AFB Blog

As the federal government shutdown continues, I am troubled by some of what I've been hearing—and some of what I've not been hearing. On October 1, as the shutdown began, I heard some comments on news programs that they didn't really notice any change. And as Day 1 of the shutdown came to a close, the House of Representatives took up bills to fund certain parts of the government, the ones that people may already be noticing, such as closed national parks. This is sad and irresponsible. Of…

Everyone in the blindness field, and every braille reader, knows the name of Abraham Nemeth. He's probably the biggest name in blindness, if there is such a thing. This morning, I was saddened and shocked to hear of his passing. I had the lucky, really just lucky, opportunity to meet Dr. Nemeth several times. The first was at an NFB convention in Chicago. It was my first convention, and I had just started a new job at... you probably won't remember... Computer Aids Corporation... and they…

As my favorite month of the year kicks off, I think of all of the exciting updates I will be providing about AFB CareerConnect—new content and stories. I don't just love October because of Halloween, and getting to dress up (though I have been known to enjoy the whole costume tradition and Halloween parties—I make a mean pirate). No, the real reason I love October is because it's National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It focuses on my favorite topics: employment and persons with…

Now that the U.S. Congress has once again given the American people a reason to lose confidence in them by failing to avoid a federal government shutdown, there are more questions than answers. What will become of so many of the programs and services affecting people who are blind or visually impaired? What are the long-term implications? How long will the government be closed for business? Well, at least with respect to core programmatic functions, such as special education and vocational…

[Editor's note: In 2007, AFB Press published "Cortical Visual Impairment: An Approach to Assessment and Intervention" by Christine Roman-Lantzy. Pictured on the cover was 12 year-old Jeremy Sun. We recently caught up with his mother, Cynthia, to see how Jeremy, now 18, was doing.] Tell us about Jeremy. How has he been doing? Jeremy is now 18 years old and ready to move on to a new environment this autumn. His case manager is now putting together a program which incorporates some academics…

[Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from Diversity and Visual Impairment: The Influence of Race, Gender, Religion, and Ethnicity on the Individual, edited by Madeline Milian and Jane Erin. This excerpt was authored by Virginia Bishop.] The inclusion of visually impaired people in a religious community does not usually happen by accident; it is more often the result of planned efforts. Although each congregation is different, there are some general guidelines that may help in…

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) continues to invite nominations for the 2014 Migel Medals, the highest honor in the blindness field. The Migel Medal was established in 1937 by the late M.C. Migel, the first chairperson of AFB, to honor professionals and volunteers whose dedication and achievements have significantly improved the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. The Migel Medal Awards consists of two categories, the Professional Award and the Lay/Volunteer Award…

As you likely already know, today is the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I have a dream" speech in Washington, DC. I think about how appreciative I am to live in a country where people such as King have stood up for the rights of all individuals, including persons who are blind or visually impaired. Helen Keller is also one of those people who stood up for the rights of all. She educated populations about how persons with disabilities can be an integral part of society.…

The AFB eLearning Center is pleased to offer the second of an ongoing series of webinars that focus on the use of iPads in the classroom for students with visual and other disabilities. The webinar series is presented by Dr. Betsy Flener, who has over 25 years of experience as a teacher and consultant including serving as a regional consultant for the Kentucky School for the Blind. She is currently an assistive technology consultant for the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative. This…