Organizations That Help People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)
A professional membership organization dedicated exclusively to professionals who provide services to persons with vision loss.
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
Promotes effective participation of blind people in all aspects of society.
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Provides services, contacts and important information for people who are blind or visually impaired and their families, professionals, organizations, schools, and corporations.
Blind Veterans Association
To promote the welfare of blinded veterans so that, notwithstanding their disabilities, they may take their rightful place in the community and work with their fellow citizens toward the creation of a peaceful world.
BOSMA ENTERPRISES
Every day, we continue a nonprofit mission begun over 100 years ago—helping adult Hoosiers who are blind or visually impaired gain the life skills they need to remain independent, and the job skills they need to stay self-sufficient.
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
A non-profit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. We deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion.
Family Connect
A website created by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) to give parents of visually impaired children a place to support each other, share stories and concerns, and find resources on raising their children from birth to adulthood.
Foundation Fighting Blindness
We are driving research to find cures for blinding retinal diseases.
Lighthouse International
Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals.
Macular Degeneration Foundation
A charitable foundation raising awareness of the disease.
My Blind Spot
Their mission is to advance equal access and promote understanding, respect, and opportunity for people who are blind, visually impaired and print disabled.
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
An organization that offers a wide range of programs and services for people affected by visual impairments. A primary goal of NFB is to raise awareness about the capabilities of people who are visually impaired, as well as the expectations of them.
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
We’re the Royal National Institute of Blind People, one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities and the largest community of blind and partially sighted people.
Advocacy for the Blind
National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities
NLCSD’s primary purpose is to increase the number of highly skilled doctoral scholars who will become leaders in administration, higher education, policy and education in order to significantly improve the interventions, services, and outcomes for children with sensory disabilities (deafness/hard of hearing, deafblindness, blindness/visual impairment), ages birth to 21.
The Public Advisory Council
Consists of leading advocacy, policy and consumer organizations in the field of sensory disabilities. The PAC functions to provide feedback to the project about the development and implementation of the project curriculum towards reflecting the most rigorous and recent knowledge base, and the progress of the project toward meeting its goals.
Educational Resources and Schools
American Printing House for the Blind
The world’s largest nonprofit organization creating educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are visually impaired. Provides textbooks and educational materials for legally blind students.
The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind
Promotes all phases of education and employment for all ages who are blind and visually impaired.
Bookshare
An Accessible Online Library for people with print disabilities. You can download free books, Braille books, and tools for people who are blind or visually impaired.
The Braille Authority of North America
The mission of the Braille Authority of North America is to assure literacy for tactile readers through the standardization of Braille and/or tactile graphics.
Braille Works
Braille Works is one of the nation’s leading providers of reading materials for people who are blind, visually impaired, or reading impaired. Making the World A More Readable Place™ has been our mission from day one. We are creative and innovative because our customers expect it.
The Council of Schools and Services for the Blind (COSB)
A consortium of specialized schools and agencies in Canada and the United States whose major goal is improving the quality of services to children who are blind and visually impaired.
Enhanced Vision Resources by State
Enhanced Vision is a leading developer of assistive technology for the visually impaired including Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts, Retinitis Pigmentosa and Diabetic Retinopathy . Low vision assistive technology enables people to read, write and fully participate in life.
Guide Dogs for the Blind
We are more than an industry-leading guide dog school; we are a passionate community serving people who are blind or low vision.
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths & Adults (HKNC)
The International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
The world’s major association of individuals and organisations concerned with equality of access to appropriate education for children and youth with vision impairment.
International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)
The IGDF is comprised of over 95 member organizations, whose purpose is to serve people who are blind, or vision impaired around the world, by training and providing Guide Dogs. It has a growing and thriving membership with a small executive office based in Reading, UK
Learning Ally for the Blind and Dyslexic
A volunteer, nonprofit organization that provides literature and textbooks in a digital audio format to people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Offers professional employment services, peer support, travel resources, assistive technology resources, manuals and handbooks, and networking and membership resources, among other resources.
National Braille Press
NBP empowers the blind and visually impaired with programs, materials, and technology supporting braille literacy and learning through touch.
Nature for All
A list of Braille nature trails and sensory gardens available to the public to increase awareness and use of the increasing number of such trails in the United States and around the world.
Paths to Literacy
A site for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Perkins School for the Blind
A leading national and international organization focused on providing educational services to children and young adults who are blind, deafblind, or have multiple disabilities. Headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, Perkins partners with organizations throughout the United States and the world.
Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Resources and education to help each student who is blind or visually impaired become successful members of their communities.
Vision Loss Resources
Whether you were born with an eye disease or blindness or are new to vision loss, this site is for you. It’s also for friends and loved ones and for professionals.
A Master List of Worldwide Resources maintained by the New York Institute for Special Education
Resources Supporting Technology
Organizations that have a special place in my heart
St Louis Society for the Blind
to enhance independence, empower individuals, and enrich the lives of people who are visually impaired or blind.
The Seeing Eye
A philanthropic organization whose mission is to enhance the independence, dignity, and self-confidence of blind people through the use of Seeing Eye® dogs.
Challenge Aspen
Since 1995 the Challenge Aspen community has believed that access, inclusive participation and a supportive community are the foundation to encourage wellness and for establishing rewarding lives for individuals living with physical and/or cognitive disabilities. Our programs are created to embrace these ideals connecting, empowering and inspiring those we serve.
Foresight Ski Guides
To promote fitness, athletic skills, personal achievement and self-esteem for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. We provide challenge recreation opportunities by making snow sports easily accessible and affordable.
Steamboat Stars
To empower and enrich lives through adaptive recreational activities. STARS was formed in 2007 by a group of parents, ski instructors, and management from Steamboat Ski Corporation to help provide improved winter recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.
World Services for the Blind Formerly LWSB Lions World
Serves people who are blind and visually impaired who needed to learn independent living skills or job training skills that considered the special requirements of their individual visual impairment.