The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP)
3333 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 11
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 [link opens in new window]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.

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.

Find An Audiologist

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.

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

Find An Eye and Ear Hospital

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.

American Association of the Deaf-Blind

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
1155 15th Street NW
Suite 1004
Washington, DC 20005
202-467-5081
800-424-8666
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.

American Dance Therapy Association

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.

Find Local Diabetes Groups and Services

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

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.

[all links on this page open in a new window] 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[link opens in new window]
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" [link opens in new window] 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
[link opens in new window]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.

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.

Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)

1703 N. 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[all links on this page open in new window] 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. 

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, contact the main office in Washington, DC:

Find a Low Vision Support Group

American Council of the Blind
1155 15th Street NW
Suite 1004
Washington, DC 20005
800-424-8666 (Toll free)
202-467-5081
202-467-5085 (Fax)

[all links open in a new window] 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.

Disabled American Veterans National Headquarters

3725 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY 41076
877-I Am A Vet (877-426-2838)
859-441-7300
www.dav.org
E-mail: https://www.dav.org/feedback.asp  
Additional contact information: www.dav.org/contact_us.html

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

E.A.R.S. for EYES Program
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.

Foundation Fighting Blindness

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: www.blindness.org/content.asp?id=5

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.

The Hadley School for the Blind
700 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093-0299
800-323-4238 (Toll free)
847-446-9916 (Fax)
www.hadley.edu[link opens in new window]
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.

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
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 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.

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

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[link opens in new window]

In addition to providing rehabilitation, low vision, and a wide range of vision rehabilitation services, Lighthouse International produces visionconnection.org[link opens in new window], 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 an innovative new add-on software tool that will enable millions of people worldwide with low vision to access previously inaccessible web pages.While existing programs enable blind people to access the web effectively, 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 highly anticipated program, which runs in conjunction with the Mozilla Firefox browser, will be offered at no charge and is expected to be available to the public for download via the Firefox add-on site. LowBrowse will work with Mozilla, IE and Mac and will be released by September 2008.

The Low Vision Gateway

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  

Find Low Vision Resources and Information

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.

Mississippi State University
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.

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.

Find Vision Rehabilitation and Low Vision Information

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 9000 titles and is accessible to anyone in the United States.

National Association of Blind Veterans

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

"BLIND VETERANS SERVING BLIND VETERANS"

The National Association of Blind Veterans (NABV) is a group of veterans, whose blindness is service-connected and not service-connected, 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[link opens in new window] (NBP) is a nonprofit braille printer and publisher offering braille books, magazines, textbooks, tests, and customized embossing services.

The National Braille Press Bookstore[link opens in new window] 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
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.

[all links open in a new window]

National Eye Institute
2020 Vision Place
Bethesda, MD 20892-3655
301-496-5248

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. 

National Federation of the Blind[link opens in new window]
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
• Possibilities Fair for Seniors

National Industries for the Blind
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 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.

National Large Cell Braille Foundation National Headquarters
2314 River Park Circle, #2111
Orlando, FL 32817-4828
407-281-0274
407-382-1594 (Fax)
No web site at this time 

The National Large Cell Braille Foundation (NLCBF) was founded in 1996 to address the lack of availability of large cell and jumbo dot braille.

Large cell braille uses the same size dot as standard braille. The difference is that the dots in large cell braille are spread slightly farther apart. This makes it easier for blind people who learn braille later in life, or who have sensitivity problems, to feel the individual braille dots. Another difference is that the letters and lines in large cell braille are slightly farther apart than in standard braille. 

The NLCBF intends to focus on three projects. The first is Hooked on Braille, a unique Grade 1 and Grade 2 large cell and jumbo dot braille course to help increase braille literacy among people who are blind and could benefit from these formats. The second project is the Large Cell Braille King James Bible, which will create, produce, and distribute a Grade 2 large cell or jumbo dot version of the Bible. The third project is to make as many materials as possible available in large cell and jumbo dot braille for people who are blind or visually impaired.

The Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
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 [link opens in new window] 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.

• Read the news release about the phase-out
• Read the news release about the competition to design a new digital talking book player, which will be called a "Dook".

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.

RP International
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 W. 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756
800-872-5273 (Toll free)
512-454-8631
512-206-9451 (TDD)
512-206-9450 (Fax)

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

United States Department of Veterans' Affairs

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

Find Eye Care, Vision Rehabilitation, and Low Vision Services

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.