Education
Sharing knowledge about BVI life
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Council staff provide education on a variety of topics related to vision loss. Council staff give presentations to a variety of audiences, including people with vision loss, policymakers, community organizations, student groups and countless other partners. We sponsor and/or host educational events like Birding by Ear, Gallery Night, and Dining in the Dark. We help postsecondary students pursue their educational and career goals by offering several $2,000 scholarships each year. One of our goals is to help people without vision loss better understand the life experience of those who are blind and visually impaired. That’s a key step in encouraging communities to become more welcoming and inclusive.
VIDEOS
The Council has dozens of videos on a variety of different topics available on YouTube. Topics include:
- Public policy advocacy
- Daily living tips
- Presentations from past Low Vision Fairs
- Sharper Vision Store Updates
Access Technology Classes
The Council offers classes quarterly on a variety of technology topics. Group classes are held virtually and are free and open to the public. Examples of access technology classes include demonstrations of Windows 11, Google Home, Amazon Echo, JAWS, iPhone Basics, Free Screen Readers, GPS, Shopping Online, and Making the Most of Built-In Magnifiers.
Fee-based one-on-one instruction is also available. Contact us for details on our Vision Services Requests page.
Outreach
Connecting the blind and visually impaired community to resources and information is an important part of the Council’s mission. The Council attends many senior fairs, health fairs and professional conferences each year to share information about services and adaptive products. We also reach out to policymakers, professional groups, schools/colleges, community organizations and various other important audiences to educate them around such issues as accessible voting, employment, equitable transportation, access to public information, and pedestrian safety.
Presentations to your group
We are often asked to speak to groups about how vision typically changes as we age, common eye diseases in older adults, coping with low vision, and adapting to changing vision. These presentations are appropriate for any group, but especially informative at senior centers, residential senior facilities, and community centers.
Presentation topics include:
- The Council – who we are and what we do
- Legislative priorities
- The meaning of low vision
- Accommodating vision disabilities
- Tips for daily living
- Access technology
- Web, document and social media accessibility
- Forming a low vision support group
- Falls prevention
- Accessible transportation options
- Pedestrian safety
If you’re interested in having someone from the Council speak to your group, please complete the form below.
We have created toolkits to help you plan events in your community, speak with business owners and learn tips on how to adapt to low vision.
You can also learn of upcoming education events and programs by signing up for the Council’s e-newsletters and by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Education resources
Provides digital audio or Braille materials of books and magazines free of charge.
This is a public, residential, K-12 school for students who are blind and visually impaired.
Provides support so that people with disabilities may live independently.
Provides adaptive equipment and career guidance for employment and financial assistance for education and training.
Hadley provides both practical and social/emotional help to older adults adjusting to vision loss, empowering them to adapt and thrive.
A free, easy-to-use informational website for adults with vision loss, their families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and social service professionals.
Provides alternative ways for people with print disabilities to read.
