Visually Impaired (VI)

State & Federal Agencies

Since 1921, AFB has been a leader in expanding possibilities for the nearly 25 million Americans living with vision loss. A national nonprofit with offices in five U.S. cities, we champion access and equality, and stand at the forefront of new technologies and evidence-based advocacy. We address the most pressing needs of people with vision loss and their families, breaking down societal barriers and promoting broad systemic change. Like Helen Keller, AFB's most famous ambassador, we are committed to creating a more equitable world for people with disabilities. www.afb.org

The American Printing House for the Blind continually produces new materials to help TVIs, COMS, and parents provide meaningful learning experiences for a student with a visual impairment or blindness. The catalog of materials can be found at www.aph.org. In Texas, some APH materials can be requested through a statewide lending system managed by TSBVI. When the materials are no longer needed, they are return.

ECI is a program that provides services to children with special needs under 3 years of age. Children with a visual impairment qualify for these services. The Teacher of the Visually Impaired with ECISD will coordinate services with the local ECI program. Permian Basin Community Centers ECI program provides services to children in the Ector County. There office is located at 1012 MacArthur, Odessa, Texas. Their phone number is 432-334-0900.

This website is the result of a joint project between Perkins School for the Blind and Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI). The information on this site ranges from a basic overview of literacy to various stages of development and special challenges, as well as an exploration of different media (print, braille, auditory strategies). We encourage you to add your ideas and questions, so that this will be an interactive hub of resources. http://www.pathstoliteracy.org

The state of Texas is divided into regional areas for educational support systems known as the educational services centers (ESC). ECISD in the Region 18 ESC geography area. Fred Martinez is the Special Education Consultant supporting Teachers of the Visually Impaired and Orientation and Mobility Specialists. The statewide leadership for Visual Impairments is housed in the Region 11 ESC.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is a state agency commissioned to oversee several state departments that deal with health and human services, including itself and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Some of the benefits and services provided include:

Medicaid for families and children
Long-term care for people who are older or have disabilities
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) food benefits and TANF (Temporary Assistance For Needy Families) cash assistance for families
Behavior Health Services
Services to help keep people who are older or who have disabilities in their homes or communities
Services for women or other people with special health needs

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) is a Texas special public school, in the continuum of statewide placements for students who have a visual impairment. It is considered a statewide resource to parents of these children and professionals who serve them. Students, ages 6 through 21, who are blind, deafblind, or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities, are eligible for consideration for services at TSBVI. Additional information can be located at www.tsbvi.edu.

The Talking Book Program (TBP) provides free library services to qualifying Texans with visual, physical, or reading disabilities. TBP is part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a program administered by the Library of Congress. The TBP collection consists of more than 100,000 titles, including hundreds of titles in Spanish, and some in French, German, Russian, and other languages. The Talking book program can be accessed by parents for home use and school librarians for school library checkout. tpb.services@tsl.texas.gov

WonderBaby.org is dedicated to helping parents of young children with visual impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities. Here you’ll find a database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what they’ve learned about playing with and teaching a blind child, as well as links to meaningful resources and ways to connect with other families. www.wonderbaby.org