Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

01/23/2026

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is conducting a research study seeking U.S.-based adults 55 and older who are experiencing changes in their vision.

The aim of the study is to understand what it’s like for older adults to adjust to vision changes and what services can help them.

Participants can choose between a 60-minute interview and a 90-minute focus group, either in-person or virtually. Transportation support will be available for in-person sessions, if needed.

Interested? Please call AFB researcher Angie Whistler at 202-469-6834 to sign up.

If you have any questions or concerns about the study, contact the principal investigator, Dr. Arielle Silverman, at asilverman@afb.org.

01/23/2026

Hopeful science, happy Friday! Stay warm and be safe out there this weekend!

Electronic retinal implants such as the PRIMA system bypass damaged cells to restore partial central vision, bringing high‑tech artificial sight closer to everyday clinical reality.

01/20/2026

Currently, there is a shortage of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI's) in Vermont and nationwide.

If you or anyone you know is interested in pursuing a Master's degree to become a TVI, please check out UMass Boston's online degree program! The deadline is March 1, 2026.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Vermont State Liaison for the UMass Boston TVI Program, Stephanie Bissonette at: sbissonette@vabvi.org

Link for more information on UMass Boston’s TVI Program: https://www.nercve.org/teacher-students-visual-impairments

01/20/2026

This is promising!

If you call Vermont home, there’s a new platform connecting you with care right in your backyard.

01/16/2026

Attention fans of books!!

The ABLE Library book club meeting is Wednesday, January 21, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

The book selection is: The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Book number: DB111364, Narrated by: Rosemary Benson

Annotation: "Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels wreak gradual havoc on the state's infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker, his pregnant wife, Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds in search of his children. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm that ushers her into a society closer to collapse than ever before. As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love, and purpose in a place remade by nature. Told in four parts--power, water, light, and time--The Light Pirate mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the sometimes quick, sometimes slow dissolution of the world as we know it. It is a meditation on the changes we would rather not see, the future we would rather not greet, and a call back to the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness." -- Provided by publisher

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Meeting link below:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YmViMmU0NDItNjYwNi00Y2NmLWI5NDYtMGU4OWRhNDkxNzMw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2220b4933b-baad-433c-9c02-70edcc7559c6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22102893ef-0e12-4573-a988-682e41c466a6%22%7d

Meeting ID: 269 824 932 559
Passcode: wznxkp

Or call in (audio only)

+1 802-828-7667,,903789906 # United States, Montpelier

Phone Conference ID: 903 789 906 #

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options

01/14/2026

Science!

Thanks to this tiny piece of tech, people with profound vision loss can now read, do cross word puzzles, and navigate public transit.

01/14/2026

Start out the new year with an eye exam!

/PRNewswire/ -- Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight, is embarking on...

01/05/2026

Honk!

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! Welcome to VABVI's 100th anniversary celebration! We have some fun stuff planned for the year ahead!

12/31/2025

Functional Independent Living Assessment (FILA) Tool
Over the past two years, VABVI participated in a study with the Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center (OIB-TAC) based out of Mississippi State, to pilot the new Functional Independent Living Assessment (FILA) tool. The purpose of this assessment tool is to create measurable outcomes based on the services received by our clients. Of the project, Dan Norris, Director of Adult Services at VABVI said,

"Our services are personalized to each client. No two people with vision loss have the same experience. I'm legally blind, but do not use a guide dog. I have a colleague with the same visual impairment, who developed her vision loss at about the same age, who finds using a guide dog extremely beneficial. When you've met one person with a visual impairment, you have met one person with that specific visual experience. Each client is approached with an individualized service plan. This makes identifying the benefits of our services a challenge, which is why this project was so important."

When VABVI works with a client, the client identifies their most important goals and objectives. These goals are noted on a tool which lists the most common goals but is also able to be adapted to be individualized and create unique goals the clients wish to pursue. Annotations can be made to the goals to specify additional outcomes the clients wish to achieve. For each objective, the goals are given a mutually agreed upon rating at the beginning of services with a 1 or a 2. If the goal is given a 1 that means they presently cannot do an activity safely or independent. A 2 indicates they can complete the tasks but may need some assistance or have great difficulty in accomplishing the goal, independently. At the conclusion of services, each goal is revisited and scored again. If they now can do the activity safe and independent, the goal will receive a 3. If progress has been made from a 1 to a 2, it is noted and the client determines if they wish to continue to pursue this goal further. If progress has not been made for whatever reason and the client does not wish to continue working on the goal, they are free to cease services at any time. Services end when the client wishes to no longer work on any goals. Services can always be resumed later if their visual functioning changes, or they now wish to pursue a goal they previously had wished not to address. VABVI has adopted the new scoring method for both their Low Vision/Vision Rehabilitation Therapy Assessment tool as well as Orientation and Mobility Assessment.

"We recognize the value of this new assessment tool for our clients. Using this scoring method will help our clients recognize the progress they have made in their goals and help them to identify areas they wish to continue focusing their efforts," said Dan Norris.

You can download the assessment tools by visiting the Adult Services tab on VABVI's website:

Discover how VABVI supports adults with vision loss through rehab, peer learning, and assistive technology.

12/31/2025

365 days later we are back to say Happy New Year! Have fun and be safe tonight!

12/29/2025

Save the Date!

Event Name: VABVI Presents: John Bramblitt - U.S. Cultural Ambassador

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM US Eastern Time

Join artist and U.S. Cultural Ambassador John Bramblitt for an open, interactive conversation about creativity, resilience, and redefining what’s possible. After losing his eyesight, John found a new way to paint—and a new way to see the world. In this informal Zoom discussion, participants are invited to ask questions and explore topics ranging from art and disability to creativity, adaptation, and personal journeys through change. Come curious, bring your questions, and be part of a meaningful conversation.



About John Bramblitt:

John Bramblitt is a U.S. Cultural Ambassador, internationally recognized artist, and the world’s first blind muralist. After losing his eyesight due to epilepsy and Lyme disease, John reinvented the way he paints—using texture, touch, and memory to create vibrant large-scale murals and paintings seen in over 120 countries. His work has been featured by The New York Times, BBC, and Discovery Channel, and he has collaborated with institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and the Kennedy Center, as well as brands including Coca-Cola, Samsung, and Delta. John’s journey is a powerful reminder that creativity doesn’t disappear when circumstances change—it evolves.



How to Join?

Join this Zoom Link for VABVI Presents: John Bramblitt - U.S. Cultural Ambassador

Or Join in Zoom by using Meeting ID: 820 3350 8712

Please note if asked the Zoom Passcode is in all capitals the word: ART

Or join by phone with One tap mobile

+13017158592,,82033508712 #



For Questions Contact:

Daniel E. Norris, M. Ed. (COMS, CVRT)

Director of Adult Services

1-877-350-8838 ext. 101

dnorris@vabvi.org