NATIONAL CONSORTIUM ON SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TEXAS STATE LIBRARY DEAF-BLINDNESS Children from birth up to age 18 may Free library service for Texans who are A national technical assistance center that qualify for Supplemental Security Income unable to read standard print material. works to improve the quality of life for chil- (SSI) benefits. Children may also be eligi- Books are available on digital cartridge, dren who are deaf-blind and their families. ble for Medicaid and other provided ben- Braille, large print, & cassette. Playback East Texas Area 512-206-9242 efits. equipment also available for loan. www.nationaldb.org 800-772-1213 800-252-9605 www.ssa.gov www.texastalkingbooks.org NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND TELEPHONE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE An organization dedicated to helping the EXEMPTIONS TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS nation’s blind and educating the general Contact phone company to get an ex- Vocational Rehabilitation: public. emption from fees for dialing 411. Blind Services Offices Texas: 512-323-5444 Resources, tips and tools to connect job www.nfbtx.org TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR PARENTS OF seekers with employers. National: 410-659-9314 CHILDREN WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS Tyler Office: 800-687-7042 Services for www.nfb.org An organization to inspire and support Lufkin Office: 800-687-7033 parents of children with visual impair- www.twc.state.tx.us ments. Students Who NFB-NEWSLINE® Texas: 866-998-2784 TYLER PARATRANSIT SERVICES Access to daily newspapers and magazines www.tapvi.com Door to door transportation services for from your touch-tone phone or iDevice for National: 800-562-6265 people with disabilities. To schedule a Are Blind or qualified members. www.spedex.com/napvi/ trip, you must call between the hours of 8 430-558-5630 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. https://nfb.org/audio-newspaper-service TEXAS PARENTS OF BLIND CHILDREN Reservations must be made no later than Visually An organization of parents and friends of 5 p.m. the day before and can be made PRECISION EYE PROSTHETICS blind children, a division of the National up to 14 days in advance. TERRY TRAWNIK, BCO Federation of the Blind of Texas. Schedule Trip: 903-592-3232 Impaired Board Certified Occularist specializing in www.tpobc.org Tyler Transit: 903-533-8057 creating eye prosthesis and serving the East www.cityoftyler.org/Departments/ Texas area. TylerTransit.aspx 903-796-1245 TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PREVENT BLINDNESS TEXAS Residential school and outreach services. Vision screening, eye health & safety pro- 800-872-5273 grams, free eye exams & glasses for those in www.tsbvi.edu need, and support groups. 800-331-2020 TEXAS SENSE-ABILITIES NEWSLETTER Region 7 ESC www.preventblindness.org A quarterly newsletter on issues related 1909 N Longview Street to students with visual impairment and Kilgore, TX 75662 READING & RADIO RESOURCE deaf blindness, available in print, on the News, literature, and talk available through web, in podcast, and in Braille. (903) 988-6700 a radio reading service online. www.tsbvi.edu/tx-sensabilities 800-871-7668 Cheryl Schulik www.readingresource.org Region 7 ESC Assistant Director
(903) 988-6903
[email protected] ALLIANCE OF AND FOR VISUALLY AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE EAST TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND RURAL TRANSPORATION SYSTEM Tuition-free distance education for families IMPAIRED TEXANS (AVIT) BLIND (APH) (GOBUS) and people with visual impairments. A network of organizations bringing a uni- Provider of accessible educational and daily Rides are scheduled Monday through Fri- 800-323-4238 fied voice to policymakers & state/ living products for people with visual im- day. There is a 24 hour advance notice www.hadley-school.org community boards. pairments. required for scheduled pickup. Please call 469-522-1803 800-223-1839 www.aph.org before 2 pm for next day service. Vehicles www.alliancevitexans.org JOB ACCOMODATIONS NETWORK are equipped with wheelchair lifts. See Free, expert, and confidential guidance on website for schedules. BOOKSHARE: ACCESSIBLE BOOKS FOR workplace accommodations and disability AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND (ACB) 800-590-3371 employment issues. Organization for persons who are blind or TEXAS Online library offering unlimited access to 800-526-7234 visually impaired. Service Area (Counties): Anderson, Camp, accessible books, textbooks, newspapers 877-781-9403 (TTY) Texas: 866-929-2228 Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, and magazines to qualifying students. www.askjan.org National: 800-424-8666 Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, www.accessiblebooks4tx.org www.acbtexas.org Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood. www.acb.org www.etcog.org/234/GoBus.htm LEARNING ALLY Audiobooks for K-12 and college students, DEAF & BLIND MULTI-HANDICAPPED from core curriculum textbooks to best- AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS (DBMAT) EAST TEXAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND selling novels, available on PC, MAC, any i- (AFB) Organization for families with deaf-blind Organization that helps with the rehabili- device, or DAISY devices for qualifying A national non-profit organization that children. tation, education, training and employ- students expands possibilities for people with vision www.dbmat-tx.org ment of people who are blind or visually 800-221-4792 loss. impaired. www.learningally.org/texas BLIND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN HEALTH & 411 W Front Street AFB Center on Vision Loss (Dallas, TX): HUMAN SERVICES CENTER (HHSC) Tyler, TX 75702 LONGVIEW EYE ASSOCIATES Offers solutions for independence, infor- Vocational and independent living services 888-565-ETLB (3852) DR. JUSTIN WARD mation and demonstrations of home adap- to persons of all ages and their families. www.etlb.org Low Vision Specialist tations, high and low tech devices, and Tyler Office: 903-533-4188 1506 Judson Road connection to appropriate resources to Lufkin Office: 936-663-3663 Children’s Program: These programs en- Longview, TX 75601 support programming for children and Texarkana Office: 903-791-3334 compass a wide array of areas including 903-758-8832 adults. www.hhsc.state.tx.us employment, education, and expanded www.longvieweyeassociates.com 214-352-7222 core curriculum. [email protected] www.etlb.org/Childrens_Program.html LONGVIEW TRANSIT www.afb.org EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION (ECI) Longview Transit’s Paratransit Service Program for families with children, birth to three, with disabilities and developmental offers rides on all days the regular bus Family Connect: A web site for parents of EDUCATION SERVICE CENTERS delays. service operates within Longview to quali- children with visual impairments. Supplemental services to local education www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis fied individuals. Call for more information www.familyconnect.org programs and training for parents; birth to Tyler: 866-610-0400 or 903-597-5067 and to ask about applying for the service. age 21. www.andrewscenter.com/eci.htm 903-753-2287 ext. 10 Career Connect: A free resource for people Region 7 ESC, Kilgore: 903-988-6700 Longview: 888-504-2229 or 903-757-8194 TTY: 903-753-5265 who want to learn about the range and www.esc7.net www.longviewtransit.com/para.php diversity of jobs performed by adults who www.communityhealthcore.com are blind or visually impaired throughout Lufkin: 877-205-3630 or 936-639-1141 the United States and Canada. http://www.burke-center.org/eci.asp www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=7