Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services

The American Council of the Blind's (ACB) mission is to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people.

American Printing House for the Blind (APH) empowers people who are blind or visually impaired by providing accessible and innovative products, materials and services for lifelong success.

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) is a professional membership organization dedicated exclusively to professionals who provide services to persons with vision loss.

BVA Field Service Program uses a nationwide network of blinded veterans to find veterans who are experiencing vision loss and to provide counseling and link these veterans to the variety of services that may be needed. Employment assistance can also be provided.

BVA offers spouses and dependent children of blinded veterans a chance to continue their education through the Kathern F. Gruber Scholarship Program.

Provides parents and professionals information, materials, and resources that help them teach and nurture infants and children who are blind and visually impaired. Works to increase global awareness of the need for early and continuing intervention for preschool children who are visually impaired.

This foundation supports the research that will lead to preventions, treatments, and vision restoration for the spectrum of degenerative retinal diseases, specifically macular degeneration – including age related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA).

While Learning Ally remains a leading provider of audiobooks – including the world’s largest library of audio textbooks – the organization has become a critical resource to not only students in need, but also their parents, families, and educators.

From delivering parent services, webinars and tools for managing a learning difference to providing links to support networks, certifiers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities, their goal is provide a community of support – online, on the phone and in person. They help parents manage the challenges that come with supporting a child with a reading and learning disability.

Lighthouse Guild is the leading organization dedicated to addressing and preventing vision loss. They provide coordinated care for eye health, vision rehabilitation and behavioral health as well as related services directed at prevention, early detection and intervention of vision disorders. Reducing the burdens of vision loss is the cornerstone of what they do.

Macular Degeneration Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 tax-exempt charitable foundation. The Foundation has relationships with key people and institutions in the field of vision research.

MLV Foundation’s mission is to connect the visually impaired and blind in order to enhance lives, encourage independence, and expand awareness, beginning in Oklahoma and extending to the four-state region of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas.

The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. The NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in all fifty states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

They are a non-profit 501 0 (3) charitable organization striving to seek equality for all blind people in Central Oklahoma. They offer public education about blindness, serve as a source of information and referral, provide literature and publications about blindness, share information about aids and appliances and other adaptive equipment for the blind, support advocacy and protection of civil rights, and offer support for blind persons and their families.

.The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress, administers a free national library program that provides braille and recorded materials to people who cannot see regular print or handle print materials.

NewView Oklahoma, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to empower blind and vision impaired individuals to achieve their maximum potential through rehabilitation, employment, and community outreach.

They also offer community programs for people of all ages living with blindness and visual impairments including art classes, a dragon boating team, summer camps and support groups.

Oklahoma Council of the Blind (OCB) is a statewide organization of blind and visually impaired individuals, their families and friends. The organization works to encourage, empower, educate and enhance the lives of Oklahomans who are blind or visually impaired. OCB strives to empower blind Oklahomans to become full and independent participants in society through advocacy, leadership and public education on issues that affect the lives of citizens with visual impairments.

Nonprofit foundation promoting quality educational services for blind and visually impaired children and youth statewide. Provides mini-grants for student educational needs not met by other sources. Scholarship program.

OSB is a residential and day school for children and youth with visual impairments. The School also serves as a statewide resource for the education of blind and visually impaired children in the public schools. Programs and services include:

• Academic instruction through 12th grade;
• Instruction in specialized adaptive skills such as braille, orientation and mobility, use of assistive technology and low vision aids, and independent living skills;
• Vocational training and work-study opportunities;
• College preparation;
• Social, cultural and recreational activities including sports teams, music, band competitions, and a variety of student organizations;
• Outreach services providing technical assistance to help teachers and parents develop appropriate individualized education programs for visually impaired children in public schools;
• Related services such as student assessment, counseling, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, audiological services, health care and parent education and counseling; and
• Library and Media Center with educational materials in alternate formats including Braille, large print and recordings. Assistive devices to try out or borrow include talking appliances, magnifiers, closed-circuit TVs for print enlargement, electronic Braille notetakers and much more.

Summer Enrichment Program: Oklahoma Kids: A Kaleidoscope. For 1st - 12th grade students who are blind or visually impaired. The summer program is for children and youth who do not regularly attend the School for the Blind. The program offers specialized skills instruction, remediation, reinforcement in academic skills, training in use of assistive technology for the blind, recreation and social skills development. Children are transported home each weekend of the four week session.

The mission of Prevent Blindness America is to prevent blindness and preserve sight.

The Tulsa Council of the Blind is a chapter of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind. It was created by a group of blind individuals in the 1940s and served several functions. Over the past decades, TCB has been involved in legislative and other forms of advocacy in behalf of blind and visually impaired people, particularly on a local level. We have worked hard to develop public transportation, sidewalks, and acceptance of visually pmpaired people in all aspects of society.

Their monthly meetings are held from 5:30-7:30 pm, on the 2nd Thursday of each month at Delta Cafe, 11101 E 41st St. Tulsa, OK.