Useful websites for Visually Impaired Teachers and Students

This is the start of what I am hoping will grow in to a large comprehensive list of organisations providing essential services, equipment and support for visually impaired Teachers and Students.

If you know of any useful links that do not appear on this list please let me know: webmaster@abapstas.org.uk Peter Millgate

Disability alliance

www.disabilityalliance.org Provides information on disability—particularly on benefits.

Directgov

www.direct.gov.uk/disability/ government website providing information on disability issues, including: independent living; employment; financial support; your rights and more.

UK Disability Forum for Europe

The Forum has three full meetings each year, September, January and May. The Forum usually mounts an event for the European Day of Disabled People, 3 December. The Forum operates several sub-committees, including The Women's Committee, Employment and Structural Fund Committee, Multiple Disabilities and Special Needs Committee, and a large committee, with three sections, concerned with freedom of movement, transport and European benefits. For further information see Christopher Crockett's bulletin article, please phone Christopher Crockett on 0141 959 6897.

Guidedogs for the blind association [GDBA]

: www.guidedogs.org.uk Provides Guidedogs and mobility training to visually-impaired people, to aid their independence.

National Federation of the Blind of the United Kingdom

www.nfbuk.org A purely campaigning organisation, focusing on gaining better services and rights for visually-impaired people. Membership £5.

National library for the blind, [NLB]

www.nlb-online.org Provides books in accessible formats, on loan to visually-impaired people, free of charge.

The Disability Network (RADAR)

www.radar.org.uk

Talking Newspaper Association of the UK, [TNAUK]

www.tnauk.org.uk Providing popular newspapers and magazines on tape, disk and via email, subscription begins at £40 per year.

Action for Blind People (AFBP)

www.afbp.org Campaigns on the behalf of visually-impaired people. Also runs 4 hotels in the UK specially adapted for Visually Impaired People.

Queen Alexandra College


www.qac.ac.uk A national college for people aged 16+ with visual impairment and other disabilities. Students can enjoy learning in small, well supported groups; living in hostels on campus or more independently in nearby college houses.

Advance2work


www.advance2work.co.uk Our team of experienced trainers, employment consultants and mentors will help a client to move towards employment and successful future. Each client’s Personal Employment Programme will bring together the support, skills development, work experience and job search which will greatly improve client’s chances of finding and getting the job they want.

Advantage Graphite Canes


www.qac.ac.uk/enterprises/canes.html Advantage Graphite Canes are used and acclaimed world-wide. They are designed to achieve optimum balance for ease of use and comfort. 

QAC Sight Village


www.qacsightvillage.org.uk The premier exhibition for blind and partially-sighted people in the UK. July 17, 18 & 19, 10am-5pm in Clarendon Suites, Hagley Road, Birmingham, B16 9SB. 

All Formats – Sign Work


www.qac.ac.uk/enterprises/allformats.html All Formats – Signwork, Birmingham based sign company, manufactures a range of signs, badges and banners for buildings and vehicles.  We have knowledge in building audits related to accessible signage and installation of signs. All Formats staff have professional expertise in producing accurate and affordable Braille and tactile, high contrast signs, which enable building owners to comply with Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). 

All Formats - Transcription


www.qac.ac.uk/enterprises/allformats.html All Formats – Transcription, produces and transcribes braille and large print. The company uses latest braille technology and software making the transcription process more cost effective. All Formats are able to transcribe almost any document including booklets, bills, marketing literature, statistical information, menus, labels, business cards and much more. 

Blind in Business


www.blindinbusiness.org.uk A charity set up ten years ago by three blind law graduates. They are all now very successful business people and wanted to help other Visually Impaired graduates to achieve their full potential. Since we began, Blind in Business has helped over 400 graduates into employment.

We offer a range of services to help both undergraduates/graduates and employers to ease the transition between education and full time employment. We level the playing field so visually impaired graduates have the same chance as anyone else.

Blind in Business offers the following services to students:

Blind in Business also works with employers to help them make their recruitment processes more accessible. We provide awareness workshops, advice and support to help the employer and graduate through the induction period.

Disability Rights Commission, [DRC]

www.drc-gb.org Provides legal support and information on your rights, liaises with the government on all disability-related issues.

Cobolt

www.cobolt.co.uk Providing independent living aids for those with sight loss.

Millgate Associates


www.millgates.co.uk/braille Providing hi quality formatted Print to Braille or cassette Translation with a Fast turnaround.

Sight and Sound

Technology: www.sightandsound.co.uk Providing access technology for blind and partially sighted people.

Techno Vision

www.techno-vision.co.uk Providing computer equipment for visually-impaired people.

TOM LORIMER'S WHITESTICK WEBSITE

www.whitestick.co.uk/blind.html A web site packed full of information and useful addresses (well worth a visit).  

Vis-Ability

www.vis-ability.co.uk Providing access Technology

Royal National College for the Blind

http://www.rncb.ac.uk College of further education and training for people (16+) who are blind or partially sighted.

Online Universities

http://www.onlinedegreeuniversities.com Earn your degree online from wide range of online universities.

General Teacher Training Registry

www.gttr.ac.uk Provides information on applying for teacher training and a course search facility. Applications can be made online, tracked and accepted. Linked to the Universities and Admissions Service.

The Teacher Training Agency

www.teach.gov.uk Provides advice on all aspects of training and qualifying as a teacher.

Teacher Net

www.teachernet.gov.uk Provides access to online publications for teachers.

Department For Education and Skills

www.dfes.gov.uk Education information for everyone—teachers; students; parents; children. Government policies and methods.

The National Curriculum online

www.nc.uk.net Online version of the NC covers all subjects and key stages. (this is quite a complex site, but has headings which aid access).

The Standard site: key stage national strategies

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk All the guidelines for the national strategies. (complex webpage).

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

www.qca.org.uk The regulatory body for public examinations and publicly funded qualifications including the curriculum for the under-fives, the National Curriculum, GCSEs, AS and A2s and adult learners.

The National Assessment Agency

www.naa.org.uk Supports learning and assessment throughout education.

The Modified Test Agency

helpline@pia.co.uk Provides Braille/large print formats of keystage tests.

Examination boards

AQA: www.aqa.org.uk

Edexcel: www.edexcel.org.uk

OCR: www.ocr.org.uk

Times Educational Supplement

www.tes.co.uk Online version of the education newspaper released every Friday; message boards on all conceiveable topics, and online job search.

The Times Higher Education Supplement

www.thes.co.uk Provides articles on all aspects of higher education.

Education Guardian

www.education.guardian.co.uk Education links provided by the guardian newspaper’s education supplement.

Chalk Face

www.chalkface.com Online lesson plans; worksheets and online help for all subjects for key stages 3 and 4.

The Association Of Blind Piano Tuners

www.uk-piano.org A site aimed at Piano Tuners, Teachers and anyone in the Music Business.

Links to other web-pages:

Charity No. 266056

web site maintained by
Millgate Associates.
Tel: 0114 2745665 info@millgates.co.uk