and families adapt to living with vision loss. For many, these agencies are entryways to support groups, rehabilitation programs, product referrals, and countless other services and resources that provide the makings of a viable support network—the key to independent living.

Professional Help | Featured Agencies | A Guide to Vision Loss for Friends and Family | Peer Support Groups | Your Rights: Practicing Self-Advocacy

Changing Your Home

The onset of vision loss naturally brings with it some anxiety about home safety and maintaining independence. The good news is that almost any home—whether it's a house or an apartment—can be made safer and easier to navigate with a few straightforward and often inexpensive modifications.

Home Survey Tours and Checklists | Throughout Your Home | Your Home Room by Room | Office Space | Adaptations in the Community

Daily Living

As everyday tasks become increasingly challenging, you may feel tempted to forgo them and, perhaps, surrender responsibilities to others. Don't.

In this section, you'll find suggestions and simple techniques that will help you to continue performing the tasks that make up your daily routine.

Cooking & Meals: Master Your Kitchen | Getting Around All Over Town | Caring for Yourself | At Home, At Ease | Taking Care of Business: Managing Your Finances | Home Repairs | Esther's Insights | Reading Tools and Techniques | Writing Tools and Techniques | Parenting or Grandparenting | Continuing to Work | Products

Fitness & Fun

Advancing vision loss can often discourage people from the recreational pursuits they always enjoyed. In some ways, this is understandable. When an activity becomes too much of a struggle, it simply isn't "fun" anymore. On the other hand, vision loss doesn't erase our basic need for the physical and mental rewards of play and relaxation. Whatever you do to keep fit and unwind, this section will help you stay in the game.

Hobbies: Crafts | Leading an Active Lifestyle | Game Night! | Reading and Vision Loss | Using a Computer | Woodworking Resources | The Garden Path | Flexibility

About AFB Senior Site

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) created AFB Senior Site to help older Americans and their family members cope with age-related eye diseases— a growing public health problem in this country.

AFB Senior Site Press Room | Featured Tips and Products Newsletter | Our Partners | Our Sponsors | Welcome Video | AFB Senior Site Videos

Publishing

JVIB

AFB Research Projects Archive

AFB Research Projects and Resources

Active Living Research | Livable Communities 2003 | Research Methods

Talking Book Productions

Talking Book Productions (TBP), a division of AFB, provides world-class audio production for commercial, education, government, and corporate markets.

"I Have a Dream" DAISY Demo | "Touch the Top of the World" DAISY Demo | "To Love This Life" DAISY Demo | Software Development Grant

AFB Consulting

AccessWorld Solutions, the consulting arm of the American Foundation for the Blind.

Who We Are and What We Do | Services | Publications and Presentations | Clients | Contact Us

Guide to Toys 2005

Ancianos

Seniors (Spanish)

Pérdida de la Visión Después de los Cincuenta | Ayuda disponible | Autodefensa | Posibilidad de empleo--La pérdida de la visión

Guide to Toys 2006

75 Years of AFB and Talking Books

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of AFB and Talking Books.

Key Dates | Fast Facts | Audio Clips

Guide to Toys 2004

National Agenda for Education

The National Agenda is a groundbreaking, historical statement of consensus in the field about how educational programs must change to meet the needs of students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the National Agenda, and members of the National Agenda Steering Committee have reevaluated the goals and strategies and the progress towards them. In addition, two new goals have been added, as well as strategies fo

Authors | Foreword | Foreword to the Original Edition | Introduction | What the Agenda Means for Children | Development of Agenda | Goal Statements | Importance of the Goals | Strategies | Achievement | Steering Committee | National Goal Leaders | Endorsements

Accessibility

The American Foundation for the Blind is committed to improving accessibility in all aspects of life—from cell phones to ATMs, on web sites and in workplaces.

Web Accessibility | Accessibility Laws | Accessible Workplaces | Cell Phones | Is Blogging Accessible? | Super Bowl Time! | Creating Accessible Computer Applications

AFB National Education Program

The goal of the National Education Program is to make a positive impact on significant national issues and concerns related to the education of children who are blind or visually impaired. In addition to addressing the shortage of personnel trained to teach children with visual impairments, the National Education Program is also committed to ensuring equal and timely access to textbooks and instructional materials for students who are blind or visually impaired.

JLTLI 2005 Education Summary | JLTLI 2004 Education Summary | JLTLI 2004 Work Group Documents | National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) | Specialized Education Services for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Cómo vivir con la pérdida de la visión

Guide to Toys 2002

AFB National Literacy Center (NLC)

The AFB National Literacy Center (NLC) in Atlanta, GA, develops and promotes a wide variety of initiatives to address the alarmingly low literacy rate among people who are blind or who have low vision.

National Literacy Center Board

AFB National Employment Center (NEC)

The AFB National Employment Center (NEC) in San Francisco, CA, addresses the unacceptably high unemployment rate among people who are blind and visually impaired.

National Employment Center Board

Welcome to the AFB Center on Vision Loss

AFB maintains an office in Dallas, TX, to help ensure that older Americans who are losing their vision receive the special assistance they need to maintain their independence, and over the next few years this office will expand.

Grand Opening | Grand Opening Photos | Preserving Independence | Bringing Focus to a Growing Problem | About the Campaign | The Importance of Leadership | AFB Plans Cutting-Edge Center | Message from the President | Focus on Judy Scott, Director | Center Board Members | Carl Augusto Welcome Video

AFB TECH

Talking Books

The Talking Books Program administered by the Library of Congress

Statistical Snapshots

Every seven minutes, someone in America will become blind or visually impaired. Find statistics here on the population of blind or visually impaired people in the United States, facts on the causes of vision loss, information on how people live with their visual impairment, and sources of assistance.

State Specific Statistical Information | Statistical Snapshots Archive | Facts and Figures on Americans with Vision Loss | Frequencies of U.S. Adults with Vision Loss | Special Report on Aging and Vision Loss | Diabetes and Vision Loss | Featured Resources for Employment Statistics | A Resource Guide to Disability Statistics | Key Definitions of Statistical Terms

Low Vision

Having low vision usually means having some usable vision, but vision loss can make everyday tasks difficult to do. Find information here about low vision and its causes and the techniques, devices, and technology available to help people with low vision make the most of the eyesight they have.

Living with Low Vision

Guide to Toys 2008

Justification of Separate State Agencies

Documents and links justifying the existence of separate state agencies for the blind

NCSAB Position Paper: Why Separate Agencies for the Blind? | RSA-911 Data Findings for FY 2005 | Rationale for Specialized Employment Services | Acquisition of Blindness-related Compensatory Skills | Delivering Services to People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired | A Joint Effort to Save Specialized Services | Specialized Rehabilitation Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons | Characteristics, Services, and Outcomes of Rehabilitation Consumers | Recommendations for Structure and Features of a Separate State Agency | Review of Research Studies: Separate vs. Combined Agencies | Status of STEM Education for Person with Disabilities | Examples of Specialized Services | NAC Report on Specialized Services

Learn About:

Information For:

Community Center:

Art Beyond Sight:
A Resource Guide to Art, Creativity, and Visual Impairment.

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AFB would like to hear from you. Please contact us with your comments and suggestions. Link to Us \| Site Map \| Policy Statement \| Copyright © 2008 American Foundation for the Blind. All rights reserved. Material provided on AFB.org is intended for information use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns about your health, please contact your health provider.