Canadian Resources

Below is a list of organizations and websites that will be of interest to vision professionals in Canada. If you have a resource you would like to share on this list please send details to morgan.ineson@cnib.ca.

Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
http://www.blindcanadians.ca
The AEBC mandate is 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.

Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority
http://www.apsea.ca

APSEA is a cooperative agency between the Provincial Departments of Education of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. We serve children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, blind or visually impaired.

CNIB
http://www.cnib.ca
CNIB is the primary source of support, information and most importantly, hope, for all Canadians affected by vision loss. We are recognized experts in vision health and have been making a profound difference in the lives of Canadians since 1918. At CNIB it is well understood that there are ways to enjoy a good quality of life for any of us experiencing vision loss, and important preventive steps we can all take to maintain vision health.

Canadian Blind Sports Association
http://www.canadianblindsports.org
Resources and events for Canadians interested in learning more about or participating in Blind Sports.

Canadian Deafblind & Rubella Association
http://www.cdbra.ca
The mission of the Canadian Deafblind Association's (CDBA) National organization is to promote and enhance the well-being of people who are deafblind through: advocacy, the development and dissemination of information and the provision of support to our chapters, members and community partners.

Canadian Council of the Blind
http://www.ccbnational.net
The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) was founded in 1944 by blind war veterans and schools of the blind. All officers and directors are blind or visually impaired which gives a unique sensitivity to the needs of the blind community. The CCB deals with the ongoing effects of blindness with specific programs to encourage active participation in local communities, education, sports and recreation and employment.

Canadian Federation of the Blind
http://www.cfb.ca/
The Canadian Federation of the Blind came together to fight the social and economic inequality of blind people in Canada. We came together to celebrate the achievements of blind people. We believe blindness is not a handicap, but a characteristic. The high unemployment rate and lack of opportunities for blind Canadians are not due to our blindness; they are due to social and economic inequalities in society. Like the civil rights movement, we will work to establish positive and productive roles for blind people in this country. We will work to educate the public. We will work to change what it means to be blind.

Eye Care Resources

http://www.localeyecare.com/article/blindness-resources.htm

This helpful site has a list of many resources available on the web and includes sites on Adaptive Technology, Advocacy groups, Books and Magazines, Employment, Medical information and Mobility and Braille.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness
http://www.ffb.ca

Our Mission is to find the causes, treatments and ultimately the cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and related retinal diseases by supporting research and public awareness.

MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre
www.mabmackay.ca
The MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre serves people of all ages who are blind and visually impaired and/or deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as motor and language impaired children.

National Federation of the Blind
http://www.nfb.org
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.

National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
http://www.neads.ca
The National Educational Association of Disabled Students is a consumer organization, with a mandate to encourage the self-empowerment of post-secondary students with disabilities. NEADS advocates for increased accessibility at all levels so that disabled students may gain equal access to college or university education, which is their right.

Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired
http://www.prcvi.org/
The Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) is a Ministry of Education Provincial Resource Program, hosted by the Vancouver School Board (VSB). The mission of the PRCVI is to provide leadership, information, training and consultation to support school districts' goals of equitable access and enhanced learning opportunities for students with visual impairments.

Special Education Technology – British Columbia
http://www.setbc.ca
SET BC’s goal is to enhance student opportunities for success by providing access to curriculum through the use of appropriate educational and communication technologies. SET-BC is a Ministry of Education Provincial Resource Program established to assist school districts in educating students whose access to the curriculum is restricted due to disability.

VoicePrint
http://www.voiceprintcanada.com
VoicePrint is a division of The National Broadcast Reading Service, a registered charity. We serve all Canadians, but particularly the millions of us who can't independently access printed materials - people who are: vision-restricted, learning disabled, mobility impaired, in need of literacy skills, learning ESL or just getting older.

W. Ross Macdonald School
http://www.wrossmacdonaldschool.on.ca
It is the mission of The W. Ross Macdonald School to provide the highest quality alternative educational and residential living placement for students who are blind, deafblind, or have low-vision. Located in Brantford, ON.