AFB Blog

Convenient and affordable access to books in formats that can be read by individuals who are blind or visually impaired has long been a major struggle. With high-quality audio and braille production, and more recently, digital production, books are now far more available for those of us with vision loss, at least in the wealthier nations. Although copyright laws in many nations allow production of accessible books for people who cannot read print, it is quite difficult and often illegal to…

Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct the first of six teen employment workshops for students who are blind or visually impaired. These workshops are being held in multiple states, the first of which was with the Overbrook School for the Blind (www.obs.org) in Philadelphia. The workshops allow me to work with teens and associated professionals on self-awareness, career exploration, pre-interview skills, and the job interview. They are really focused on the needs and present levels of the…

Hurricane Sandy sent us a potent reminder of the need to ensure that information about emergencies is available to people with vision loss. Television has become the most common way to distribute information about weather or other emergencies, including notices regarding evacuation. Unfortunately, people who are blind or visually impaired are unable to read the scrolling information that often appears on television screens during an emergency, so they do not have efficient access to…

Please take action today—this afternoon and early tomorrow—and contact your U.S. senators to urge them to vote yes to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Senate will take up the CRPD tomorrow (December 4) at noon. It is fitting that we take this action today, as we recognize the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The CRPD has strong support, with every major disability organization supporting it and the business community also expressing…

It is with a heavy heart that I announce Arthur Weisberg, member of the American Foundation for the Blind Board of Trustees, passed away on November 24, 2012. Art was a dear friend and supporter of AFB and a huge champion of our work in Huntington, West Virginia. Personally, Art was a mentor to me. Every time we spoke, I picked up on some new, unexpected life lesson. I often say that Art's book, the wonderfully unpretentious "Call Me Art," should be required reading. From his humble…

[Editor's Note: The following post is authored by Paul Ponchillia, Professor Emeritus at Western Michigan University and Olympic Torch runner. Dr. Ponchillia is the founder of sports camps for children with visual impairments nationwide and also co-author of Physical Education and Sports for People with Visual Impairments and Deafblindness: Foundations of Instruction*, recently published by AFB Press.]* If you’re a New York Times reader, perhaps you saw the November 12 article about Erik…

Are you a runner with vision loss? Have you ever thought of running a marathon? If not, this may inspire you to dust off your running shoes. If you are a runner, this may inspire you to push yourself to the next level. In partnership with VSP® Vision Care, the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) will host the 4th Annual USABA Marathon National Championship, held in conjunction with the California International Marathon (CIM) on December 2, 2012 in Sacramento, CA. Since the…

Veteran's Day is November 11, and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of the persons who have served our country, including my father, uncle, grandfather, and many friends. I also want to thank all the soldiers still protecting us, at home and abroad. As with our friends at the honorable Blinded Veterans Association, the American Foundation for the Blind values our veterans, and we offer great resources that are utilized by persons with vision loss, veterans especially. AFB has a…

Regarding our recent blog post on the Unified English Braille Code, the Braille Authority of North America has formally announced the adoption of Unified English Braille, a move that should, among other important things, pave the way for greater materials availability through cross-border sharing among English-speaking countries. AFB extends appreciation and congratulations to BANA for this historic move, and we especially thank Dr. Frances Mary D'Andrea, AFB's BANA representative and Chair…