Resources for Vision Disabilities
Blind and Visually Impaired Resources
1. Link to NLS Reference Circular titled "Assistive Devices for Use with Personal Computers" http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/assistive.html
2. Iliad - Web Navigational Tool
3. "A Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired" by the American Council of the Blind http://www.acb.org/accessible-formats.html
4. Home Pages of Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals: Camera Obscura, http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/blind.html#home
5. Home Pages of Persons with visual Impairments and Blindness in the NY Institute for Special Education's Blindness Resource Center, http://www.nyise.org/homepage.htm
6. JAWS for Windows Screen Reader Product Information: newest version is 3.5, Price $795; Visit Henter-Joyce home page at www.hj.com
7. Window-eyes 3.1 Screen Reader Product Information: Price $595; Visit GW Micro, Inc. www.gwmicro.com
8. Tactile Talking Mouse: Screen Rover is a motorized mouse that provides tactile and verbal feedback. It seeks out new windows or dialog boxes as they appear on a computer screen. Visit Betacom Corp, www.betacom.com
9. Software for Completing Forms: Verbal-eyes, new assistive technology software that enables visually impaired persons to fill our forms on-line. It scans the user's computer to determine if a screen reader is active, the software will decipher the form on the screen for the user. For more information contact Terri Pummill, Pummill Business Forms, 616-475-1204 or website: www.futureforms.com
10 . HotBraille.com is a free braille transcription service.
11. Web-Braille - Braille readers can read or download books from the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Register for this service through your regional library for the blind and physically handicapped. For online information, see the press release, http://www.loc.gov/nls/nls-wb.html
12. Interactive Tutorials for the Blind or Visually Impaired Do you have a potential employee with a visual impairment who needs to brush up on his or her computer skills? TECSO has developed interactive tutorial kits on how to use Windows 98, Microsoft Word, and the Internet. Each kit includes a CD-ROM tutorial, a user's manual in alternative formats, and a tactile guide in large print and braille that reproduces screen images. The user can feel how a typical Windows screen "looks". The tutorials can be used with JAWS or Window-Eyes screen reading software. The tutorials are available in several languages, and cost $148-198. TECSO Inc. 1717 Ren¿-L¿vesque Blvd. East, 2nd Floor Montreal (Q\\uebec), H2L 4T3 Canada Phone: (514) 590-4218 Fax: (514) 590-4228 E-mail: info@tecso.qc.ca http://www.tecso.qc.ca/ (U.S. distributors listed)
13. Braillerman provides complete Perkins Brailler repair, updating, and general reconditioning. Contact Ackley Appliance Service, factory trained, complete inventory of factory parts, certified, prompt turnaround, reasonable charges, work guaranteed. 515-288-3931, Des Moines IA, email: aackley@braillerman.com
Further Resources below:
ADVOCATES AND PARENTS OF OKLAHOMA'S SIGHT IMPAIRED (APOSI)
c/o Alvena Stephens, 405-32-0806. Statewide organization of parents of visually impaired children. Also contact Beth Pratt, 405-685-2542.
AFFILIATED LEADERSHIP LEAGUE OF AND FOR THE BLIND OF AMERICA
1101 17th St. NW, Suite 803, Washington DC 20036; 202-833-0092.
AMERICAN ACTION FUND FOR BLIND CHILDREN AND ADULTS
18440 Oxnard St., Tarzana, CA 91356; 818-343-2022.
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
1155 15th St. NW, Suite 720, Washington DC 20005; 202-467-5081 or 800-424-8666. Organization of citizens who are blind and visually impaired. Information, advocacy, special interest organizations, scholarships, public education, policy and program consultation, special projects. Provides national computer bulletin board with legislative news, adaptive aid catalogs, resource lists, issue documents, technology assistance and other items. Summer national conventions exhibit array of adaptive devices for the blind and also feature national meetings of affiliate groups.
Affiliate Organizations (contact ACB for information)
Assistance Dogs, www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/dog/Assist.htm
AMERICAN BLIND LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF BLIND LIONS
ACB GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
ACB RADIO AMATEURS
ACB SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
BRAILLE REVIVAL LEAGUE
COUNCIL OF CITIZENS WITH LOW VISION
COUNCIL OF FAMILIES WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
COUNCIL OF REHABILITATION SPECIALISTS
FRIENDS IN ART
GUIDE DOG USERS, INC.
INDEPENDENT VISUALLY IMPAIRED ENTERPRISERS
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY CIRCLE OF THE BLIND
LIBRARY USERS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED INFORMATION
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLIND STUDENTS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLIND TEACHERS
RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA
VISUALLY IMPAIRED DATA PROCESSORS INTERNATIONAL
VISUALLY IMPAIRED PIANO TUNERS INTERNATIONAL
VISUALLY IMPAIRED SECRETARIAL TRANSCRIBERS ASSOCIATION
VISUALLY IMPAIRED VETERANS OF AMERICA
AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND
Public education, publications, research, consultation for program development, legislative information and issues advocacy. For an AFB Publications Catalog or to order specific publications call 718-852-9873; fax 718-935-9647. AFB toll free number is 800-232-5403 (800-23-BLIND). Main number at New York headquarters is 212-502-7600; address is 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001.
Legislative and Issue Information: AFB Information Network, 1615 M St. NW, Suite 250, Washington DC 20036; 202-457-1495. Provides updates and action bulletins on key issues such as civil rights, access, health care, Social Security, adaptive technology, etc.
National Initiative on Literacy: 100 Peachtree Street, Suite 620, Atlanta, GA 30303;
404-525-2303.
AFB Midwest: 401 N. Michigen Ave., Suite 308, Chicago, IL 60611; 312-245-9961.
AFB Southwest: 260 Treadway Plaza, Wxchange Park, Dallas TX 75235; 214-352-7222.
AFB West: 111 Pine Street, Suite 725, San Francisco, CA 94111; 415-392-4845.
AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND
1839 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY; 800-233-1839. Prints braille and large print textbooks; supplies teaching aids.
ASSOCIATED BLIND OF OKLAHOMA-TEXAS CREDIT UNION
501 N. Douglas Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73106; 405-236-0344. 800-643-6705.
ASSOCIATION FOR BLIND ATHLETES
Check through athletic department at Parkview School.
ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED - OKLAHOMA CHAPTER
P.O. Box 53174, Oklahoma City, OK 73152; 405-951-3500 (information). Professional organization of rehabilitation providers and educators in the field of blindness. National Headquarters: 206 N. Washington St., No. 320, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-548-1 884.
ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED - OKLAHOMA CHAPTER
3535 NW 58th Street, Ste 500, Oklahoma City, OK 73112; 405-951-3400 (information). Professional organization of rehabilitation providers and educators in the field of blindness. National Headquarters: 206 N. Washington St., No. 320, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-548-1884.
BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION - OKLAHOMA CHAPTER
c/o C.E. Waddle, 920 N. Meridian, Oklahoma City, OK 73107; 405-942-2829.
BRAILLE and LARGE PRINT GREETING CARDS
Prophecy Designs, Inc., P.O. Box 84, Round Pond, ME 04564; 207-529-5318.
BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT TELEGRAMS
Western Union, 800-257-2241.
BRAILLE CHRISTMAS CARDS
Demarsio Family, 246 Dale Ave., Mansfield, OH 44903; 419-522-5708.
BRAILLE PROJECT
Austin Junior Women's Federation, Margarine Beaman, 515-385-6935 or 515-451-4802. Providing braille for public buildings, elevators, trails, banks, and other public places.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
P.O. Box 2082, Oklahoma City, OK 73101; 405-524-6227 (Vicky Golightly) for information. Social and recreational activities, peer support, community service, advocacy.
DEAF-BLIND SERVICES
Visual Services, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Deaf Blind Specialist: Glenda Famum. VS #73, 300 NE 18th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73105; 405-522-0507. DRS also administers the Oklahoma Telecommunications Program which can provide adaptive equipment needed for telephone access and home access by persons who are deaf-blind, in addition to persons with severe hearing and speech impairments.
DESCRIPTIVE VIDEO SERVICE
For a large print catalog of home videos (movies) with audio description of visual events write DVS Home Video, P.O. Box 64428, St. Paul, MN 55164; 800-736-3099 ext. 31.
FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE BLIND
4058 Moore St., Los Angeles, CA 90066. The organization accepts requests for financial assistance for adaptive aids and other needs.
GUIDE DOG TRAINING SCHOOLS
Eye of the Pacific Guide Dogs and Mobility Services
747 Amana Street, #407, Honolulu, HI 96814; 808-941-1088.
Fidelco Guide Doa Foundation
P.O. Box 142, Bloomfield, CT 06002; 203-243-5200.
Guide Dogs for the Blind. Inc.
P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 9491 5-1200; 415-499-4000.
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
371 E. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787; 516-265-2121.
Guiding Eves for the Blind
611 Granite Springs Rd., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; 914-245-4024.
Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 Rochester Rd., Rochester, Ml 78307; 810-651-6011.
Pilot Dogs
625 Westtown St., Columbus, OH 43215; 614-221-6367.
Seeing Eye. Inc.
P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375; 201-539-4425.
HANDICAPPED FOR CHRIST
Social, recreational, and peer support organization in central Oklahoma area. Contact Lawrence Williams, 405-789-0962 or Bill McPherson, 405-942-3398.
HANDICAPPED FOR CHRIST - SHAWNEE
1915 E. 10, Shawnee, OK 74801; 405-275-4006 or 405-275-6023, both after 4 p.m. All disability support group which also promotes community awareness. Kathy Chancellor, President; Paul Shofstall, Vice-President (405-878-0679). Meetings second Thursday each month, 7 p.m. at Shawnee Library.
HELEN KELLER NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEAF-BLIND
111 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, NY 11050; 516-944-8900 Voice; 516-944-7302 FAX; 516-944-8637 TTY. For deaf-blind individuals age 18 or over, the Helen Keller Center provides evaluation and rehabilitation services such as orientation and mobility, communication and life skills, and other pre-vocational training. The Center has ten regional offices, with one in Dallas. Visual Services Deaf-Blind Specialist Glenda Farnum coordinates arrangements for Oklahomans to receive services from Helen Keller Center.
HELPING HANDS LIONS CLUB
P.O. Box 2281, Oklahoma City, OK 73101; 405-524-3035. Lions club with membership of blind and visually impaired persons.
The LIGHTHOUSE, INC.
36-02 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101-1614; 800-829-0500. Hours are 8:30 to 5:00 EST, Monday-Friday. Product catalogs are available in large print, braille and audio cassette formats.
MACULAR DEGENERATION SUPPORT GROUPS
For Chapter information contact Marie Kennedy, 405-848-2073.
MUSKOGEE COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
do Bill Davis, Box 871, Muskogee, OK 74402-0871; 918-683-9493 or Tommy Robertson, 918-682-2629 or 918-686-0488. Social / recreational activities, peer support, advocacy.
NARRATIVE TELEVISION NETWORK
Jim Stovall, 5840 5. Memorial, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145; 918-627-1000.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PARENTS OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED
2189 Linway Dr., Beloit, WI 53511; 800-562-6265.
NATIONAL BRAILLE ASSOCIATION
1290 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607; 716-473-0900. Transcribes career related materials for blind employees.
NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS
88 St. Stephen St., Boston, MA 02155; 617-266-6160. Provides braille printing services for large orders and can also supply a list of organizations that braille individual documents or small publication orders.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR VISION AND AGING
800 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10017; 800-334-5497. Information, support groups.
NATIONAL FAMILY ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF-BLIND
c/o Helen Keller Center, 111 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, NY 11050; 800-255-0411 ext.
275.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson St., Baltimore, MD 21230; 800-638-7518 or 301-659-9314. Advocacy; public education; publications; service programs such as `Job Opportunities for the Blind'. Membership organization of blind individuals.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF OKLAHOMA
P.O. Box 52192, Tulsa, OK 74152; 918-438-0509. Advocacy, public education. Steve Shelton, President.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, TULSA CHAPTER
Contact: Joe Triplett, email jtriplet@telepath.com; 1818 S. 142nd E. Ave, Tulsa, OK 74108-5526, 918-438-3232
OFFICE of HANDICAPPED CONCERNS
2712 Villa Prom (Shepherd Mall), OKC, OK 73107-2423; 405-521-3756 V/TDD; 800-522-8224 V/TDD. Provides information on resources and issues for people with all disabilities. Legislative information; advice on how to comply with disability related laws; employment information. Newsletter and legislative bulletins in print, audio cassette and computer diskette formats.
OKLAHOMA CITY BEEP BASEBALL BOMBERS
P.O. Box 76283, Oklahoma City, OK 73147; 405-521-3514 (Ron Whaley). Sports/recreation.
OKLAHOMA CITY BLIND BOWLERS
c/o June Wood, 1416 N. Penn, Oklahoma City, OK 73106; 405-528-2705. Sports/recreation.
OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
P.O. Box 1476, Oklahoma City, OK 73101; 405-524-1476; 800-779-1476. Advocacy, information, public education, peer support, social/recreational activities, newsletter (large print and cassette tape). President, Dale Lamar. 1-888-91 8-1342.
OKLAHOMA DEAF-BLIND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT
820 Van Vleet, Room 320, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019; 405-325-0441. Jan Watts, Director. Provides technical assistance and training for public schools regarding services to deaf-blind children. Maintains roster of deaf-blind children in Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA LEAGUE FOR THE BLIND
501 N. Douglas Ave., P.O. Box 24020, Oklahoma City, OK 73124; 405-232-4644. Workshop providing employment for blind and visually impaired persons.
OKLAHOMA LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
Visual Services, Department of Rehabilitation Services, 300 NE 18th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73105; 405-521-3514, 1-800-523-0288, 1-800-424-8567 (National Library Service). Lending library of books and periodicals in braille, large print, and on cassette tape and record. Textbook recording and brailling. Braille transcription services (fees charged). Descriptive video lending program. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped information
OKLAHOMANS FOR SPECIAL LIBRARY SERVICES
do Gerri Beeson, Library for the Blind, P.O. Box 53593, Oklahoma City, OK 73152; 405-521-3514. Support organization for Oklahoma Library for the Blind.
OLDER BLIND SUPPORT GROUP
Contact Judy Pool, 405-521-3899 (Aging Services Specialist, Visual Services).
OLDER BLIND PROGRAM, VISUAL SERVICES
Contact: Marilyn Sanders, Visual Services, DRS, 3010 5. Harvard, Suite 210, Tulsa, OK 74114; 918-742-8989; 800-829-3255. Toll free line provides reading of newspaper articles, grocery ads and other information. Other services available. For information in the OKC area call Judy Hansen at 405-521 -3899 or Kay Pitt at 405-521-3876.
PARKVIEW SCHOOL (Oklahoma School for the Blind)
3300 Gibson, Muskogee, OK 74403; 918-682-6641. Residential/day program for blind children; outreach, assessment and consultation services available for blind children attending public schools.
Parkview's Outreach Coordinators work with children attending public schools, their families and teachers, to help arrange appropriate educational services and accommodations for the child. Contact Deb Delhotal, Outreach Coordinator for Western Oklahoma (including OKC), at 405-525-3937, or Mary Sue Oxtoby, Outreach Coordinator for Eastern Oklahoma, 918-682-6641.
RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF OKLAHOMA
c/o Raymond Washburn, 1916 NW 21, Oklahoma City, OK 73106. Association of blind persons working in food service management and operations.
RECORDINGS FOR THE BLIND and DYSLEXIC
Produces school and professional materials in alternate formats (audio recordings, computer diskette) for persons with print disabilities. 800-221-4792.
TULSA CHAPTER, OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
P.O. Box 580252, Tulsa, OK 74158; 918-838-0807. Social, recreational, support and community service organization.
VISUAL SERVICES
Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, 3535 N.W. 58, Fifth Floor, OKC, OK 73112; 405-951-3400. Vocational training, rehabilitation teaching, Library for the Blind, School for the Blind, Vending Facility employment program for the blind, older blind program, deaf-blind services, assistive technology evaluations to determine needs for adaptive equipment, help finding needed resources.
VISUALLY IMPAIRED SEEING TECHNIQUE ALTERNATIVES (VISTA)
c/o Margy Goodell, 110 S. Hartford, Suite 115, Tulsa, OK 74120; 918-592-1235; fax 918-592-5651. Support group for visually impaired.
updated 4/17/00, 7/18/00, 6/02
OK ABLE Tech
