Description of Services
Aging Services
All services specifically targeted to adults who are
visually impaired and over age 55. May include direct
services, such as training in the skills of daily living,
provision of adaptive aids and appliances, low vision
services, family and peer counseling, or referrals to
local agencies that specialize in services for older
people, such as senior centers, home care agencies,
geriatric medical practices, and assistive living
facilities.
Audiodescription/Videodescription
Descriptions and explanations of the visual aspects of
films, television programs, or plays to make them
understandable to individuals who are blind or visually
impaired. Training of guides, describers, docents, or
anyone who provides or is interested in providing this
kind of narration.
Braille/Audio/Large-Print Production
Creation of materials in braille, audio, or large print
upon the request of agencies or individuals.
Community Outreach Programs
Screening and other related activities conducted in the
community to identify and assist blind and visually
impaired individuals in need of assistance.
Computer Training
Training in the use of appropriate computers and
assistive technology.
Consultation/Technical Program Assistance
Advice, assistance, and consultative support by specialized
staff to local school systems, teachers of visually
impaired students, and other agencies or professionals who
work with blind and visually impaired persons.
Counseling/Social Work/Self-Help
Clinical evaluations, counseling, referrals, and support
provided by professionals, such as psychologists and
counselors, to visually impaired individuals and family
members who may need them.
Distance Education
Off-campus programs for students who are working toward
degrees or certification in specializations in the field
of blindness and visual impairment.
Dog Guide Training
Schools that train and provide dog guides for people who
are blind and offer instruction on how to work with a dog
guide to negotiate the travel environment.
Early Intervention/Infants
Services provided to infants, usually from birth to age 3,
and their families to enhance an infant's development.
Includes assessment of the child's condition and needs,
developmental enrichment, and coordination of health,
social, and related services.
Education Services
Services related to the education of blind and visually
impaired children and young adults, usually from birth
through age 21. Includes agencies that provide adapted
instructional materials and state and other agencies
responsible for overseeing educational services to blind
and visually impaired students.
Employment/Job Training
Career and skill counseling, prevocational evaluation,
career preparation training, and vocational placement.
Health Services
General medical and related services, such as eye
evaluations, treatment of eye conditions, genetic
counseling, and other assistance.
Independent Living/Rehabilitation Services
Training in daily living and work activities, such as
home management, personal management, communication,
travel, and other adaptive skills.
Information and Referral
General information about blindness and visual impairment
and referrals to sources of other information and services.
Library Services
Organized, often formal, collections of materials in print
or other formats for blind and visually impaired
individuals and the professionals who work with them.
Literacy Programs
Instruction and training in alternate methods of reading,
such as the use of braille and optical devices, to promote
literacy among blind and visually impaired persons.
Low Vision Centers and Services
Agencies that test and evaluate a client's vision;
prescribe appropriate optical devices; provide support,
follow-up, and referrals to other appropriate agencies
and professionals; and supply nonoptical (e.g., lamps,
filters, bold-lined paper, writing guides) and optical
devices (e.g., magnifiers, microscopes, telescopes) and
training in their use.
Newspaper Reading Services
Readings of articles from selected newspapers that are
provided by phone or over the radio for blind and visually
impaired persons.
Orientation and Mobility
Training in the use of systematic techniques by which
people who are blind or visually impaired orient
themselves to their environment and move about
independently.
Parent Assistance
Consultation and referrals to appropriate agencies,
parent workshops, and in-home visits and support services
provided to parents of blind and visually impaired children.
Preschool Programs
Programs specifically geared for infants and preschool-age
children who are blind or visually impaired.
Products Available for Sale
Agencies that sell products for use by clients who are
blind or visually impaired.
Professional/Diagnostic Assessment of Clients
Specialized processes by which practitioners determine
the present needs and skill levels of clients.
Professional Training
Programs such as workshops, seminars, and in-service
meetings whose objective is to train personnel who work
with blind and visually impaired people.
Radio Reading Services
Readings of newspaper articles, books, and consumer
information for people with visual, physical, and reading
disabilities that are broadcast over the radio, usually
over otherwise unused frequencies.
Recreation Services
Leisure activities, such as those related to arts and
crafts, sports, music, and drama, provided for blind and
visually impaired persons.
AFB Directory of Services, Copyright © 2012 American Foundation for the Blind. All rights reserved.
If you would like to give us feedback on the data in the Directory of Services, or if you know about new organizations, please contact us at afbdirectory@afb.net.
