Resources for People Living with Disabilities

ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS

American Council of the Blind

American Foundation for the Blind

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living

Arizona Council of the Blind

Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition

Blinded Veterans Association-Northern Arizona Regional Group

National Federation of the Blind

National Federation of the Blind of Arizona

CATALOGUES FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

American Printing House for the Blind
Commercial Braille production house and source for adapted educational and daily living products - since 1858.

American Thermoform Corporation
Printers, embossers, translation software and other Braille supplies.

Howe Press
Manufacturer of the Perkins Brailler. A private non-profit organization serving the needs of people who are blind, deafblind and visually handicapped

Independent Living Aids
Low vision aids for independent living, including talking watches.

LS and S
Specializes in products for the blind, visually impaired, deaf, and hard of hearing.

Optelec
Specializing in electronic equipment for the blind and partially sighted.

MaxiAids
Leading provider of adaptive products, products for independent living and products designed to enhance your lifestyle

View Finder
Special low vision eyeglasses and custom microscopic and telescopic low vision aids

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind
Educating children and youth.

Clover Nook
Training and support for independent living, orientation and mobility instruction, vocational training, job placement, counseling, recreation, and youth services.

The Foundation for Blind Children
Arizona educational resource center for children and adults that combines training, counseling, communication and technology.

The Hadley School for the Blind
Offers more than 100 distance education courses free of charge to those who are blind, their families or blindness professionals.

The Perkins School for the Blind
Nationally recognized campus in Watertown, Massachusetts that specializes in educating children and adults who are blind, deafblind, or visually impaired with or without other disabilities.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
A center for educational services for all blind and visually impaired students in Texas.

ENTERTAINMENT

Ability Culture
Arts, entertainment and news for people living with disabilities.

Artability
A bridge between arts organizations and individuals with disabilities by promoting accessible programming in the arts and facilitating connections to services and resources.

The Media Access Group at WGBH - Descriptive Video Service
Delivering accessible media through captioning and audio descriptions.

LIBRARY SERVICES

Arizona Braille and Talking Book Library
A Regional Library of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Book Share
Online service that gives print disabled people in the United States legal access to more than 32,600 books and 150 periodicals that are converted to Braille, large print or text to speech audio files.

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

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
A national network of cooperating libraries providing a free braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children
More than 800 low-cost children's books in braille.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
On-demand educational recordings of books.

RADIO READING SERVICES

ACB Radio
A web-based radio station for people who are blind.

International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS)
An association of independently operated, volunteer-driven services that use audio technology to transform print into speech. Includes a listing of Radio Reading Services around the globe. Sun Sounds of Arizona is a proud member.

Narrative Television Network.
A web site containing Narrated movies with audio description for blind people..

NFB-Newsline
Toll-free call-in center providing audio access to more than 200 newspapers in English and Spanish.

REHABILITATION/ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living
Indepdent living and advocacy by, and for, people with disabilities. Offers and promotes programs designed to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community.

Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Provides assistive technology, counseling/social work, orientation and mobility training/rehabilitation teaching and social recreation services for adults who are legally blind or visually impaired as well as those who have a degenerative eye condition.

Arizona Department of Economic Security: Rehabilitation Services Administration
A state agency that provides that provides vocational rehabilitation services for people living with disabilities as well as programs and services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Associated Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired
A Philadelphia based agency that provides rehabilitation services, a computer technology center, radio reading information services, Braille services and an online newsletter.

Blinded Veterans Association
Promotes the welfare of blinded veterans through service programs, groups and benefits.

Eye Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
Dedicated to giving guide dogs to the blind and the visually impaired at absolutely no cost. Their German Shepherd dogs have been assisting individuals all over the world.

Guide Dogs for the Blind
Campus training services and extensive follow-up support for graduates. Services are provided to students from the United States and Canada at no cost to them.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind
A non-profit, charitable organization providing trained guide dogs for the visually impaired throughout the world.

Seeing Eye, Inc.
An organization located in New Jersey that provides guide dogs to blind people for orientation and mobility.

Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired
A non-profit agency serving visually impaired adults in Southern Arizona since 1964. By promoting independence, SAAVI enhances the quality of life for those with vision loss through programs offering services, skills training and social and recreational opportunities.

The Colorado Center for the Blind
A training center of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB).

RESOURCE WEBSITES

Arizona Department of Economic Security: Rehabilitation Services Administration
Comprehensive resource directory for people who are blind or or visually impaired

Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness and Visual Impairment

Disabled Online
Directory of services to benefit people with disabilities, including employment opportunities, recreational programs, and travel destinations. Also provides interactive tools, chat rooms and classifieds.

Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind
A source for blindness news and information since 1907

MD Support: The Eyes of the Macular Degeneration Community
This web site offers free information and personal assistance for people dealing with macular degeneration and similar retinal diseases. Follow the links in the menu to access their extensive resources.

Mortgage Loan
A guide for persons living with a disability and in need of useful information and assistance in buying a home.

Senior Living Strategies
Links seniors, caregivers and their families to national, regional and local resources, promoting active and quality living.

Tools for Tough Times
Arizona-focused opportunities and services, including tools for work, parents, finances, housing, health, and tools for seniors (provided by Arizona State Library).

TECHNOLOGY

Access Watch
This website continually reviews computer access products of all sorts and keeps tabs on the accessibility of main stream software as well.

Arizona Technology Access Program (AzTAP)
Promotes awareness of, access to and acquisition of assistive technology for persons living with disabilities. Services include equipment demonstrations, short-term equipment loans, training and even help with financing through their Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology program.

Dancing Dots
Serving blind musicians and their educators through technology and training.

Duxbury Systems
Braille translation software. Supports grade 1 and grade 2 translation in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Malaysian, Swedish, and other languages.

Freedom Scientific
Assistive and adaptive technology products including Braille note takers, screen readers, screen enlargement programs and other adaptive products for computers.

GW Micro
Computer company that sells screen readers and speech synthesizers.

Human Ware
Digital tools, braille note takers and other adaptive computer equipment.

Kurzweil Educational Systems Inc.
Developer of reading technology for people with learning difficulties, people who are blind or visually impaired.

PCS Games
Computer games for people who are blind.

Serotek
Producer of screen reading and specialized web browsing software, and host for an on-line community of blind people.

Vision Technology
Vision Technology makes magnification equipment for individuals with low vision.

VISION CARE: LOW COST OR FREE SERVICES

EyeCare America's Senior Eye Care Program:
Coordinated by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, this program provides free medical eye care to all US citizens, age 65 and older, who have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years and who don't have coverage through an HMO or the Veterans Administration. The program also offers a diabetes and glaucoma eye care program.
www.eyecareamerica.org
800-222-3937

Knights Templar Eye Foundation
This charitable foundation provides financial assistance for eye care to people under age 65 who don't qualify for Medicaid or who have private insurance, but can't afford to pay for care. Knights Templar also co-sponsors the EyeCare America's program.
www.knightstemplar.org/ktef
847-490-3838

Mission Cataract USA:
Coordinated by the Volunteer Eye Surgeons' Association, this program provides free cataract surgery to people of all ages who don't have Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance and have no means to pay.
www.missioncataractusa.org
800-3430-7265

Vision USA:
Coordinated by the American Optometric Association (AOA), Vision USA provides free eye care service to uninsured and low income workers and their families who have no means of obtaining care.
www.aoa.org
(click on "AOA Charities and Public Programs")
800-766-4466

New Eyes for the Needy
This international program distributes new prescription eyeglasses to people with limited incomes.
www.neweyesfortheneedy.org
973-376-4903

Local Lions Club:
Referral resource for eye-care and eye-glasses programs that are available in your area. Programs and eligibility requirements vary by community.
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_index.shtml
800-747-4448

Give the Gift of Sight:
Sponsored by Luxottical Retail and in partnership with Lions Clubs International, this program provides free screening and glasses to people who cannot afford them.
www.givethegiftofsight.com
513-765-6000
You can also contact LensCrafters to find a nearby store that offers this program.
www.lenscrafters.com
800-541-5367