The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP)
3333 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 2
Tucson, AZ 85719
520-887-6816
520-887-6826 (Fax)
E-mail: info@acvrep.org

ACVREP offers professional certification for vision rehabilitation and educational professionals. The Academy also provides a searchable database you can use to locate and check the certification credentials of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation & Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists in your home state.

Please note, however, that the ACVREP database will only return the names and locations (by state) of individuals who are already certified by ACVREP. It will not help you locate additional non-certified service providers in your state or local area.

Administration on Aging
Washington, DC 20201
202-619-0724
Find additional contact information here

The Administration on Aging (AoA) oversees the administration of programs and services authorized through the Older Americans Act (OAA).

The AoA web site hosts the Eldercare Locator that links older adults who need assistance with state and local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older Americans and their caregivers.

c/o Access Media Group LLC
960 Grand Avenue
San Diego, CA 92109
858-454-2145
www.allaboutvision.com

AllAboutVision.com was launched in January 2000 to provide consumers with an independent source of trustworthy information on eye health and vision correction options. The web site contains information about eye conditions, problems, diseases, and clinical trials.

American Academy of Audiology
Main Office:
11730 Plaza America Drive
Suite 300
Reston, VA 20190
800-AAA-2336 (Toll free)
703-790-8466
703-790-8631 (Fax)

The American Academy of Audiology is the world's largest professional organization of, by, and for more than 10,000 audiologists.

Use the Academy's "Find An Audiologist" searchable databse to locate an audiologist in your area.

American Academy of Ophthalmology
P.O. Box 7424
San Francisco, CA 94120
415-561-8500
415-561-8533 (Fax)
E-mail: comm@aao.org

Find An Ophthalmologist

Use the American Academy of Ophthalmology "Find an Eye MD" online database to locate an ophthalmologist in your area. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is a professional membership association for eye care physicians. It works to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care, provides information on eye health for consumers, and referrals to member physicians.

EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Their mission is to preserve sight by raising awareness about eye disease and providing access to medical eye care.

American Association of Eye & Ear Hospitals
1655 North Fort Meyer Drive
Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22209
703-243-8848
703-351-5298 (Fax)

Use the AAEEH Eye and Ear Hospitals locator to find an Eye and Ear Hospital that is a member of the American Association of Eye and Ear Hospitals.

The American Association of Eye and Ear Hospitals (AAEEH) is comprised of the premier centers for specialized eye and ear procedures in the world. Association members are major referral centers that offer some of the most innovative teaching programs and routinely treat the most severely ill eye and ear patients.

1629 K Street NW, Suite 950
Washington, DC 20006
800-840-8844 (Toll Free Voice/TTY)
202-457-0046 (Voice/TTY)
202-457-0473 (Fax)
www.aapd.com
E-mail contacts

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) organizes the disability community to be a powerful force for change – politically, socially, and economically – and recognizes the value of working in broad coalitions to foster unity, leadership, and impact. AAPD does not provide direct services to individual people with disabilities.

8630 Fenton Street, Suite 121
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3803
301-495-4402 (TTY)
301-495-4403 (Voice)
301-495-4404 (Fax)
www.aadb.org
E-mail: AADB-Info@aadb.org

AADB is a national consumer organization of, by, and for deaf-blind Americans and their supporters. "Deaf-blind" includes all types and degrees of dual vision and hearing loss.

Membership consists of deaf-blind people from diverse backgrounds, as well as family members, professionals, interpreters, and other interested supporters.

AADB is a nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors, the majority of whom are deaf-blind.

American Council of the Blind
2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650
Arlington, VA 22201
800-424-8666 (Toll free)
202-467-5081
202-467-5085 (Fax)

The American Council of the Blind (ACB), founded in 1961, is a membership organization of blind and visually impaired people. ACB has 51 state and regional affiliates and 20 national special interest and professional affiliates.

ACB's Braille Forum is a free monthly national magazine with a readership of approximately 26,000. It is produced in braille, large print, cassette, and IBM-compatible computer disc. ACB also produces a monthly half-hour radio information program, ACB Reports, for radio reading information services. It also distributes TV and radio public service announcements highlighting the capabilities of blind people.

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 108
Columbia, MD 21044
410-997-4040
410-997-4048 (Fax)
www.adta.org  
E-mail: info@adta.org

The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) works to establish and maintain high standards of professional education and competence in the field of dance/movement therapy.

ADTA stimulates communication among dance/movement therapists and members of allied professions through publication of the ADTA Newsletter, the American Journal of Dance Therapy, monographs, bibliographies, and conference proceedings.

American Diabetes Association
ATTN: National Call Center
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383)
E-mail: AskADA@diabetes.org

The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information, and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of communities.

Use ADA's searchable database to locate services and programs in your local area.

American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
800-232-5463 (800-AFB-LINE)
212-502-7600
212-502-7777 (Fax)
E-mail: afbinfo@afb.net

AFB Center on Vision Loss
11030 Ables Lane
Dallas, TX 75229
214-352-7222
E-mail: dallas@afb.net

AFB TECH
949 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
Huntington, WV 25701
304-523-8651
E-mail: AFBTECH@afb.net

Find Vision Rehabilitation Services and Support Groups

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) provides a 'Where Can I Find…' database of services in the United States and Canada. The database includes extensive resources, including computer training, rehabilitation services, volunteer services, employment and job training, support groups, and many other helpful areas.

In addition, the American Foundation for the Blind 

• Provides services to, and acts as an information clearinghouse for, people who are blind or visually impaired and their families, professionals, organizations, schools, and corporations
• Stimulates research and mounts program initiatives to improve services to blind or visually impaired people
• Publishes a wide variety of professional, reference, and consumer books and videos.

American Heart Association
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-AHA-USA-1 (1-800-242-8721)

The American Heart Association sponsors programs and events nationwide.

American Optometric Association
243 North Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
314-991-4100
314-991-4101 (Fax)

Find An Optometrist

Use the American Optometric Association's "Dr. Locator" online database to locate an optometrist in your area.

The American Optometric Association (AOA), founded in 1898 as the American Association of Opticians, is a professional association for optometrists and students of optometry. The AOA's goals are to promote the profession of optometry and to improve the public's eye health.

The AOA develops and distributes educational materials about vision and vision care, including an annual media campaign called "Save Your Vision Month." AOA also operates a library and museum which provide vision science materials and reference services.

American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc.
135 Parkinson Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
800-223-2732
718-981-8001
718-981-4399 (Fax)
E-mail: apda@apdaparkinson.org

The American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc. was founded in 1961 to "ease the burden and find a cure" for Parkinson's disease. Headquartered in New York, the organization focuses its energies on research, patient support, education and raising public awareness of the disease.

The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. and Adult Life Products
1839 Frankfort Avenue
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
800-223-1839 (U.S. and Canada)
502-895-2405
502-899-2274 (Fax)
E-mail: info@aph.org
catalogs@aph.org (request a catalog)

American Printing House for the Blind (APH) offers braille products, books, and supplies; large-print books; computer software and access; labeling and marking; lighting; low vision; mobility devices; personal care; recreation and leisure; talking products; and writing and reading devices.

American Stroke Association
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
1-888-4-STROKE (1-888-478-7653)

The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association and sponsors programs and events nationwide.

c/o Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
371 East Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787-2976
866-VETDOGS (866-838-3647)
www.guidedog.org/vetdogs.htm
E-mail: info@vetdogs.org

America’s VetDogs provides assistance dogs for disabled U.S. veterans of all eras and active duty military personnel: guide dogs for veterans who are blind, service dogs for those with disabilities other than blindness, physical therapy dogs to work with amputees in military and VA hospitals, and combat stress relief dogs that are deployed oversees with combat stress control teams as they help soldiers deal with combat and homefront issues, and sleep disorders.

Arthritis Foundation
P.O. Box 7669
Atlanta, GA 30357-0669
800-283-7800 (Toll free)

The Arthritis Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions. Founded in 1948, with headquarters in Atlanta, the Arthritis Foundation has multiple service programs located throughout the United States.

1703 North Beauregard Street, Suite 440
Alexandria, VA 22311
877-492-2708 (Toll free)
703-671-4500
703-671-6391 (Fax)
www.aerbvi.org
Contact AER

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) is the only international membership organization dedicated to providing support and assistance to the professionals who work in all phases of education and rehabilitation with adults and children who are blind or have low vision. Membership is comprised of more than 4,000 professionals who provide services to people with visual impairments.

The Low Vision Rehabilitation Division and the Orientation and Mobility Division offer on-line courses for professionals.

For a list of United States chapters of AER, see AER Chapters, state by state.

Blinded Veterans Association
477 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-2694
800-669-7079 (Toll free)
202-371-8880
202-371-8258 (Fax)
E-mail: bva@bva.org

The Blinded Veterans Association is an organization specifically established to promote the welfare of blinded veterans and offers many services to help veterans and their families meet the challenges of blindness.

BVA was and is the only veterans' service organization exclusively dedicated to serving America's blind and visually impaired veterans.

According to BVA, more than 100 service members have been blinded in Iraq and another 247 have lost vision in one eye.

Veterans don't have to lose their vision during military service to qualify for BVA assistance, and membership in BVA is not a prerequisite for any service.

Blindskills, Inc.
P.O. Box 5181
Salem, OR 97304-0181
800-860-4224 (Toll free)
503-581-4224
503-581-0178 (Fax)
E-mail: info@blindskills.com

The mission of Blindskills, Inc. is to disseminate resources and information to blind and visually impaired people and their families. Blindskills addresses this mission through its toll-free help line, web site, and bi-monthly publication, DIALOGUE: A World of ideas for Visually Impaired People of All Ages, which is available in five formats. Blindskills, Inc. also provides a toll-free number that can be used by anyone in the United States or Canada. 

www.brailleauthority.org
E-mail for BANA Chairperson: Jdix@loc.gov

The mission of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) is to assure literacy for tactile readers through standardization of braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA's purpose is to promote and to facilitate the use, teaching and production of braille.

BANA publishes rules, interprets and renders opinions pertaining to braille in all existing and future codes. It deals with codes now in existence or to be developed in the future, in collaboration with other countries using English braille.

In exercising its function and authority, BANA considers the effects of its decisions on other existing braille codes and formats; the ease of production by various methods; and acceptability to readers.

Center on Disabilities
Assistive Technology Training Program
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330
818-677-2578
818-677-4929 (Fax)
www.csun.edu/codtraining
E-mail: codtraining@csun.edu

The Center on Disabilities sponsors national and international assistive technology training programs to expand the knowledge base of professionals, and introduce newcomers to the disability field.

Programs aid participants in understanding the full impact of all forms of assistive technology and their potential areas of application. With over 2,500 graduates to date, the ATACP is the largest Assistive Technology certificate program and offers 100 hours of a wide range of practical Assistive Technology applications and information.

P.O. Box 693
Southport, CT 6890
203-254-3538
877-259-1977 (Subscriptions)
www.caregivershome.com
E-mail: info@caregivershome.com

Caregiver’s Home Companion is a monthly newsletter and national web site dedicated to addressing the information, resource, and community needs of family caregivers to the elderly. The newsletter is available both in print and online, and the web site includes current news and information for caregivers, as well as an archive of news, tips, and non-medical caregiving advice. The web site also offers community forums for caregivers to share their questions and experiences.

23 East Brundreth Street
Springfield, MA 01109
413-781-2274
www.choroideremia.org
E-mail contacts

The Choroideremia Research Foundation, Inc. is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to find a treatment or cure for Choroideremia, a rare inherited retinal degenerative disease that causes blindness.

Meet Josh Crary, a 23-year-old senior and resident advisor at the University of New Hampshire who also has CHM.

Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Local CCLVI affiliates are based in California, Delaware, New York, and Washington, DC. For more information, and to locate a low vision support group, contact the main office in Arlington, VA:

American Council of the Blind
2200 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 650
Arlington, VA 22201
800-424-8666 (Toll free)
202-467-5081
202-467-5085 (Fax)

1447 East Main Street
Spartanburg, SC 29307
864-585-1778 (Voice)
864-585-2617 (TTY)
864-585-2611 (Fax)
www.dcmp.org
E-mail: info@dcmp.org

The DCMP is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the National Association of the Deaf. Services provided include:

• Free-loan accessible (captioned and described) educational videos (streamed from the DCMP website or available on DVD) for K-12 students with vision or hearing loss. Teachers, parents, family members, and other adults who work with qualifying students may register for a free lending account.
• Clearinghouse of accessibility information focusing on the educational use of captioned and described video.
• Training resources for captioning and description service vendors, including a registry of "U.S. Department of Education-approved" captioning and description vendors.
• Gateway to information from a number of partner/collaborator organizations associated with the fields of vision and hearing loss.

DisabilityInfo.gov is the federal government's one-stop web site for information of interest to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and many others.

The site compiles information about state and federal legislation regarding disabilities, health care, education, social security and other benefits, civil rights, transportation, and technology. Of particular interest are the resources for Assistive and Adaptive Technology.

3725 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY 41076
877-I Am A Vet (877-426-2838)
859-441-7300
www.dav.org
Contact information

With more than 1.4 million members, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is an organization of disabled veterans who are focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families.

DAV provides free assistance to veterans in obtaining benefits and services earned through their military service. It is fully funded through membership dues and public contributions. It is not a government agency and receives no government funds.

DAV's largest endeavor is the National Voluntary Service Program. In 88 offices, a corps of 260 National Service Officers (NSOs) and 26 Transition Service Officers (TSOs) directly represent veterans with claims for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. This free service is available to all veterans.

The National Voluntary Service Program operates an extensive network of programs through which veterans and concerned citizens provide services for their disabled veterans, including:

• The Transportation Network, which provides veterans with rides to and from VA medical facilities for treatment
• The Voluntary Service Program, which facilitates volunteers at VA hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes through the VA Voluntary Service Program.

Additional programs and services include:

• Legislative Information and Updates
• Transition Services
• Disability Evaluation
• Claim Representation
• Mobile Service Schedule
• Veterans' Information Seminars
• Homeless Veterans Initiative
• Disaster Relief

6222 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 260
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-623-4466
310-623-1837 (Fax)
www.discoveryeye.org  
E-mail: ContactUs@DiscoveryEye.org

The Discovery Eye Foundation supports research, education and advocacy
related to sight-threatening eye diseases and their treatments,
improving the quality of life for patients and their families.

The Foundation supports research and helps patients throughout the world by providing accurate information, up-to-date education, a newsletter, and responsive personal attention.

1-800-843-6816
www.earsforeyes.org
E-mail: info@earsforeyes.org

Find Audiotapes that Teach Adaptive Daily Living Skills

E.A.R.S. for EYES is a nonprofit public charity that provides free self-study audiotapes that teach adaptive daily living skills to people who are blind and visually impaired, along with their caregivers. The lessons are modeled after current blind rehabilitation techniques and include the following topics: eating skills, kitchen techniques, food preparation, getting around in the house, grooming, doing laundry, managing medications, and using the telephone.

Find Low Vision Support Groups in Your Area

Use The E.A.R.S. for EYES National Directory of Low Vision Support Groups to find a low vision support group in your local area.

National Center on Caregiving
180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94104
800-445-8106 (Toll free)
415-434-3388
www.caregiver.org
E-mail: info@caregiver.org

Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research and advocacy.

FCA's National Center on Caregiving offers information on current social, public policy, and caregiving issues; provides assistance in the development of public and private programs for caregivers; publishes timely reports, newsletters, and fact sheets; and assists caregivers nationwide in locating resources in their communities.

For residents of the greater San Francisco Bay Area, FCA provides direct family support services for caregivers of those with Alzheimer's disease, stroke, ALS, head injury, Parkinson's, and other debilitating health conditions that strike adults.

1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
877-535-7575 (Toll free)
202-884-8441
www.familysupportclearinghouse.org
E-mail: familysupport@aed.org

The Family Support Center on Disabilities: Knowledge & Involvement Network was funded in 2008 by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They offer a centralized resource to individuals with disabilities, their families, and the public on the full range of options available.

11435 Cronhill Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117-2220
800-683-5555 (Toll free)
800-683-5551 (Toll free TDD)
410-568-0150
410-363-7139 (Local TDD)
www.blindness.org
E-mail: info@FightBlindness.org
Find a local chapter

The mission of The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. 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.

700 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093-0299
800-323-4238 (Toll free)
847-446-9916 (Fax)
www.hadley.edu
E-mail: info@hadley.edu

The Hadley School for the Blind offers more than 90 tuition-free distance education courses to blind or visually impaired individuals, their families and professionals working in the blindness field. The four study areas include Adult Continuing Education, High School, Family Education, and Professional Education.

The mission of The Hadley School is to promote independent living through lifelong, distance education programs for blind people and their families.

Meet Don Golembiewski, M.A, CVRT, Director of Outreach at the Hadley School for the Blind.

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
National Office Headquarters:
141 Middle Neck Road
Sands Point, NY 11050-1218
Switchboard hours: 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
516-944-8900 (Voice)
516-944-8908 (VP)
516-944-8637 (TTY)
516-944-7302 (Fax)
E-mail: hkncinfo@hknc.org

Regional Representative contact information: www.hknc.org/FieldServicesREGREPADD.htm

The Center provides services to youth and adults who are deaf-blind according to the definition of deaf-blindness in the Helen Keller Act. The national center in New York and regional offices that serve each state provide advocacy, support groups, information, and services to people who have both a vision and a hearing loss.

The mission of the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) is to enable each person who is deaf-blind to live and work in his or her community of choice. Authorized by an Act of Congress in 1967, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults is a national rehabilitation program serving youth and adults who are deaf-blind.

5141 Door Drive
Madison, WI 53705
608-233-3464 (Telephone and Fax)
www.inthezonule.com  
E-mail: mail@inthezonule.com  

Provides national educational seminars in low vision rehabilitation to rehabilitation professionals, including, but not limited to, vision rehabilitation professionals, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy practitioners.

www.ilusa.com
E-mail: itodaynews@ilchv.org
Directory of Independent Living Centers

The aim of Independent Living USA is to create a directory of resources for independent living that will serve as a vehicle for helping individuals with disabilities to develop online business and web related opportunities.

Independent Living Centers are typically non-residential, private, non-profit, consumer-controlled, community-based organizations providing services and advocacy by and for persons with all types of disabilities. Their goal is to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential within their families and communities.

Independent Living Centers serve as a strong advocacy voice on a wide range of national, state, and local issues. They work to assure physical and programmatic access to housing, employment, transportation, communities, recreational facilities, and health and social services.

www.infoeyes.org

InfoEyes Project Co-Coordinators:

Linda Rossman, Reference Services Librarian
Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library
E-mail: linda.rossman@perkins.org

Catherine A. Durivage, Director
Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library
E-mail: catherine.durivage@state.mn.us

InfoEyes is a question and answer service for people with visual impairments or other print limitations. Ask a question about anything by scheduling an appointment to talk live with a librarian on the Internet.

50 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10004
917-305-7700 (Voice)
917-305-7999 (TTY)
917-305-7888 (Fax)
866-954-2681 (VRS)
www.lhh.org
E-mail: info@lhh.org
New York programs and services

2900 West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 3
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
954-601-1930 (Voice)
954-601-1338 (TTY)
954-601-1399 (Fax)
866-954-2681 (VRS)
www.lhh.org
E-mail: fl@lhh.org
Florida programs and services

The League was founded in New York in 1910 and provides services for people of all ages with all degrees of hearing loss: people who are hard of hearing, deaf and deafblind, and their families.

Lighthouse International
111 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1202
800-829-0500 (Toll free)
212-821-9200
212-821-9713 (TDD)
E-mail: info@lighthouse.org

In addition to providing rehabilitation, low vision, and a wide range of vision rehabilitation services, Lighthouse International produces VisionConnection.org, a one-stop, accessible resource on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation for people who are blind or have low vision, the professionals who work with them, the family and friends who support them, and anyone looking for the latest information on prevention, research, and treatment.

LowBrowse™

Lighthouse International has announced a new add-on software tool that will enable millions of people worldwide with low vision to access previously inaccessible web pages. LowBrowse™ enables people with moderate or severe low vision to both view web pages as the original web author intended and read the text on those pages tailored to their own visual needs. The program runs in conjunction with the Mozilla Firefox browser, is offered at no charge, and is available for download via the Firefox add-on site. LowBrowse will work with Mozilla, IE and Mac.

www.lowvision.org

The Low Vision Gateway provides information and resources about vision loss, vision impairment, blindness, low vision aids and devices, and low vision rehabilitation services.

Find A Low Vision Specialist

Listing of Doctors who provide Low Vision Services:
www.lowvision.org/professi.htm  

Use LowVision.com to find information about eye conditions, low vision rehabilitation services, and low vision resources.

The Find a Low Vision Provider database can help you locate a low vision service provider near you.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (RRTC)
P.O. Drawer 6189
Mississippi State, MS 39762
662-325-2001
662-325-8989 (Fax)
662-325-8693 (TDD)

Find Vision Rehabilitation and Low Vision Information

The mission of the RRTC is to enhance employment and independent living outcomes for individuals who are blind or visually impaired through research, training, education, and dissemination.

The Information and Referral Resource Project provides information and network links by state on the following topics: low vision services, organizations, products, publications, radio reading services, rehabilitation and blindness resources, sports and recreation.

The Business Enterprise Program is a training and entrepreneurial program that teaches individuals who are blind or have low vision to manage and run businesses, most often vending operations, including snack bars and cafeterias in schools, corporate offices, and Federal and state facilities.

Project H.I.R.E. (Hip, Independent and Ready for Employment) is conducting empirical research on transition services that lead to competitive employment outcomes for transition-age individuals with blindness or other visual impairments.

The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) is a non-profit advocacy organization comprised of a coalition of 55 professional, consumer and industry organizations involved in eye and vision research. NAEVR's goal is to achieve the best eye and vision care for all Americans through advocacy and public education for eye and vision research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute (NEI) and other federal research entities.

National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH) (NAVH) assists clients in locating services and resources in their area, which are appropriate for the visually impaired. These services and resources include low vision services, eye care specialists, state agencies and nonprofits committed to serving the visually impaired, and emotional support services. Some information on international services is also available.

NAVH New York City
22 West 21st Street 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010
888-205-5951
212-255 2804
212-727 2931 Fax
E-mail: staff@navh.org

NAVH San Francisco
507 Polk Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94102
888-205-5951
415-775-NAVH (6284)
415-346-9593 Fax
E-mail: staffca@navh.org

NAVH's mission is to help the "hard of seeing" worldwide cope with the psychological effects of visual impairment and to provide low vision services, visual aids and training to anyone in need of these services.

NAVH's Low Vision Aids Catalog offers magnifiers, light bulbs, lamps, clocks and watches, writing aids, electronic devices, and other products. NAVH's large print free-by-mail library offers over 9,000 titles and is accessible to anyone in the United States.

259 Regal Downs Circle
Winter Garden, FL 34787
707-430-0324 (Phone and Fax)
www.nabv.org  
E-mail: President@nabv.org  

The National Association of Blind Veterans (NABV) is a group of veterans whose blindness is both service-connected and not service-connected, and who are concerned about the welfare and well-being of other blind veterans.

The mission of NABV is:

• To serve as a division of the National Federation of the Blind
• To be a vehicle for collective action by the blind veterans of the nation
• To function as a mechanism through which blind veterans and interested sighted persons can come together to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life for blind veterans
• To promote the cultural, vocational, and social advancement of blind veterans
• To achieve the integration of blind veterans into society on a basis of equality with the sighted
• To be a major resource for blind veterans and to focus on issues that particularly impact blind veterans
• To take any other action which will improve the overall condition and standard of being a blind veteran.

Web site services include the NABV Listserv, Find My Congressman, and Find My Senator.

National Braille Press
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
888-965-8965 (Toll free)
617-266-6160
617-437-0456 (Fax)

National Braille Press (NBP) is a nonprofit braille printer and publisher offering braille books, magazines, textbooks, tests, and customized embossing services.

The National Braille Press Bookstore has books for adults and children, print books for sighted teachers and parents, and braille gifts. 

Everything Braille provides sources of braille publications, adaptive technology, tactile graphics, braille fun and games, and braille music.

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
800-900-8086 (Toll free)
E-mail: ncpad@uic.edu

Find A Personal Trainer

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) provides information, resources, and guidelines on beginning an exercise program, as well as fact sheets on many popular activites, games, recreational pursuits, and sports that have been adapted to allow people with disabilities to participate as fully as they wish, and become as active as they wish.

NCPAD maintains an online searchable database of personal trainers who are experienced in helping people with a range of disabilites and health conditions.

National Eye Institute
2020 Vision Place
Bethesda, MD 20892-3655
301-496-5248
E-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov

The National Eye Institute (NEI) was established by Congress in 1968 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people. As one of the Federal government's National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NEI conducts and supports research that helps prevent and treat eye diseases and other disorders of vision. Part of the NEI mission is to develop public and professional education programs that help prevent blindness, reduce visual impairment, and increase awareness of services and devices that are available for people with low vision.

NEI news is a good source of information about:

• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Cataracts
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Glaucoma

A downloadable School Program for Grades 4-8 entitled VISION is part of a nationwide public education program designed to mark the 25th anniversary of the National Eye Institute. The curriculum supplements can be used by a teacher and/or a guest speaker. 

10400 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500
Kensington, MD 20895-3944
800-896-3650 (Toll free)
301-942-6430
301-942-2302 (Fax)
www.thefamilycaregiver.org
E-mail: info@thefamilycaregiver.org

The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) educates, supports, empowers and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability or the frailties of old age.

National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-659-9314
410-685-5653 (Fax)

"The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of information that exist."

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the largest membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB works to improve blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs that encourage independence and self-confidence. The NFB has affiliates in all 50 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and over 700 local chapters. In January 2004, the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind. To find the local chapter in your area, go to State Affiliates of the NFB.

Programs and services include:

• The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind
• NFB-NEWSLINE®
• NFB-LINK®
• Jacobus tenBroek Library
• NFB Scholarship Program
• Braille Readers Are Leaders Program
• Braille Is Beautiful
• NFB ShareBraille
• Possibilities Fair for Seniors

1310 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314-1691
703-310-0500
www.nib.org
Contact NIB  

The mission of National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining, and improving employment.

NIB’s Business Leaders Program prepares individuals who are blind for careers in business. By providing educational and employment opportunities, this program encourages professional development and transforms high-potential employees and participants into successful business people and future business leaders.

NIB operates under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act and the AbilityOne Program, a federal purchasing program that enables people who are blind to work and provide products and services to federal and commercial customers.

NIB mentors and supports its agencies through business development; product and service research and development; program management; distribution channel development and support; marketing; sales and contract administration.

6222 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 260
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-623-4466
310-623-1837 (Fax)
www.nkcf.org
E-mail: info@nkcf.org

The National Keratoconus Foundation (NKCF) is an outreach program of the Discovery Eye Foundation. The mission of NKCF is to advance the awareness and treatment of keratoconus through education and information, research, and support. NKCF serves individuals diagnosed with keratoconus and their families.

The Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
National office address:
1291 Taylor Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
202-707-5100
202-707-0744 (TDD)
202-707-0712 (Fax)

Find Braille and Talking Books

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), [link opens in new window]Library of Congress, administers the Braille and Talking Book Library Service, a free program that loans recorded and braille books and magazines, music scores in braille and large print, and specially designed playback equipment to residents of the United States who are unable to read or use standard print materials because of visual or physical impairment.

Local cooperating libraries throughout the United States mail NLS audiobooks, magazines, audio equipment, braille books, and braille magazines directly to enrollees at no cost. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving Talking Books, please click here to fill out a request form. Talking books and magazines and braille publications are delivered to eligible borrowers by postage-free mail and through a network of cooperative libraries. Religious publications include: Bibles, Other Scriptures, Liturgies, and Hymnals in Special Media.

Search the NLS catalog for braille and talking books, braille and large print sheet music, digital books, maps, and more.

Update:

On March 1, 2007, the National Library Service announced that C-1 and E-1 cassette players would no longer be produced. This gradual phase-out of cassette technology will make way for the production and distribution of digital talking books and players.

During the digital transition, NLS will continue to circulate and repair cassette book machines through the year 2011 until the digital transition is complete.

8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 600
Landover, MD 20785
800-346-2742 (Toll free)
301-459-5900
301-459-5984 (TTY)
301-459-4263 (Fax)
www.naric.com
E-mail: naricinfo@heitechservices.com

The NARIC web site provides disability- and rehabilitation-oriented information organized in a variety of formats, including searchable databases and timely reference and referral data.

549 Millburn Avenue
P.O. Box 332
Short Hills, NJ 07078
973-376-4903
973-376-3807 (Fax)
www.neweyesfortheneedy.org

New Eyes for the Needy purchases new eyeglasses for poor children and adults in the United States and recycles donated glasses for distribution to people in need in developing nations worldwide.

Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02472
617-924-3434
E-mail: info@perkins.org

The Perkins Scout is a comprehensive resource for information about blindness and visual impairments. Topics include general information on blindness, resources for persons who are 55+, help for families, cooking and kitchen safety, gardening, orientation and mobility, adjusting to blindness, transition, and many other resources for educators and other professionals.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
866-RFBD-585 (866-732-3585)
800-221-4792 Member Services Department
E-mail: custserv@rfbd.org

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), a nonprofit volunteer organization, is an educational library that serves people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability. Their stated mission is to create opportunities for individual success by providing, and promoting the effective use of, accessible educational materials.

1700 North Moore Street, Suite 1540
Arlington, VA 22209-1903
703-524-6686
703-524-6639 (TDD/TTY)
703-524-6630 (Fax)
www.resna.org
Contact information

The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) is dedicated to improving the potential of people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology.

RESNA promotes research, development, education, advocacy and provision of technology, and supports the people engaged in these activities. RESNA's membership ranges from rehabilitation professionals to consumers to students. All members are dedicated to promoting the exchange of ideas and information for the advancement of assistive technology.

645 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10022 800-621-0026 (Toll free) 212-752-4333 www.rpbusa.org E-mail: inforequest@rpbusa.org

Research to Prevent Blindness is the leading non-government supporter of eye research with the goal of developing more effective treatments, preventives and cures for all diseases of the visual system that damage and destroy sight. The RPB web site can be used to view educational animations, read about the most recent developments in eye research, and to order free literature on eye diseases.

22 Bonad Road
Winchester, MA 01890
781-368-9094
781-368-9096 (Fax)
www.rfr.org 
E-mail: info@rfr.org

Publishes a wide range of publications that enable people with disabilities and chronic conditions to remain independent:

• Individuals with a disability or chronic condition
• The parent of a child with a disability
• The adult offspring of an older parent with one or more disabilities
• A professional service provider

Also produces a series of large print materials designed for distribution to clients and patients.

P.O. Box 900
Woodland Hills, CA 91365
818-992-0500
818-999-3265
www.rpinternational.org
E-mail: info@rpint.org; rpint@pacbell.net

RP International provides information, counseling, visual aids, and research funds for a range of degenerative retinal diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and Usher's Syndrome.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1100 West 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756
800-872-5273 (Toll free)
512-454-8631
512-206-9451 (TDD)
512-206-9450 (Fax)

Find Education and Rehabilitation Resources

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) offers a broad range of educational services provides useful resources and links of national relevance, including:

University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary
1855 W. Taylor Street M/C 648
Chicago, IL 60612
312-996-6590
www.agingeye.net
E-mail: sjain@eyedigest.com

A publication of the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary that provides information on a wide range of eye diseases and disorders, including macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, cataract, dry eye, and low vision.

40 West 27th Street, 4th Floor
Suite 400A
New York, NY 10001
212-686-5505
www.thevisionarymediagroup.org
E-mail: TVMG@mac.com

The Visionary Media Company is a non-profit organization that finds employment opportunities for blind musicians, artists, composers, vocalists, and audio professionals.

www.va.gov 
Contact the VA

The mission of the Veterans' Healthcare System (VHA) is to serve the needs of America's veterans by providing primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services. Approximately a quarter of the nation's population -- approximately 70 million people -- are potentially eligible for VA benefits and services because they are veterans, family members or survivors of veterans.

Facilities Locator Home Page: 
Use this search feature to locate VA facility-related information quickly and accurately.

Fact Sheets about VA Services:
Use this search feature to locate VA News Releases and Fact Sheets on topics that include health care and benefits.

Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Veterans:
The mission of the VA Blind Rehabilitation Service is to coordinate a healthcare service delivery system that provides a continuum of care for blinded veterans extending from their home environment to the local VA facility and to the appropriate rehabilitation setting.

Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST):
The Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator serves as the initial contact person for getting help with vision loss. VIST Coordinators are located at local VA Medical Centers across the country. They work to ensure that veterans with visual impairments receive appropriate benefits and services.

The VIST Coordinator is a case manager who has major responsibility for the coordination of all services for legally blind veterans and their families. Duties include providing and/or arranging for the provision of appropriate treatment plans and programs in order to enhance a blinded veteran's functioning level.

Other duties include identifying new cases of blindness, providing professional counseling, resolving problems, arranging annual healthcare reviews, and conducting education programs relating to blindness.

Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Locations:
Use this feature to locate a VIST Program near you. 

Services for blind and visually impaired veterans include:

• Orientation and Mobility
• Independent Living Skills
• Manual Skills
• Visual Skills and Low Vision Services
• Computer Access Training
• Physical Conditioning
• Recreation
• Adjustment to Blindness
• Family Program

230 Peach Tree Drive
West Monroe, LA 71291-8653
318-396-1853
www.viewinternational.org

View International is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3) with the mission of creating environments in which blind and sighted children and adults work and learn together.

5707 Brockton Drive, Suite 302
Indianapolis, IN 46220-5481
317-254-1332
317-251-6588 (Fax)
www.visionww.org
E-mail: info@visionww.org

Vision World Wide provides medical information and emotional encouragement to the vision impaired and their families, serves as a communication link between the vision impaired and the caregiving community, serves as a consumer protection organization, and aims to enlighten the general public about issues, trends and treatments related to vision loss.

Services include:

• Consumer Protection
• Telephone Helpline
• Free Journal - Vision Enhancement
• Free Email Webletters and Tek Talk Bulletins

VisionConnection is Lighthouse International's accessible online resource about vision impairment and vision rehabilitation for people who are blind or have low vision, the professionals who work with them, the families and friends who support them, and anyone looking for the latest information on prevention, research, and treatment. Search VisionConnection for information about eye conditions, research findings, and professional services.

Use the Lighthouse International/VisionConnection 'Help Near You Locator' database to find information about agencies and services in the United States and overseas. By entering your home address, the VisionConnection database will locate the agency that is closest to you.

5761 Middlecoff Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
866-396-7035
www.worldaccessfortheblind.org
E-mail: daniel.kish@worldaccessfortheblind.org

World Access for the Blind, a non-profit organization, uses a modern, no limits approach to equalize opportunities for the success of blind people.

World Access for the Blind "…strives to improve the quality of interaction between blind and sighted people by facilitating equal access to the world's resources and opportunities. We are interested in more than meeting the minimum requirements for functioning and life satisfaction. We believe in mutual respect, consideration, and accommodation of blind and sighted people by society. We will also help to mobilize resources, facilitate collaborations, and provide specialized expertise in nonvisual human perception to guide and focus the development of effective and respectful strategies and technologies to expand nonvisual capabilities."