| Frequently Asked Questions |
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My family member is losing their sight. Where can I find services and programs in my area for people who are blind or visually impaired? |
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Can I order talking books on-line from Braille Institute's
Library? |
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I'm a student and I'm doing a report on braille or blindness. Where can I find information about these subjects? |
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Can you provide me with statistics on blindness for my research project? |
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I'm a teacher and I'd like to get information and materials about blindness to share with my students. Where can I find them? |
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I am a teacher of children who are visually impaired. Where can I get information about the special needs of my students? |
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I want to learn braille. How do I get started? |
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I'm looking for computer hardware and software for people who are blind or visually impaired. Where can I go for information? |
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How can I volunteer for Braille Institute? |
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I'm interested in having printed material translated into braille. Can you help? |
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How do I order items from your Vistas' Store? |
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My family member is losing their
sight. Where can I find services and programs in my area for people who are blind or visually impaired? |
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Call
1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553), Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (PST)
and one of our volunteers can help you find a service agency near you. Or you
can browse through our list of links to the home pages of blind service organizations
and other nonprofit agencies in our Links section. |
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Can
I order talking books online from Braille Institute's Library? |
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Yes,
if you are currently a Braille Institute Library Patron, you may order talking
books by e-mailing your requests to:
readers@braillelibrary.org
You
also may browse the National Library Service's database of talking books online at:
http://nlscatalog.loc.gov
If
you are not currently a Library Patron and live within our Southern California
service area, you may download an application form from:
http://www.braillelibrary.org/BecomingaPatron/SigningUp.htm
Or
you can request an application form by calling Braille Institute's Library toll-free
line at: 1-800-808-2555.
If
you live outside of Southern California, you can find the branch of the National
Library Service nearest you by going to its web site:
http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/directories/address.html
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I'm
a student and I'm doing a report on braille or blindness. Where can I find information
on these subjects? |
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You can
print many of our free fact sheets or request additional information by going
to the Educational
Information section
of our Web site. You can also visit our Free
Informational Packets section for additional information. |
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Can
you provide me with statistics on blindness for my research project? |
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Braille
Institute provides a number of statistics on blindness on our web site at:
http://www.brailleinstitute.org/services/General
Statisticsaboutblindness.htm
For more specific statistical information on blindness,
contact one of the following organizations:
American
Council of the Blind
1155 15th Street, N.W., Suite 720
Washington, DC
20005
1-800-424-8666
Web site: http://www.acb.org
American
Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
1-800-232-5463
Web site: http://www.afb.org
National
Center for Health Statistics
6525 Belcrest Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
(301) 436-7016
National
Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 689-9314
Web site: http://www.nfb.org
Prevent
Blindness America
500 East Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
1-800-221-3004
Web site: http://www.preventblindness.org
E-mail: preventblindness@compuserve.com |
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I'm
a teacher and I'd like to get information and materials about blindness to share
with my students. Where can I find them? |
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You
may request any of our free materials on blindness by going to the Free
Informational Packets section of our web site. Packet #6 is especially for students
and teachers. |
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I
am a teacher of children who are visually impaired. Where can I get information
about the special needs of my students? |
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You
may request any of our free materials on blindness by going to the Free
Informational Packets section of our Web site. You
also may contact our Youth and Career Services staff for more information. |
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I
want to learn braille. How do I get started? |
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For people who are blind, and living within Southern California:
Contact Braille Institute nearest you for free braille reading and writing classes:
Phone:
1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553)
Phone hours:
Monday - Friday (9:00 am to 4:30 pm PST) |
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Or, contact the California
State Department of Rehabilitation: |
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Los Angeles |
(323)
736-3904 |
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Anaheim |
(714) 935-2916 |
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San
Diego |
(619)
495-3600 |
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San
Bernardino |
(909)
383-4401 |
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Goleta |
(805)
681-8700 |
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For people who are blind, and living outside Southern California contact: |
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The
American Printing House for the Blind
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, KY 40206
1-800-223-1839
Web site: http://www.aph.org
Contact for the cost and availability of braille textbooks.
BRL:
Braille Through Remote Learning
Offers a free online instructional program that provides
teachers, parents, social workers and current/future braille transcribers with
a series of three integrated online courses in braille and braille transcribing.
Web site: http://www.brl.org
Hadley School
for the Blind
700 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093
1-800-323-4238
Web site: http://www.hadley-school.org/index.html
E-mail: info@hadley-school.org
Offers a free braille correspondence course. |
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For
people who are sighted, contact: |
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Braille
Institute Press
(323) 663-1111, Ext. 1513
Classes are sponsored by local
chapters of the Transcribers' Guild throughout the region.
Library of Congress
Braille Development
Section
1291 Taylor Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20542
1-800-424-8567
Offers a free correspondence course using print and braille materials. |
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I'm
looking for computer hardware and software for people who are blind and visually
impaired. Where can I go for information? |
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A
good place to start your search is on our web site. You will find links to vendors
of adaptive equipment in our Links
section. |
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How
can I volunteer for Braille Institute? |
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If you
live in Southern California visit our Volunteer
Opportunities page, or contact the regional location nearest you: |
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Los
Angeles |
(323)
663-1111 x1512 |
lavolserve@brailleinstitute.org |
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Rancho
Mirage |
(760)
321-1111 |
dcvolserve@brailleinstitute.org |
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Orange
County |
(714)
821-5000 |
ocvolserve@brailleinstitute.org |
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San
Diego |
(858)
452-1111 |
sdvolserve@brailleinstitute.org |
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Santa
Barbara |
(805)
682-2222 |
sbvolserve@brailleinstitute.org |
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We
are interested in having printed material translated into braille. Can you help
us? |
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Yes, contact Universal Media Services' Transcribing Department for more information.
Phone: (323) 663-1111,
Ext. 1231
E-mail: transcribers@brailleinstitute.org |
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How
do I order items from your Vistas retail store? |
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You
may order adaptive items that simplify everyday life, including talking watches
and large-print calendars from Vistas.
Phone:
1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553)
Phone hours:
Monday - Friday (9:00 am to 4:30 pm PST) |
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| Related Links |
Upcoming Events
Latest News
Links to other Blind Service Agencies and Non-profits
Links to Vendors of Adaptive Equipment |
