Description of Organization Types

Alternate Media Producer
These organizations produce books, textbooks, and other materials in alternative media—that is, in forms other than regular print that are accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired, such as braille, large print, audiocassettes, and e-books. This category also includes braille transcribers who convert specific materials into braille for individuals or groups on request, as well as companies that produce alternate media versions of other organizations' publications for distribution (such as by recording Talking Books). In addition to the organizations listed in this category, many school districts and educational agencies produce materials in alternate media for students, and many local libraries contain books in large-print and audio formats. See also the category of Instructional Materials Center.

Dog Guide School
The schools listed in this category train and provide dog guides for people who are blind and instruct blind people in how to work with their dogs. Individuals who are mature and able to care for a dog learn how to form a working partnership with a dog guide to negotiate the travel environment.

Educational Agency
Agencies listed in this category provide educational services to children from birth to age 21, but are not themselves schools. These services include early intervention, infant and preschool programs, outreach efforts, elementary and secondary school programs, and assistance with transitions from one service to another. Educational services may also be found by using the categories of Part C Early Intervention Agency, Infant/Preschool Program, and Special School.

Federal Agency
Listed in this category are departments and agencies of the U.S. or Canadian government that have responsibilities for overseeing or administering programs and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. In the United States, these include the agencies that are charged with implementing and enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; and various other agencies. In Canada, they include Human Resources Development Canada and a variety of federal departments that promote disability initiatives in their own areas.

Independent Living Program
The agencies listed in this category provide services under the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program (Title VII, Chapter 2, of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973), to visually impaired individuals over age 55 who are not candidates for vocational rehabilitation—that is, who do not have employment as their goal. These services may include training in the skills of daily living, provision of adaptive aids and appliances, low vision services, orientation and mobility (O&M) training, training in communication skills, family and peer counseling, and community integration.

Infant/Preschool Agency
This category identifies local agencies that provide early intervention services that are specifically geared for infants and preschool-age children who are blind or visually impaired. These services may include outreach to locate children who may require early intervention; educational and developmental services; counseling; health services; preschool; recreation; and the like. Services may be provided either in the child's home or in an agency or school.

Information/Referral Center
The organizations listed in this category provide general information about blindness and visual impairment, as well as referrals for additional information and services. These are generally nonprofit organizations, frequently national organizations or their local affiliates.

Instructional Materials Center (state-designated)
Most states have instructional materials centers (also known as instructional resource centers), whose function is the provision of adapted materials, such as braille textbooks, large print, and texts on tape, for visually impaired students, usually through either grade 12 or age 21. They also provide library functions and materials for professionals in the field. Their operation and funding differ; most are affiliated with state departments of education, but some are affiliated with schools for blind students, state departments for visually impaired persons, or U.S. Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped regional libraries. Instructional materials centers generally serve school districts rather than individual students or persons outside the school system.

Key State Agencies
The organizations listed in this category are the lead agencies in the state for services related to aging, early intervention, education, instructional materials, and rehabilitation. These agencies are places to begin looking for services in these categories or areas; they are able to give information and make referrals to specific local agencies. They may also provide services to people even if they do not live in the immediate area.

Library
Libraries are listed here that provide special materials and services for people who are blind or visually impaired but are not part of the National Library Service (see U.S. Library of Congress National Library Service Libraries).

Low Vision Service/Clinic
Organizations listed in this category provide special services for people with low vision—that is, individuals who are severely visually impaired but are usually able to use vision at least some of the time for some everyday activities. Services may include a low vision evaluation—a specialized examination to assess the abilities and needs of an individual with low vision— prescription of low vision aids and devices, and training in their use.

Manufacturer/Distributor of Adapted Products
Companies and organizations listed in this category provide a wide variety of products and devices adapted to assist people who are blind or visually impaired. Mail order and catalog companies and distributors carry the widest variety of these products, while other companies often specialize in only one or two areas. Products are classified in the following types.

• Audible and Tactile Signs and Warning Devices: Products that give information about the physical environment through aural or tactile means.
• Braille—Products and Software: Materials for producing braille, including computer programs and other tactile materials that aid literacy.
• Computer Products: Adaptive computer hardware and software that allow visually impaired people to gain access to information through computer technology, including optical character recognition systems, screen magnification systems, speech synthesizer, and Windows-based tutorials.
• Educational Products: Products and materials that help students who are blind or visually impaired and their teachers with their schoolwork and educational activities. These can include ordinary materials with tactile, large-print, scented, or "talking" (i.e., synthetic speech) features, as well as specialized materials for people with disabilities.
• Low Vision Devices: Products that help improve visual efficiency, such as magnifiers and other optical devices and nonoptical devices, such as high-intensity lamps.
• Medical Products: Products and devices that assist blind and visually impaired individuals with their health-related needs.
• Products for Deaf-Blind/Multiply Disabled Persons: Products specially designed for deaf-blind and other multiply disabled individuals
• Products for Independent Living: Products that help with everyday activities such as household management, personal care, and communication, often because they have tactile, large-type, or "talking" features.

Membership Organization—Consumer
Organizations listed in this section provide an opportunity for consumers in the field of blindness and visual impairment to become members and thereby participate in the organization's mission and receive representation as well as the benefits of membership.

Membership Organization—Professional
Organizations listed in this section provide an opportunity for professionals in the field of blindness and visual impairment to become members and thereby participate in the organization's mission and receive representation as well as the benefits of membership.

National Library Service Regional/Subregional Library
The U.S. Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, headquartered in Washington, DC, lends free reading materials on tape, disk, or braille through a network of regional and subregional libraries throughout the country to individuals who are unable to read regular print books because of a visual or physical disability. In addition, some of these libraries provide additional assistive equipment such as magnifiers or reading machines; resources such as volunteer readers; and materials such as large-print books and disability-related information and catalogs; as well as serving as reference libraries on blindness and visual impairment.

National Organization
Organizations in this category include those whose mission extends beyond providing services to individuals in a given local area. Generally they engage in such activities as advocacy, research, information and referral, and service for a defined constituency across the country or internationally.

National Publisher
This category lists companies that publish their own books and other materials in alternate media (braille, audio, large print, and/or e-book) for widespread distribution, usually for sale.

Part C Early Intervention Agency
This category identifies the agency in each state that oversees the provision of early intervention services to infants who are blind or visually impaired and their families. States in the United States are mandated by federal law to provide free early childhood services for children from birth to age 3 who have a disability or are at risk of developmental delay and their families. (See An Overview of Services and A Summary of Major Federal Programs for more information.) Early intervention typically includes such services as assessment of the child's condition and needs, developmental enrichment, and coordination of health and social services. The lead agency may be housed in a state department of education, health, human services, or rehabilitation, although some are in agencies outside the state system. These agencies can usually provide referrals to local programs.

Radio Reading Station
The organizations listed in this category broadcast information, such as newspaper articles, books, and consumer information, to people with visual, physical, and reading disabilities. They usually operate on unused radio frequencies and require a special receiver.

Rehabilitation Agency
The agencies listed in this category provide services directly to people who are blind or visually impaired. Types of services include rehabilitation (adjusting to blindness and learning to function in everyday activities, including O&M, communication, and daily living skills); counseling; vocational training and employment services; health and low vision services; recreation; computer training, and so forth. These agencies may provide services in residential facilities, schools or centers, or clients' homes. In addition, assisted living facilities provide independent living arrangements for blind or visually impaired individuals who are able to live on their own if certain services are available on the premises; residences for people who are blind or visually impaired provide various levels of care; and industries for the blind employ individuals who are capable of working in a protected environment.

Research Organization
Organizations listed in this category disseminate information and support research on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of eye diseases.

Social Service Organization
Organizations listed in this category provide services such as counseling, self-help, and support groups; homemaking services; and assistance with transportation, food, clothing, medication, and other services.

Special School
This category lists schools in each state that are specifically geared to serve children from kindergarten to grade 12 who are blind or visually impaired. These may be residential schools, day schools, or agencies that supply itinerant teachers to provide services either in school or student homes. They can be state schools or privately run. In addition to educational services, these schools may also provide a variety of related counseling, rehabilitation, health, low vision, outreach, and other services.

State Educational Services
This category identifies the state or provincial educational agency responsible for overseeing education services to visually impaired children—typically a division of the state or provincial Department of Education. Education services are usually provided to children from birth through age 21. This agency administers state funds for these services and provides consultation to local school districts and agencies on education services. It may provide referrals to local programs, although the local school district may be a more direct source of information.

State Rehabilitation Services
This service category identifies the state agency responsible for overseeing rehabilitation services in the state. Many states provide services for people who are blind or visually impaired through a separate state rehabilitation agency for blind persons, whereas others provide services through a division or department of the state vocational rehabilitation agency. Services vary from state to state. Generally, rehabilitation services are provided to adults who have recently lost their vision and are adjusting to blindness and to young adults who are making the transition from school to adulthood. Some states also provide rehabilitation services for children. The state rehabilitation agency generally provides services itself and usually has a network of local offices.

State Unit on Aging
Under the Older Americans Act of 1965, each state has established a State Unit on Aging. These agencies provide referrals to local agencies that specialize in services for older people—such as senior centers, home care agencies, geriatric medical practices, assistive living facilities, social work agencies and the like. They can also provide information on local Area Agencies on Aging, which coordinate aging services in their immediate areas.

University Degree/Certification Program
This category lists the educational programs at the university level within each state that offer degree programs and areas of concentration to prepare professionals to work with individuals who are blind or visually impaired in various capacities, such as teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired, O&M specialist, rehabilitation teacher, or rehabilitation counselor.

AFB Directory of Services, Copyright © 2001 American Foundation for the Blind. All rights reserved.

Advanced Search | How To | About the Directory | Overview | Glossary | Quick Links | Federal Programs

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.