American Foundation For The Blind Inc

Knowledge building and information disseminationthrough research and data, we understand complex problems and identify appropriate solutions. Prioritizing a consumer-centered approach with scalable impact, afb is pursuing and catalyzing forward-looking knowledge generation on key issues facing people who are blind or have low vision by fostering collaborations with institutions of higher education and other research organizations and by conducting independent research. Priority issue areas may include (but are not limited to) policy research and applied research in education; meaningful employment and social and economic mobility; rehabilitation services; aging and vision loss; demographic trends; and technology.in fy2024, afb published the second phase of the barriers to digital inclusion study, a diary study examining the digital experiences of 20 blind/low-vision participants in real time over a ten-day period. The afb research team began a delphi study to identify consensus views of an expert panel on how ai is expected to impact the lives of people with disabilities. Lastly, afb published a research briefs series that includes user-friendly summaries of all afb's recent research studies, and topical fact sheets reviewing afb's research on important topics for advocacy.afb's journal of visual impairment & blindness (jvib), the international peer-reviewed journal of record in the blindness field, which has been in continuous publication since 1907, delivers peer-reviewed research and peer-reviewed best practice information and analysis. The journal also features letters to the editor and commentaries from authoritative experts on critical topics. In 2024 (volume 118), the final issue of the year featured the special issue on evidence-based interventions for cvi. Cvi stands for cerebral visual impairment; it is also called brain-based visual impairment, cortical visual impairment, and neurologic visual impairment. The published issue included numerous peer-reviewed research articles and practice pieces, as well as commentaries from experts in the field, and individuals of all age ranges with lived experiences with cvi from the united states and around the world. The issue was guest edited by amanda lueck, ph.d., professor emerita, san francisco state university; and corinna bauer, ph.d., investigator, schepens eye research institute of massachusetts eye and ear; and instructor of ophthalmology, department of ophthalmology, harvard medical school.

Research, advocacy, and public supportafb is working to ensure that policymakers, business leaders, professional communities, and public interest advocates understand the key trends, challenges, and opportunities facing people who are blind or have low vision, for the purpose of changing attitudes and transforming institutional practice.the afb public policy and research institute (ppri), collaborates with policymakers in congress and the executive branch to ensure americans with vision loss have equal rights and opportunities to fully participate in society. Afb's advocacy strategy is backed by researchers and experts with professional and personal experience in living with vision loss. In fy 2024, afb focused on advocacy to make technology and transportation more accessible and usable. Working closely with coalition partners in the transportation space, ppri raised concerns about autonomous vehicle accessibility and pedestrian access. Ppri continued to advocate for technology and digital communications accessibility through legislation, participating in a federal advisory committee, and responding to federal rulemaking. Afb's research on web and application accessibility, education during the pandemic, and the experiences of adults during the pandemic continued to inform afb's advocacy priorities.