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Article: American Foundation for the Blind
Association Information
Table of Contents
- Association Information
Overview
The
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands
possibilities for people with vision loss.
Mission
AFB's priorities
include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information
and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting
independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and
their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB's work in these areas is
supported by the strong presence the organization maintains in Washington, DC,
ensuring the rights and interests of people with vision loss are represented in
our nation's public policies.
Assistive Technology
Technology has removed
many barriers to education and employment for visually impaired individuals.
Students with visual impairments can complete homework, do research, take tests,
and read books along with their sighted classmates, thanks to advances in
technology. Adults with visual impairments can continue to work and pursue a
tremendous range of careers because of the use of computers and other devices
such as:
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Assistive
technology programs that run on off-the-shelf computers can speak the text
on the screen or magnify the text in a word processor, web browser, e-mail
program or other application
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Stand-alone
products designed specifically for people who are blind or visually
impaired, including personal digital assistants (PDAs) and electronic book
players provide portable access to books, phone numbers, appointment
calendars, and more.
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Optical character
recognition systems scan printed material and speak the text. Braille
embossers turn text files into hard-copy braille.
Last Updated on 9/11/2007