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Florida Division of Blind Services
Welcome to the Florida Division of Blind Services Web site.
New Director Appointed to Florida Division Blind Services
Commissioner Eric Smith announced that Ms. Joyce Hildreth was selected as Florida Blind Services new Division Director. She served as the Chief Operations Officer for Lighthouse Central Florida in Orlando. Lighthouse Central is a non-profit organization that offers comprehensive vision rehabilitation services to citizens in the Central Florida regions. Joyce is an esteemed professional who has worked in the field of visual impairment and rehabilitation for more than 20 years, and holds a Master’s Degree from Florida State University in Visual Disabilities. She is nationally certified as a Rehabilitation Therapist by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals, and is a current member of the State of Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind.
Target and NFB: Class Settlement Agreement Concluded
On August 27th, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Target (NYSE: TGT) announced that they have settled a class action lawsuit regarding access to the Target.com Web site by blind people.
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “Access to Web sites is critical to the full and equal participation of blind people in all aspects of modern life. The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to have reached a settlement with Target that is good for all blind consumers, and we recognize that Target has already taken action to make certain that its Web site is accessible to everyone. We look forward to working with Target in the coming months to help make additional improvements that will enhance the experience of blind visitors to Target.com. It is our sincere hope that other businesses providing goods and services over the Internet will follow Target’s example and take affirmative steps to provide full access to their Web sites by blind consumers.”
Bruce Sexton, Jr., a named plaintiff in the case from the beginning, added: "This settlement marks a new chapter in making Web sites accessible to the blind. I commend Target for committing to being a leader in online accessibility."
Steve Eastman, president of Target.com, said: “First and foremost, Target is committed to serving all our guests. As our online business has evolved, we have made significant enhancements in order to provide an accessible shopping experience. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the National Federation of the Blind regarding the accessibility of Target.com for individuals."
Hurricane Safety
The Florida Emergency Information Line (FEIL) is now operational. The FEIL hotline is: 1-800-342-3557.
If you have a disability and need transportation to a shelter or safe location, you must register with your county's Emergency Management Section. You can find your county's home page and contact information on the Emergency Management Contact List.
Special Needs Sheltering Information Index:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/disability/index.html
Citizen Emergency Information:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/citizen_emergency_info.htm
Florida Division of Emergency Management, Information for the Public:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/DEMpublic.asp
From now until the end of November, people in Florida must be prepared for hurricanes. Read hurricane safety information.
Cataract Awareness Month
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world. There are close to 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older with cataract. By age 80, more than half of all Americans will have cataract. Read more about cataracts.
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Did you know that more than 12 million kids suffer from some type of vision impairment? A child's eyes should be examined during regular pediatric appointments and vision testing should be conducted for all children starting around age 3. Also, be sure to protect children from eye related injuries. For example, sports are the leading cause of eye injuries to children, and that children should wear protect eyewear when participating in all sports and recreational activities.
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.