AFB Blog

As we pass the two-year mark since the start of COVID-19 restrictions, the American Foundation for the Blind’s (AFB) recently released study, The Journey Forward: Impact of COVID-19 on Blind, Low Vision, and Deafblind U.S. Adults, captures reflections on experiences during a year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the Summer of 2021. Although the data gathered from the 488 survey participants revealed challenges specific to COVID-19, it also provided insights into the systemic issues…

On behalf of the entire American Foundation for the Blind team, I want to thank attendees, presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors for joining us at the 2022 AFB Leadership Conference. It was so wonderful to connect with almost 300 people in person. It was an inspiring, informative, and engaging time of learning and networking. Our 2022 conference theme of Inclusion at Work was obvious throughout all of the wonderful keynotes, panels, and breakouts. What an amazing and energizing program. The “…

Why We Should Question What We Have Been Led to Believe “To know that one knows what one knows, and to know that one doesn't know what one doesn't know, there lies true wisdom.” —Confucius When we read a statistic about blindness or low vision in the news media, how often do we think about the source of that data? Does it come from a census? A survey? An estimate? How recent are the data behind the statistics? For Rebecca Sheffield, Frances Mary (F.M.) D’Andrea, and Valerie Morash, a…

Today, the Department of Justice released guidance on the obligations of public entities (such as state and local governments) and businesses open to the public with regard to website accessibility. This guidance comes less than a month after 181 organizations signed a letter to the Department of Justice calling for regulations on the accessibility of websites and applications. This guidance covers why website accessibility matters, examples of barriers, and when the ADA requires websites to…

Photograph taken indoors of Helen Keller and Polly Thomson with leading female members of the "Welfare for the Blind," "Alexandria School for the Blind Girls," Alexandria, Egypt. April 24, 1952. International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. Helen Keller never ceased to demand that all women, especially and including those who were poor…

The American Foundation for the Blind mourns the passing of Donald H. Wedewer, 96, of Charleston, South Carolina, a former AFB trustee and beloved colleague who committed his life to service. Born in Dyersville, Iowa, Wedewer was badly wounded in combat during World War II while serving as an infantryman, resulting in his losing both legs as well as his vision. While recovering from surgery, he met Helen Keller, who was visiting the veterans’ hospital and was particularly interested to speak…

Study shows majority of blind and visually impaired schoolchildren have been significantly disadvantaged during pandemic remote learning; inadequate digital tools are leaving these children behind. Many parents and family members were thrust into the role of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have struggled to get our students squared away with their Zoom classes and help them manage Google Classroom and other online learning management systems (LMSs) and applications before…

Tech Notes Since its founding in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has worked to address the most pressing needs of individuals with vision loss and their families, and over the past 20 years, it is obvious that there has been an increasing digital divide created by rapidly developing technology. For those of us with disabilities, accessible and usable websites and apps are crucial for us to independently work, learn, and play in the digital universe. They allow us to fully…

When asked, "Were you nervous the first time you had to use a Bunsen burner with an open flame during microbiology lab?" Maureen J. Hayden, a blind woman who is pursuing a doctoral degree in marine biology at Texas A&M University, replied, "Of course!" This exchange begins a commentary featured in the recent Special Issue on Transition to a Meaningful Adult Life for Individuals With Visual Impairments of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), in which Ms. Hayden…