Demographic and economic statistics; includes prevalence, employment, earnings, poverty, household income, and housing, with break-outs by age, race, gender, and educational attainment. Choose U.S. or state reports, or search the database.
Source: Employment and Disability Institute of Cornell University
Visual Impairment and Blindness Resources
These resources cover the basics of visual impairment and blindness, covering the causes, as well as definitions of professional and medical terminology, descriptions of vision examination procedures, simulations, statistics, and recommendations for protecting the eyes and vision. This section also includes information on support groups for parents, families, and consumers, along with advice for environmental adaptations and tips for living with blindness and visual impairment.
For educational resources, please visit the sections grouped under Teaching Resources.
Disability statistics drawn from the 2000 Census. Visual and hearing impairments are counted together and not differentiated.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the CensusThis site has overviews on many vision conditions.
Source: National Eye InstituteThe CEC's Division on Visual Impairment and Deafblindness advances the education of children and youth who have visual impairments or deafblindness. Browse selected articles and position papers here.
Source: Council for Exceptional ChildrenA questionnaire for determining whether a vision evaluation is needed; includes links to related topics such as pediatric care, vision therapy, vision checklists and learning disabilities.
Source: Optometrists NetworkIn addition to spotlighting her certifications and experiences, Sauerburger's website contains numerous resources and strategies of interest to Orientation and Mobility practitioners.
Source: Dona SauerburgerSusan Osterhaus offers suggestions for materials, activities, and resources to help young children develop simple mathematical concepts.
Source: Susan's Math Technology Corner, Texas School for the Blind (TSBVI)Deborah Gleason offers parents a wealth of ideas on making a child's world safe and understandable. Also available in Spanish, and downloadable in Indonesian.
Source: National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB)Some of the challenges, myths, and beliefs encountered in Kenya when addressing the needs of children with visual impairment and additional disabilities; suggestions for developing effective strategies.
Source: International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)Future Reflections (1985)
This checklist prepared by Nebraska Advocacy Services contains both the legal requirements that define the IEP process and some common sense issues that parents may wish to consider during the IEP preparation and meetings. A later (1995) version prepared by Maryland Disability Law Center is linked here.
Source: National Federation of the Blind (NFB)For eye professionals, these videos illustrate a wide variety of ocular pathology, from the cornea back to the retina.
Source: Root AtlasAdvice for coping with vision loss, its emotional adjustments, and the reactions of families and friends; includes blog posts and personal stories.
Source: VisionAwareBen Chamberlin, a teacher at Perkins School for the Blind shows educators how to support grooming, hygiene, self-esteem, and social awareness in their students who are visually impaired.
Source: Perkins eLearning WebinarThis 5-page position paper (Word doc) by Rosanne Silberman and Sharon Sacks outlines the competencies for teachers of students with visual impairments, and the additional skills necessary when children have other disabilities.
Source: Council for Exceptional Children – Division on Visual Impairments (DVI)Future Reflections (2004).
Professor Bernhard Beck-Winchatz shares his passion for astronomy and describes the potential benefits it offers to students who are blind or visually impaired.
Source: National Federation of the Blind (NFB)Future Reflections (2005) – National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
Leslie Seid Margolis provides an overview of extended school year (ESY) services, including federal law and policies, eligibility criteria, building a case for ESY, due process challenges to denial of ESY services, and practical issues.
Source: National Federation of the Blind (NFB)This site has short definitions of many vision disorders and a few words about treatment and assistive technology. Includes links to support groups for the specific disorder or condition.
Source: FamilyConnectInformation on eye conditions, including both common and rare ones.
Source: RNIBInformation on more than a dozen common causes of blindness and low vision.
Source: Vision AustraliaA wealth of information about eye diseases and conditions, including links to many resources.
Source: New York Institute for Special Education