Visual Impairment in the United States

Types of visual impairment Legally Blind Deaf-blind Diabetic retinopathy (causes 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year making diabetes the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults years of age.)

Needs of Visually Impaired Adaptive equipment that allows students to complete homework, do research, take tests, and read books Specialized computer hardware and software Web accessibility : the Web Access Initiative (WAI), part of the World Wide Web Consortium gives guidelines for making web pages found at (from afb.org)

Role of libraries Publisher, book store and library and news stand. (ifla.org/iv/ifla65/papers/ e.htm) To regularly inform their clients of their stocks. Information about reading material in alternate formats is often scarce. (ifla.org/iv/ifla65/papers/ e.htm) training of parents, teachers and librarians. publish printed catalogues for their clients and on other media such as braille and tape.

Other US has legislation stating the role of the School Library (the Mainstreaming Act) in the provision of special format material. By law the Librarian of Congress through NLS, designate lending of reading material and talking books to for example schools for the blind and physically handicapped. NLS provides its network agencies also with bibliographical tools and publicity tools such as printed catalogues. Printed material as brochures is also common. Co-operation with schools and other institutions That co-operation with nursery schools, schools and parents is necessary all the answering libraries are of one opinion. (ifla.org/iv/ifla65/papers/ e.htm) The Diabetes Action Network, a division of the National Federation of the Blind, is a support and information network for all diabetics (nfb.org – Diabetes Action Network)