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State of Connecticut Aging and Disability Services -Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind

General Information

State of Connecticut Aging and Disability Services -Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind
184 Windsor Ave
Windsor, CT 06095
860-602-4000
https://portal.ct.gov/AgingandDisability/Content-Pages/Programs/Vocational-Rehabilitation---Bureau-of-Education-and-Services-for-the-Blind

Brief Description

Within the Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), the Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind (BESB) provides vocational rehabilitation, independent living, and business enterprise services to adults in Connecticut who are legally blind. The Bureau's Children's Services Program provides expanded core curriculum instruction for children who are blind or visually impaired and support services to school districts.
The BESB Resource Library offers numerous vision related resources. Please click on the BESB Resource Library link to see a comprehensive listing of the resources in our Bureau Resource library. The DORS-BESB Resource Library includes almost 900 items of specialized materials dealing with issues relating to visual impairment. Some of the topics include general reference materials on the eye, its structure and function, eye conditions and their implications, procedures and strategies for the education and rehabilitation of children and adults who are blind and visually impaired. The resource library has information for all ages, from infants to adults. In addition to books, the library contains Braille assessments, Braille teaching strategies, reading assessments, developmental evaluations, videos and DVDs, models of the eye, vision simulator kits and Braille in-service kits.

Services Offered

  • Employment/Job Training
    • Offers school-to-work transition programs, vocational training, job development and placement, follow-up service, vending facility training, job retention services.

  • Recreation Services
    • Offers summer camp opportunities and refers for summer camp program.

  • Daily Living Skills/Independent Living Skills Training
    • Administers federal-state Independent Living and Independent Living for Older Americans who are Blind Programs. In-home instruction available.

  • Consultation/Technical Program Assistance
    • Offers home-based and consultant services to other programs for visually handicapped infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

  • Information and Referral
    • Provides consultation and referral service. Refers clients to Connecticut Radio Information System (CRIS)and NFB Newsline. Also provides referral services to community rehabilitation providers for job placement,vocational assessments and training. Refers clients to low vision doctors to assist with maximizing remaining vision.

  • Library Services
    • Refers clients to CT State Library Services for the Blind.

  • Low Vision Services
    • Directly provide non-prescription low vision aids for children who are visually impaired or legally blind and adults who are legally blind. May refer clients to bureau-approved low vision doctors for evaluation and provision of prescribed low vision aids and eye glasses.

  • Travel/Orientation and Mobility
    • Provides orientation and mobility training.

  • Braille and Reading Instruction
    • Offers instruction in braille.

  • Education Services
    • Provides braille instruction, mobility instruction, adaptive technology devices and training, braille and large print textbooks, and independent living training to children ages birth to 21, as well as professional development training and technical assistance to school districts.