Florida Division of Blind Services

Welcome to the Florida Division of Blind Services Web site.

Testimonies

We’ll be featuring a series of testimonials from members of prominent organizations of and for the blind.  You can learn about organizations that are dedicated to the promotion of individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired from members of these groups.

This month we are featuring the Florida Lions Club. The testimony is narrated by Bruce Miles, Lions Club member and a representative of our Rehabilitation Council for the Blind.  If you don't have an mp3 player installed, you can download a free version of winamp at http://www.winamp.com/.

Our first testimony was narrated by Sila Miller from the Florida Council of the Blind.

Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month

Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month is a chance for individuals, museums, libraries, schools, and other community institutions to showcase the work they are doing to promote art education for people who are blind or visually impaired. Salvador Dali's Artwork: The Persistence of Memory Being able to touch and hear about art is important to help people without sight to appreciate art.

Sample art history through touch and sound by visiting the Art Beyond Sight Web site, currently featuring Salvador Dali and Surrealism.

Our Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services takes Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month seriously. Learn more about Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month activities that were held at the Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is "Expectations plus opportunity equals full participation".  Having an expectation of success isn’t enough.  People must also have an opportunity to succeed. With both the expectation and opportunity, people with disabilities can become full participants in our economy. If you are an employer, consider hiring a person who is blind or severely visually impaired. We can help you make it work. Check out Employer Services offered by the Florida Blind Services.

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween SafetyThere are steps you can take to make Halloween safer for yourself, your children and your teens. Simple things, like wearing make-up rather than a mask, can make your Halloween safer. You might wonder why one should not wear a mask. It has to do with visibility. We rely on our peripheral or side vision to travel safely. Many store bought masks severely limit this peripheral vision. Learn more about Halloween Safety tips.

Community Rehabilitation Program Corner:  New Vision for Independence, Inc.

New Vision for Independence is the first Community Rehabilitation Program we’re cornering.  They serve residents of Lake and Sumter counties, as well as residents of The Villages—a retirement community in Marion County.  Their main office is located on the campus of Lake-Sumter Community College in Leesburg.  They also have a satellite office in Clermont.  Classes are held in donated spaces in both Lake and Sumter counties.  They are currently negotiating to get some class space in Mount Dora, as well. 

New Vision for Independence has been in existence since 2005.  They have been working with DBS, under contract, since July when they received a contract to work with the blind babies program.  They very recently became contracted to work with the Independent Living program and VR clients as well.  New Vision’s nine employees serve approximately 100 IL clients, 10 VR clients, and they have seven support groups for clients to choose from.

New Vision also works with the Lions Club, United Way, and various free clinics.  They are very involved within the community and have had 82 speaking engagements since last April!  Their annual fundraiser, Sneakers and Paws (which includes not only walking and running but dog games, obedience competition, and a dog costume contest as well) is only one of the ways in which they help to educate blind people and the sighted community around them.  At the end of every class, Family Workshops are held in which the participants who can see wear goggles that simulate different visual impairments.  They are then paired with a sighted person and proceed to do something a blind person might need to do every day, such as riding the bus or going to the store.  This activity helps teach them what visually impaired people experience on a daily basis. 

Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar

Did you know that the United States Congress authorized a silver dollar to commemorate Louis Braille? Louis Braille’s system of six raised dots has been adapted to almost all languages. The system literally brought reading to the finger tips of countless people who have severe visual impairments or who are blind. Therefore, the United States Congress wanted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth with a silver dollar that bears his image. More important this is the first coin in the history of the United States that has readable Braille on it.

silver dollar - head sideThe head of the coin displays a portrait of Louis Braille designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Phebe Hemphill. It is inscribed with “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “Louis Braille”, “1809” and “2009”.

Silver Dollar - tail sideThe tail of the coin shows a child reading a book in Braille. It was designed by United States Mint AIP Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Joseph Menna. The word Braille (abbreviated B r l in Braille code) is written in the upper field. The word “independence” is featured on a bookshelf behind the child. It also is inscribed with “United States of America”, “One Dollar” and “E Pluribus Unum.”

The US Congress authorized surcharges from sales of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar to be given to the National Federation of the Blind to further its programs to promote Braille literacy.

Hurricane Safety

hurricane June 1 until November 30 is hurricane season in Florida. It is best to start planning for a hurricane now. Read about how planning for a hurricane or find your county's home page and contact information on the Emergency Management Contact List.

New Resources for Employers

Two new resources were recently released by the Office of Disability Employment Policy  (ODEP), Department of Labor. The full title of these documents, a short description, and links to the documents are noted below.

Roadmaps II For Enhancing Employment Of Persons With Disabilities Through Accessible Technology

Roadmaps II is a report that looks at the issue of AT and employment from the perspective of AT service providers and disability stakeholders who work directly to assist individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II is a result of the work of the AT Collaborative - a group of national organizations funded by ODEP and CESSI to address AT issues and provide policy recommendations related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II follows the January 2008 release of Roadmaps I, which is a report on the consensus Roadmaps developed by participants in the 2007 Business Dialogue on Accessible Technology and Disability Employment for how best to enhance the hiring, retention, and advancement of persons with disabilities and others through accessible technology. Read more about the Roadmaps at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employment_supports/roadmaps.htm

New Disability Employment Resource For Employers Released

To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable, and easy to understand guide for employers who are looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, ODEP just released its new Four-Step Reference Guide. The online version of this valuable resource, which covers topics such as Incentives & ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and much more, also provides a wealth of links and other resources. The Guide is available in PDF format at http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Flip%20Guide_FINAL_3%2030_508%20compliant2.pdf and in Word at http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/publicat.htm (scroll down to the "other" category). The print version of Diversifying Your Workforce, A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring & Retaining Employees with Disabilities will be available later this year.

Reference Points is administered by PACER Center http://www.PACER.org as a technical assistance activity of the TATRA Project. The TATRA Project is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

Top Stories Related to Blindness

Keeping up with top stories related to blindness and visual loss isn't easy. Read Top Stories Related to Blindness including topics like assistive technology, business, and talking books.


The mission of Florida Blind Services is to ensure blind and visually impaired persons living in Florida have the tools, support, and opportunity to achieve success.

The Blind and Visually Impaired Ring
Powered By Ringsurf