For a number of Texas Education Agency resources related to Visual Impairments, go to:
- TEA – Services to Students Who Are Blind or Have a Visual Impairment
- Texas Education Agency’s Texas Sensory Support Network (TxSSN) – Overview of Visual Impairments
- Texas Statewide Leadership for Blind & Visually Impaired (Region 11 ESC) – Through the network of the 20 Regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) around the state and in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Statewide Leadership for Blind & Visually Impaired is providing a mechanism to access training, technical assistance, support, and resources.
- Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) – The website of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired who works with Local Education Agencies, parents and guardians, students with visual impairments, and Education Service Centers from throughout the state of Texas. Site includes Required Parent Info for ARDs, Downloadable Braille Materials, Instructional Strategies & Tools, Assessments, Resources, etc.
- TSBVI – Educating Students with Visual Impairments in Texas: Guidelines & Standards
- Sensory Impairments and Specific Learning Disabilities (pdf)
- The Legal Framework for the Child Centered Special Education Process (Region 18 ESC) – Visual Impairment and Special Factors
- Sample form to be provided to All families – Benefits of Braille (english & en espanol)
******
Accessible Book Collection – This website provides information about the Accessible Book Collection, a private non-profit corporation that provides digital text of copyrighted high interest/low reading level books. “Digital text can be a real boon for students who are vision impaired, have difficulty tracking, can’t turn pages, or who need to increase their reading speed.”
American Council of the Blind – The website of the American Council of the Blind. The site includes resources, legislative issues and their monthly magazine “Braille Forum”
American Foundation for the Blind – The website of the American Foundation for the Blind, “dedicated to addressing the critical issues of literacy, independent living, employment, and access through technology for the ten million Americans who are blind or visually impaired.”
American Printing House for the Blind – The website of the American Printing House for the Blind, “the world’s largest nonprofit organization creating educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are visually impaired.”
Be My Eyes – A free app that connects blind and low vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call.
Bookshare – This is an accessible online library for individuals with print disabilities.
Center for Parent Information and Resources – See Visual Impairment, Including Blindness. Also available in Spanish.
Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center – The CCRC is a residential vocational rehabilitation training facility that serves adults who are legally blind by helping them learn alternative techniques to prepare for, find or retain employment, attend a college, university or trade school, and live independently in the community.
Family Connect – For parents of children with visual impairments, an online community that can offer tips and support from other parents of children who are blind or visually impaired. Also available in Spanish.
Foundation Fighting Blindness – mission is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic) – This is the website of the world’s largest producer of audio textbooks and literature.
Lighthouse for the Blind – There are various divisions of Lighthouse for the Blind in the State of Texas. See the American Foundation for the Blind’s Directory of Services for a listing of local services in your area.
Manolo – This is the Manolo.net website dedicated to the needs of Spanish speaking people who have low vision or blindness. It contains information on special education, assistive technology, and sports as well as links to other organizations and resources. The website is entirely in Spanish.
National Braille Press – The web site of the National Braille Press, a non-profit Braille printing and publishing house established in 1927.
National Center on Accessible Educational Materials – This site provides resources for educators, parents, students and others interested in learning more about and implementing Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) and the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). The website features decision-making tools and videos to assist students who have difficulties with traditional print-based instructional materials.
National Federation of the Blind – This is the website for the National Federation of the Blind whose purpose is to “help blind persons achieve self-confidence and self-respect and to act as a vehicle for collective self-expression by the blind.”
Project IDEAL – A website devoted to providing teacher preparation, but a good resource for families. They have specific online training modules on Managing Behavior. This project also offers a definition & characteristics of those with Vision Impairrments.
Right Hear – This app allows users to orient themselves inside of an Accessible Zone and hear helpful information about their surroundings.
Texas Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments – TAPVI provides support to the families of children who have blindness or visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities. TAPVI enables families to find information and resources, as well as connect and network with one another. We offer leadership, support, and training to assist families in helping children reach their full potential in school and in the community.
Texas Health & Human Service Commission, Division for Blind Services – DBS assists blind or visually impaired individuals and their families. Depending upon their goals and needs, DBS offers services to help regain independence or find a job.
Texas Parents of Blind Children (TPOBC Facebook Group) – The state chapter of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a division of the NFB, a national membership organization of parents and friends of blind children, working together to ensure the best possible future for blind youth by: promoting blindness skills, fostering self-esteem, and utilizing adult role models with vision impairments to build a solid foundation for a productive life with the maximum independence.
Texas State Library Talking Book Program – This program provides free library services to Texans of all ages who are unable to read standard print material due to visual, physical, or reading disabilities – whether permanent or temporary. To register and use the service, you must complete an application and have it certified.
Texas Workforce Commission – Here you can find information on TWC vocational rehabilitation services for people with physical or cognitive disabilities, including blindness or visual impairment.
Please submit any Links you feel would be appropriate using the SHARE YOUR SITES link.
