Thinking Outside the Light-Box
Support Groups
Thinking Outside the Light-Box
This is an online Facebook support group dedicated to children with CVI. Parents are able to ask questions, get ideas and make suggestions to other parents.
The Jewish Guild for the Blind
The Jewish Guild for the Blind has weekly conference calls designed for parents of children with CVI. It is a support group with various guest speakers. The groups are composed of parents with children who have the same eye conditions and are professionally facilitated. There is no cost to parents.
Texas Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
TAPVI is a non-profit organization of parents and vision professionals. They arecommitted to providing support to families of children who have blindness or visual impairments.
Blogs
Little Bear Sees
The resources are primarily focused on the families and children with CVI. The website is sponsored by author of the book Little Bear Sees.
Babies WithIPads
Babies with iPads is a blog that offers reviews of iPad apps appropriate for children with disabilities including CVI.
The Independent Little Bee
The Independent Little Bee has an assortment of information for families with visually impaired children. There are several posts specifically about CVI.
Growing Strong
Growing Strong vision section provide message boards, blogs, articles and links designed to assist parents with finding other resources and ways to cope with raising children with visual impairments.
Agencies
American Printing House for the Blind
The American Printing House for the Blind is an informative resource for information about a variety of visual impairments. There are links to products, publications and is designed to enhance the lives of individuals with low vision and blindness. They also offer specific CVI information on the website.
American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind is a nationwide advocacy group for people with visual impairments and their family members. The website has several links to resources that are related to CVI.
Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind is one of the oldest and most highly regarded resources for people with visual impairments in the United States. The website offers many resources about CVI.
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The Texas School for the Visually Impaired is located in Austin, Texas. The website provides articles, newsletters and links designed to inform and assist teachers, parents and students who are visually impaired.
The Blind Babies Foundation
The Blind Babies Foundation has a list of pediatric visual diagnosis fact sheets, including one about cortical visual impairment.
Blind Children’s Vocational Discovery and Development Program
Children between the ages of birth and 22 years who live in Texas and have vision impairment are eligible for services that include community, vocational, and additional training guidance.
Additional Websites
Region 10 Parent Resources
The Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities explains the specific rights and responsibilities of the parent in the special education process.
Wonderbaby.org
WonderBaby.org is website that is dedicated to helping families with children who have vision impairments and other disabilities. They offer articles, reviews and a large collection of resources.
Perkins School for the Blind Webinars
This website offers a variety of techniques and strategies that can be used by parents to increase literacy skills in students with a diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment.
Camps
Texas Lions Club
Students with visual Impairments are invited to apply to attend a one week long session in Kerrville, Texas at the Texas Lions Club designed especially to meet their needs.
Camp Independence
Stephen F. Austin University
Nacogdoches, TX
This camp is designed for students with visual impairments who are 13 or older in the East Texas area.
Camp Summit
Individuals with any disability, ages six to 99, participate in daily activities such as horseback riding, swimming, and ropes challenge course in weekend and/or week long camps. Summit also provides family weekend packages.
Audio/Reading Resources
Reading and Radio Resources
Reading and Radio Resources provides audio readings of newspapers, magazines, books, and educational content for readers who are blind, have low-vision, or otherwise needed unique access to media otherwise commonly used by sighted individuals.
Choice Magazine is a talking magazinethat provides audio recordings of memorable articles, stories, interviews, essays and poems from outstanding current magazines, completely free of charge, to the blind and visually impaired.
Just For Fun!
Morgan’s Wonderland is a unique theme park located in San Antonio, Texas. People that have special needs including those with visual impairments are admitted free of charge. They offer braille signage, a 3-D park model and a service-animal rest area. The park is designed to be accessible to people with and without special needs.