This study compared which braille-related communication skills 233 teachers of students with visual impairments taught and which 531 adults with visual impairments actually used. Teachers taught use of braillewriters, computers, audiocassette recorders, and typewriters, but rarely taught use of slates and styli and sighted readers' services, which…

This study examined the frequency and nature of parental support for the emergent literacy of 264 visually impaired children (age birth to 8). Differences in parental support were found to be based on the primary literacy medium (print, braille, or print-braille) and presence of additional disabilities. Parents differed in the literacy…

This reference circular lists United States sources of braille books and magazines available for loan, purchase, rental, or free distribution. Each source entry contains the name, address, telephone and fax number, Internet address (if available), and a brief description of the source. The first two sections list general and religious sources of…

This literature review examines and integrates research addressing visual handicap and giftedness and provides suggestions for the identification and education of gifted students with visual handicaps. The review addresses definitions of visual handicap and giftedness, characteristics of the gifted visually handicapped child, the problem of…

This annotated bibliography comprises an alphabetical listing of 26 books about food and cooking available in special formats. The list contains books about how food is made, stories about food, books about people who work with foods, and cookbooks. The reading levels of the books range from preschool through junior high school. Formats included…

The text presents information gained from interviews with blind and physically handicapped children, their mothers, teachers, reading specialists, and librarians concerning reading patterns and library use. The book describes the difficulties handicapped children face in learning to use and enjoy such reading materials as braille books, large…

The paper examines applications and research on the use of bar code technology to aid mentally retarded, physically handicapped, visually impaired, and other handicapped persons in independently gaining information from a variety of sources. Bar code reader technology is compared to alternative information systems such as Braille, pictorial…

Papers on library services and developments in reading materials for the blind and disabled presented at the 1984 IFLA general conference include: (1) "The Establishment of a Library Service to Visually Handicapped People in African Developing Countries" (Paulli Thomsen, Denmark); (2) "Sources of Assistance for Establishing Braille…

This booklet examines the role and outlines the activities of Australian libraries in meeting the educational, cultural, recreational, and information needs of the physically, sensorily, and mentally disabled. The origins of library services for the handicapped in Australia are discussed, existing services are reviewed, the library needs of…

THE REPORT ON SCIENCE FOR THE BLIND, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, DETAILS PAST AND PLANNED GROWTH. THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN PROVIDING SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON TAPE SINCE 1955. OVER 2,000 TAPES ARE CURRENTLY CIRCULATED MONTHLY, WITH SELECTIONS FROM SCIENTIFIC PERIODICALS, LECTURES, AND BOOKS. IN 1964 THE INSTRUMENTS AND AIDS PROJECT WAS BEGUN TO…

A Braille Reader Survey Analysis was prepared for the Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress in 1974 in order to determine what kinds of books and magazines current braille readers like to read, and to obtain information about braille readers. The survey mailing list was gleaned from subscription lists of four…

Outlines existing library materials and services for blind students in Botswana, describes efforts made in the past to educate blind persons, and presents a proposal for the development of an educational library service for the blind at the primary, secondary, and university levels. (Author/CLB)

This study used a single-subject design to investigate the feasibility of using computer access technology by Braille reading students who are mainstreamed. The technology would reduce the time that vision teachers spend transcribing Braille work for mainstream teachers and thereby increase the time vision teachers spend in direct instruction and…

The materials included in this reference circular are recommended as basic resources for providing current information on general aspects of visual impairments and physical disabilities. The selections, based on the holdings of the Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), were chosen for their…

The National Library Service (NLS) is developing a digital talking book and Braille book system for use by the blind and physically handicapped community. The following elements drive the design of the program: NLS offers a free library service; NLS is consumer-driven; NLS pays no royalties to copyright holders; the program is accessible to a wide…