American Council of the Blind

Western New York Chapter

Resources

ACB

The American Council of the Blind

American Council Of The Blind Of New York, Inc.

Government and Organization Resources

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) 

295 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14203 / (716) 847-3516

Olmsted Center for Sight 

1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209 / (716) 882-1025
Provides many different services both publically for the Commission for the Blind and privately.

Western New York Independent Living, Inc.

3108 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214 / (716) 836-0822
Another organization that will take contracts as well as provide other services for various disabilities including people who are blind or visually impaired.

ACCESS Resource Guide

Braille Resources

The American Printing House for The blind or APH

800-223-1839
This organization often has items that can be purchased by teachers of the visually impaired free of cost for students. Others can purchase items for zBraille use but they also sell many other items for adaptive needs.

Perkins

617-924-3434
Perkins | Education & Services for People Who Are Blind: Some of these resources could be learning about the new Braille code for example. Besides resources they do hav e programs for blind in house for children and also sell their own products.

Hadley School for the Blind

800-323-4238
A nonprofit international distance education school. Ninety tuition-free courses for blind adults and family members of blind children and adults. Study at your own  time. The courses are offered usually online or online and mail or some kind of combination.

Articles

Lifts and Other Home Adjustments for Disabled Individuals

Companies

Here are some links for company’s we may or may not sponsor that we think as a chapter are useful:

Freedom Scientific

The maker of Jaws for Windows, A screen Reader, for the blind. This company also makes a magnification program for the blind called magic along with several hardware products. The hardware products include magnifiers, scanning products such as portable scanners and portable cameras for computers to be able to scan in documents to read them for blind and low vision readers.

Another product from this company is called Pac Mate which is a note taker that also has a Braille display. Freedom also sells stand-alone Braille displays.

www.freedomscientific.com
800-444-4443 / 727-803-8000 / Tech support: 727-803-8600

Human ware

Human ware is another company that makes or distributes several products. One of the products they make is called the human ware stream which enables the reader to read books from places such as book share, learning ally and the national library service’s bard downloads. They also make products for magnification and several note taking products. The note taking products are in the Braille note family that allows the user to take notes with a QWERTY or Braille keyboard and Braille display. The company also sells stand-alone Braille displays.

www.humanware.com
800 722-3393

Hims-Inc

The maker of note takers (Braille Sense/ voice sense, book players (booksense) and magnification. The company has a U.S. call center located in Austin, Texas.

www.hims-inc.com
SALES 888-520-4467 / Technical Support 512-837-2000

Bookshare

Bookshare has several books that blind and low vision can apply to joint his paid service. Children and college students can apply for a free membership.

They also offer an app in the iTunes and Google Play stores to play their books besides private players such as the Humanware Stream and HIMS Bookssense.

www.bookshare.org

Learning Ally

This company is a non-profit company formerly known as RFB&D or Recordings for the Blind and dyslexic. The company allows the users to hear recorded books that are human read through Apps from iTunes or Google Play or through purchased portable or standalone players which can be purchased through companies such as Humanware or HIMS.

www.learningally.org
(800) 221-4792

Independent Living aids/ LS and S products

Located in Buffalo, This company sells several products that blind/low vision and several other people can access for adaptive equipment. This includes Braille cards, board games and other equipment.

www.independentliving.com
800-537-2118
www.lssproducts.com
800-468-4789

AI Squared/ GW Micro

The merged company sells Zoom Text a magnification program and window-eyes a popular screen reader for windows. The company will eventually put gwmicro under the AI squared banned and all mentions of GW Micro will eventually be removed. The company also sells standalone magnifiers.

www.aisquared.com
www.gwmicro.com (for window-eyes only)
one phone number for both: (800) 859-0270

MaxiAids

A company that sells accessible living products and healthcare products. They also sell Braille cards and other devices of that nature.

www.maxiaids.com
(877) 887-1221

Guide Dog Schools

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc.
103 Vision Way / Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-243-5200 / Fax: 860-769-0567

Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind
1210 Hardscrabble Road / Cassville, NY 13318 /
Phone: 315-822-5132 / Fax: 315-822-5132 (call before faxing)

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
371 East Jericho Turnpike / Smithtown, NY 11787-2976
Phone: 631-265-2121 / Toll-free: 1-800-548-4337 / Fax: 631-361-5192

Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. (California)
P.O. Box 151200 / San Rafael, CA 94915-1200
Phone: 415-499-4000 / Toll-free: 1-800-295-4050 / Fax: 415-499-4035

Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. (Oregon)
32901 S.E. Kelso Road / Boring, OR 97009
Phone: 503-668-2100 / Fax: 503-668-2141

Guide Dogs of America
13445 Glenoaks Blvd. / Sylmar, CA 91342
Phone: 818-362-5834 / Toll-free: 1-800-459-4843 / Fax: 818-362-6870

Guide Dogs of Texas
11825 West Avenue Suite 104 / San Antonio, TX 78216
Phone: 210-366-4081 / Toll Free: 1-800-831-9231 / Fax: 210-366-4082

Guide Dogs of the Desert, Inc.
P. O. Box 1692 / Palm Springs, CA 92263
Phone: 760-329-6257 / Fax: 760-329-2127

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc.
611 Granite Springs Road / Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
Phone: 914-245-4024 / Toll-free: 1-800-942-0149 / Fax: 914-962-0140

Independence Guide Dogs
Toby Willis, CEO
206.588.2453 Desk / 206.427.5522 Mobile
Twitter @IGDToby / www.facebook.com/IndependenceGuideDogs/

Leader Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
1039 South Rochester Road / Rochester, MI 48307-3115
Phone: 248-651-9011 / Toll-free: 1-888-777-5332 / Fax: 248-651-5812

NOAH’S Assistance Dogs (English)
c/o Noah’s Service Sertoma Club
P.O. Box 421 / Crete, Nebraska 68333
Mike Renner, Director: mrenner [at] noahsdogs [dot] org

Pilot Dogs Inc.
625 W. Town St. / Columbus, OH 43215-4496
Phone: 614-221-6367 / Fax: 614-221-1577

The Seeing Eye, Inc.
P. O. Box 375 / Morristown, NJ 07963-0375
Phone: 973-539-4425 / Toll-Free: 1-800-539-4425 / FAX: 973-539-0922

Southeastern Guide Dog Foundation
4210 77th St. East / Palmetto, FL 34221
Phone: 941-729-5665 / Fax: 941-729-6646
Marion Gwizdala, President

National Association of Guide Dog Users
(813) 626-2789 / president [at] nagdu [dot] org

New Disability

Disabled Renters’ Housing Rights

The Ultimate Guide to Home Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities

Disability Rights in Housing

Grants for Home Modification: 16 Resources for Homeowners with Disabilities

Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs

Fire Safety and Disabilities Guide

Learn About the Different Types of Service Dogs

How to Cope with Sudden Illness or Disability

Depression and Disability: A Practical Guide

The Slippery Slope of Pain Management: The Guide to Preventing Addiction for People with Chronic Pain

How to Stay Physically Active: Aging Well with a Physical Disability

Top Tips for Getting Fit if You’re Disabled

MORE LINKS

Routines and Children with Disabilities
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/disabilities_routines.html

Beneficial Activities for Kids with Special Needs
http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/January-2010/For-Children-with-Special-Needs-Activites-Build-Skills-and-Self-Esteem/

The Ultimate Guide to Flying with Autistic Children
https://www.e-aircraftsupply.com/aircraft_products/file/guide-to-flying-with-a-child.aspx

Teaching Students with Special Needs
https://www.teachervision.com/special-education/new-teacher/48460.html

Homeschooling and Special Needs Children
https://www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/sn_Klicka.asp

College Assistance Guide for People with ADHD
http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com/articles/college-assistance-for-ADHD-students_15111.aspx

Disability.gov’s Guide for Family Caregivers
https://www.disability.gov/resource/disability-govs-guide-family-caregivers/

Obesity and Children with Special Needs
http://www.abilitypath.org/health-daily-care/health/growth-and-nutrition/articles/obesity/pdfs/obesity-report.pdf

A Safety Guide for Disabled Pedestrians
http://www.onlineloancalculator.org/resources/disabled-pedestrians.php

A New Savings Plan for the Disabled
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-savings-plan-for-the-disabled-1420939307

A Guide for Disabled Homebuyers
https://www.redfin.com/blog/guide-for-disabled-home-buyers

Financial Assistance for Accessibility Home Repairs and Modifications
https://www.disability.gov/disability-can-get-help-modifying-home-make-accessible/

Home Accessibility Costs
http://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/disability-accommodation/