WA.gov
An official website of Washington State
Blindness-related Tools and Services
Guide Dogs
- List of Guide Dog schools
- Guide Dog Users Inc Resources
- Guide to Service Animals and Washington State Law
- ADA Service Animals
- WA State Laws – Washington State Service Dog Association
- GDB – Access Letter to businesses
- Guide Dog Protection Laws by state
Orientation and Mobility
- Orientation and Mobility for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired - FamilyConnect
- Frontiers | The Use of Wayfinding Apps by Deafblind Travelers in an Urban Environment: Insights From Focus Groups | Education (frontiersin.org)
- VisionAware Orentation and Mobility overview and basic skills
Apps
- Aira paid service - Paid app that connects blind and low-vision people with trained employees who can describe the environment.
- Be My Eyes - Free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers who can describe the environment.
- Blind Square accessible navigation app
- Microsoft Soundscape - Navigation app
Daily Living and Assistive Technology
Apps
- Seeing AI - Seeing AI narrates the world around you, it can read short text and documents, scan barcodes, identify people and scenes, scan currency, and identify light and colors.
- Be My Eyes, free app connecting with sighted user assistance
Training
- Hadley - Hadley provides both practical and social/emotional help to older adults adjusting to vision loss, empowering them to adapt and thrive.
- WSSB Blindness Tips - Videos created by the Washington State School for the Blind – includes videos on cooking, cleaning, clothing management, and other areas of daily living and mobility
Aids and Appliances
Assistive Technology
- WATAP - The Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP) provides resources and services to persons who face challenges related to disability and aging to help in the selection and use of assistive technology, also known as AT.
- Assistive Technology 101
- TSBVI Tech Tips - Accessible tips for the following: Gmail, google calendars, google drive, google sheets, and google docs.
- Northwest Access Fund – NWAF (nwaccessfund.org) - Individual loans for Assistive Technology.
- iCanConnect - Free training and equipment for DeafBlind individuals.
General Etiquette
- Blindness etiquette - Six ways to be considerate
- Assisting someone who is visually impaired - Guides and techniques
- Light House Guild - Guide Technique video - How to guide someone who is Blind
Create Accessible Documents (Basics)
- Learn about Accessible Documents and Websites from WA state Department of Services for the Blind
- Is my web content accessible?
- Is the MS office document I've created accessible?
Adobe and PDFs
- Adobe Accessibility
- Converting Documents to Accessible PDF
- Overview of accessibility in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Docs
- How to make your next virtual meeting more accessible | Deque
Access to Braille, Large Print, and/or Talking books and information
- Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) - The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library builds community and provides equal access to information and reading materials for Washington residents unable to read standard print.
- NFB-NEWSLINE® | National Federation of the Blind - NFB-NEWSLINE is a free audio news service for anyone who is blind, low-vision, deafblind, or otherwise print-disabled that offers access to more than 500 publications, emergency weather alerts, job listings, and more.
- Double Day Large Print - Subscription service for large print books.
- Seedlings - Braille books for children.