Dear Readers: As previously announced, RDPFS has made the difficult decision to cease publishing the Bulletin.
This is our last issue of this publication. A labor of love, the weekly Bulletin has been published for nearly five years, since the pandemic. Although publication of the Bulletin is ending, you may still look forward to future RDPFS emails. The Bulletin was made possible through the dedication of Editorial Director and Consultant Janet [...]
How AI Technology Can Improve Braille Literacy
by Daniel Parker, RDPFS Contributor: With World Braille Day and Braille Literacy Month coming in January, attention once again turns to lagging literacy rates, particularly among children, and possible solutions. The percentage of children learning braille in the United States is estimated at between 10 and 25 percent. As the artificial intelligence (AI) boom continues, [...]
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Resources for Learning Braille as an Adult with Vision Loss
by Daniel Parker, RDPFS Contributor: During January, Braille Literacy Month, and throughout the year, much discussion centers around improving braille literacy rates among children with vision loss. However, it can be just as important for an adult experiencing visual impairment to learn braille, and effective resources may not be as easy to find. Studies, such [...]
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Braille Challenge Begins in January 2025
The Braille Challenge, celebrating its 25th year, “is the only academic competition of its kind for students in grades 1 through 12 who are blind or visually impaired. Organized by Braille Institute, the program marks a quarter century of promoting braille literacy through rigorous academic competitions across the globe.” Currently, Braille Institute collaborates with 64 [...]
“Braille: What It Is, and Why It Is Important:” A Continuing Education Course for Professionals Available Online Free of Charge
As World Braille Day, January 4, 2025, approaches, the National Research and Training Center (NRTC) reminds professionals about the free online course on “Braille: What It Is and Why It is Important.” This course addresses the continuing relevance of braille throughout the lifespan for people with vision loss and its impact on individuals who use [...]
January Online Events: Technology Topics, AI for People with Disabilities, Art, Smart Accessibility at Home, and Poetry
Technology and Culture Workshops Throughout the Month and Beyond The Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library of The New York Public Library (NYPL) offers a wide range of online workshops, including several series of weekly, time-limited programs. A few coming up in January are: The Zoom about Zoom on January 7, 2025 from 1 [...]
Upcoming Virtual Programs Addressing the Needs of individuals who are Deafblind
On January 9, 2025 from 1 to 2 pm, Older Adults with Deafblindness: A Discussion will focus on this population, who make up the largest group of deafblind people in the U.S. Many of these individuals are “unserved or underserved,” and often do not consider themselves “DeafBlind.” To increase awareness, this webinar from The AER [...]
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Podcast Spotlights First-Hand Experience with Smart Glasses
The latest Hadley Presents podcast, Smart Glasses and Vision Loss, discusses smart glasses from Meta and Invision, with three professionals sharing personal experiences. Two of the testers are blind; one has some remaining vision. This conversation will cover which features each person finds most and least useful and where they think the devices could—and probably will—improve. [...]
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January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
Each year, January is commemorated as National Glaucoma Awareness Month to spread the word about this leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than three million people in the United States. Because generally no symptoms occur in the early stages, and once vision is lost, it is irreversible, glaucoma is often called “the sneak thief [...]
Research Update: Scientific Team Identifies Elements of Brain-Based Visual Impairment in Children; Research Needed to Set Up Best Diagnostic and Management Strategies
Scientists convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have “identified five elements of a brain-based condition that is a leading cause of vision impairment starting in childhood in the United States and other industrialized nations.” This increasingly common condition is cerebral (or cortical) vision impairment (CVI) and, according to some, at least three percent [...]
Looking for More Holiday Gift Ideas? Consider Giving a Holiday Gift of Fiction Favorites Large Print Books
Discover the joy of reading our collection of large print books, offering the best in contemporary fiction, romance, mystery, biography, adventure, and more! Our Fiction Favorites Large Print series brings you up to two expertly curated best-selling books in each volume (five volumes in all), in an easy-to-read format. A portion of the proceeds from [...]
Have a Happy and Health Holiday Season and New Year!
