Information and Resource Referral Project

U.S. Government Resources Related to Blindness

There are a number of programs related to blindness within the federal government. Some programs serve all persons with vision loss, and others are specifically for adults or children. Many are within or related to the Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. You will notice that there are many acronyms that are used for these various agancies and that they are listed adjacent to the agency listing. Each state has a federally funded program for both education of blind children, and the rehabilitation of blind adults. If you are interested in specific federal legislation, please check out that section of our website at http://www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/legis.html. This page is divided into three sections: 1) services for blind and visually impaired adults and children, 2) services for children with vision loss and 3) services for adults with vision loss.

Section I: Governmental Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults and Children

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Webpage
URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/ADA

Assistive Technology Centers
State Programs to Assist Persons with Disabilities to find Assistive Technology Resouces
URL: http://www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/breene.html

Department of Education
URL: http://www.ed.gov

Library of Congress, National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)
URL: http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/nls/nls.html

National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC)
Contains a database of of relevant journal articles, and research and practice monographs in both special education and rehabilitation.
URL: http://www.naric.com/naric/

National Eye Institute
URL: http://www.nei.nih.gov/

National Center on the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR)
URL: http://www.ncddr.org

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/index.html

Section II: Governmental Services for Children with Vision Loss

American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Resource for Educational Materials, Textbooks and Technical Assitance
URL: http://www.aph.org

Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC)
URL: http://www.fed-icc.org

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/IDEA/the_law.html

Section III: Governmental Services for Adults with Vision Loss

Client Assistance Program (CAP)
Program of arbitration with state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to assist in resolving advocacy and greivience concerns.
URL: http://www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/cap.html

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf Blind Youth and Adults (HKNC) Also sponsors both state affiliates and regional representative.
URL: http://www.helenkeller.org/national/textindex.htm

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html

Randolph-Sheppard State Programs, also known as the Business Enterprise Program (BEP)
Self employment opportunities for the legally blind adults
URL: http://www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/bep.html

Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html

State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs (VR)
To assist with the training and employment of persons with vision loss.
URL: http://www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/ncsab.html

This entire site is

and

approved.
For information regarding this site's content, e-mail RRTC
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:33 AM
Copyright by MSU.1991

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