Links to external websites
A great deal of vision loss and vision health information is available online. CNIB provides links to external websites solely for informational purposes and accepts no responsibility or liability for the content available at these sites. The inclusion of any link on this site does not constitute an endorsement by CNIB.
Accessible Sound and Visual Media Services
The Accessible Channel (TACtv).
The Accessible Channel is a national descriptive, closed-captioned HD digital TV specialty service for the vision impaired and hearing impaired that is inclusive of the whole family.
More than 700 films, countless television programs and entertainment will be accessible to all cable subscribers on The Accessible Channel.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
Providing services for nearly half a century, RFB&D is a national nonprofit organization that serves people who cannot read standard print because of a visual, perceptual or other physical disability.
Alternative Format Providers*
* The resources presented below are for informational purposes only and in no way constitute an endorsement of the organizations listed by CNIB.
Accessible Printing
Provide services in braille transcription, including braille business cards.
Braille It
Producers of braille business cards.
Braille Jymico
Some audio and DAISY transcription, braille transcription of general and educational materials, braille business cards, tactile graphics, E-text transcription and music braille transcription for education.
Crawford Technologies
Producers of large print materials, some braille transcription
Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille (INLB)
Braille transcription.
La Magnétothèque
Audio transcription of general and educational materials, DAISY.
National Braille Factory
Braille transcription of general and educational materials, braille business cards.
TBase
Large print, general audio transcription, braille transcription, braille business cards, audio and braille transcription of educational materials, E-text transcription for education.
Vision Rehabilitation Organizations - Canada
Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille
Premier établissement canadien et premier organisme francophone sur le continent américain spécialisé en déficience visuelle, l'Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille représente encore aujourd'hui la plus importante concentration de ressources spécialisées pour personnes aveugles ou handicapées de la vue au Québec.
Montreal Association for the Blind
Offering timely, quality rehabilitation adjustment and social services to blind and visually impaired persons as well as support services to their families. Servicing chiefly English speaking persons who reside in the Montreal region.
National Coalition for Vision Health
A non-profit coalition of Canadian organizations and service providers of vision care industry, research, education, rehabilitation and consumers.
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Vision Rehabilitation Organizations - International
African Union of the Blind
Since 1987 the African Union of the Blind, a non-governmental organization, has been devoted to people who are blind and those living with vision loss on the African continent. The AFUB works in the field of human rights with a mandate to strengthen the capacity of its member organizations to provide services and advocate for the same rights enjoyed by all people around the globe.
The American Foundation for the Blind
AFB is a leading American resource for people who are blind or visually impaired, the organizations that serve them, and the general public. AFB also the publishes AccessWorld and AccessWorld Extra, an online magazine and a free e-newsletter containing the latest news about technology and vision loss.
Lighthouse International
Founded in 1905 and headquartered in New York, Lighthouse enables people of all ages who are blind or partially sighted to lead independent and productive lives.
ONCE
Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles. ONCE's objective is to help people in Spain who are blind or visually impaired.
RNIB
Operating in the United Kingdom, RNIB wants a world in which people with a visual impairment enjoy the same rights, freedoms, responsibilities and quality of life as people who are fully sighted.
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
RNZFB provides services to visually impaired people.
Vision Australia
The largest provider of blindness and low vision services in Australia, enabling more than 41,000 children and adult clients to live the lives they choose.
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Vision Health Information and Research
AMD Alliance International
AMDAI strives to bring knowledge, help and hope to individuals and families around the world affected by AMD.
Canadian Ophthalmological Society
COS is the national member association of medical eye doctors who provide comprehensive eye care.
The Canadian Association of Optometrists
CAO is a national member organization of 2,800 optometrists.
Association des Optométristes du Québec
Le seul site d'informations en optométrie en francais en Amérique du Nord.
Digital Journal of Ophthalmology
A peer-reviewed ophthalmology journal on the World Wide Web
Foundation Fighting Blindness
Promotes and supports research directed to finding the cause, developing a treatment and ultimately a cure, for retinal degenerations.
LOVNET, the Low-Vision Network
An Internet resource for researchers, clinicians, and others with an interest in low vision.
The University of Ottawa Eye Institute
The Eye Institute is a world class facility recognized internationally for excellence in patient eye care, research and teaching in the field of ophthalmology.
VisionConnection
A one-stop, accessible online resource on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation for people who are partially sighted or blind, the professionals who work with them, the families and friends who support them - and anyone looking for the latest information on prevention, research and treatment.
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Consumer Groups
Advocates for Sight Impaired Consumers (ASIC)
Since 1998, ASIC has been advocating for independent access and equality for Greater Vancouver area residents who are blind, sight-impaired or deaf-blind.
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
The AEBC exists to increase awareness of rights and responsibilities, so blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted individuals can have equal access to the benefits and opportunities of society.
The Canadian Council of the Blind
CCB is a national self-help consumer organization of persons blind, deaf-blind and visually impaired.
Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee
A voluntary coalition of individuals and community organizations in Ontario working for a barrier-free society for persons with disabilities.
Le Regroupement des aveugles et amplyopes du Québec
L'RAAQ est une corporation qui a été mise sur pied dans le but de favoriser l'intégration, à part entière, de tous les aveugles et amblyopes du Québec, dans les différents domaines de l'activité humaine.
World Blind Union
WBU is the international voice of over 50 million blind and visually impaired people.
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Guide Dog Organizations
BC Guide Dogs
Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind
Dogs with Wings Assistance Dog Society
Eye Dog Foundation
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
Guide Dogs of America
Leader Dogs for the Blind
Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dogs
Loving Paws Assistant Dogs
MIRA Foundation
Southwestern Guide Dogs, Inc.
The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind Inc.
Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence.
Guiding Eyes For the Blind Inc.
Guiding Eyes was founded on a simple commitment - to enhance and promote safe travel, independence, security and dignity for people who are blind or visually impaired, through the use of a well trained guide dog.
The Seeing Eye
Since its founding in 1929, The Seeing Eye has matched over 11,000 specially bred and trained dog guides with blind people from throughout the United States and Canada.
Western Society for Children
Western Society for Children is a charity and non government organization situated in New Westminster, BC. We help families with children who have disabilities, and are there when they may not have many options. We accept families with children with any type of disability, are a place with answers for families who do not qualify for government funding, and a much needed place of understanding in a complicated system.
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Recreation, Literacy, Education
Canadian Braille Authority
Promoting braille as a primary medium for blind persons.
The Glenvale Players
Theatrecraft for blind and vision impaired persons.
The Hadley School for the Blind
The Hadley School offers more than 90 distance education courses completely free of charge. You can study in the comfort of your own home at a time convenient for you.
Insight Radio
Insight Radio is Europe's first and largest station for blind and partially sighted listeners. The Sony award-winning station broadcasts 24 hrs a day on topics like news, sport, entertainment, assistive technology and the best mix of music around.
Mohawk College
If you are considering a career as an orientation and mobility instructor or rehabilitation teacher, training is available at Mohawk College.
National Braille Press
NBP is a nonprofit braille printer and publisher offering braille books, magazines, textbooks, tests, and customized embossing services.
National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS)
The world's largest broadcast reading service. NBRS is designed to enhance media access and make information more accessible to everyone.
Project Gutenberg Home Page
The Project Gutenberg philosophy is to make information, books and other material available to the general public.
Seedlings Braille Books for Children
Seedlings is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high quality, low-cost braille books for children.
Traveleyes - World holidays for blind and sighted travellers
Award-winning air tour operator that specialises in providing world holidays for blind and sighted people and facilitates independent group travel for blind people so that they can access the same opportunities for world travel that sighted people have always enjoyed. Destinations and customers are worldwide.
Volunteering & Healthy Aging - Volunteer Canada
Launched in November 2008 this website, an initiative of Volunteer Canada, helps prospective boomer volunteers understand how to get started and what to expect when they do.
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Government Agencies
Canadian International Development Agency
CNIB has worked in partnership with CIDA since the early nineties. Projects have included management training for leaders in vision loss organizations throughout the developing world, in particular Africa and the Caribbean. Recently funded projects have included the Youth Internship Program and HIV AIDS Awareness and Education for Blind and Visually Impaired women and men in Africa. This partnership funding enables CNIB to share its wealth of professional knowledge and expertise in the field of vision loss.
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Canadian tax information for people with disabilities.
Persons With Disabilities Online
The Government of Canada's site for Canadians with disabilities.
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Adaptive Products and Technology
Adapted Computer Technologies
Since 1989, ACT has specialized in consulting, products, systems integration and the instruction in the use of computer assisted devices.
Ai Squared
Makers of ZoomText screen magnification software.
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
APH promotes independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing special media, tools, and materials needed for education and life.
The Aroga Group
Based in Vancouver, The Aroga Group provides assistive and adaptive technology, including blindness products, low vision products, communication aids, learning disabilty software and devices, and computer access components.
Assistive Technology, Inc.
Dedicated to providing assistive technology and product solutions to individuals who experience learning, communication (conversational and written), and access difficulties.
Beyond Sight, Inc.
Adaptive products for people who are blind or visually impaired.
CAM Solutions
An authorized ADP vendor offering on-site computer setup and on-going support plus low tech aids, like talking watches, clocks, thermometers and Braille or large print board games.
Duxbury Systems
The first name in software for braille translation since 1975.
Enabling Technologies Company
A manufacturer of braille embossers.
Freedom Scientific
Freedom Scientific's mission is to change the world for people with sensory impairments and learning disabilities by creating innovative, technology basedproducts and solutions.
Frontier Computing
A total solution sales and support company for people who are blind or have low vision.
GW-Micro, Inc.
GW Micro gives independence to the visually impaired through its computer based speech products.
HumanWare, Inc.
Specializing in products for people who are blind or people who are visually impaired, including DAISY talking book players.
IBM Special Needs Solutions
Assistive devices and software tools that make the computer more accessible and friendly to people who have vision, hearing, speech, mobility, and attention/memory disabilities.
Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.
KESI develops and provides leading edge educational software and computer systems for reading.
Microcomputer Science Centre Inc.
Devoted to creating computer solutions for people with special needs since 1980.
Optelec International
The world's largest specialist in electronic equipment for the blind and partially sighted.
Telesensory Corporation
For three decades, Telesensory has been helping visually impaired and blind people achieve greater independence through innovative, technology-based products.
Special Needs Computer Solutions
Assistive Technology solutions for individuals with special needs - Sales, support, and consultation of vision aids, ergonomic computer aids, and augmentative communication aids. Canadian distributors of Guide and Guide Handsfree Software.