Braille Institute of America

(SEE SCHEDULE O)A. Through Braille Institute's Educational Services, 1,381 adults, ages 18 and older, participated in more than 71,000 hours of group classes in two core areas: 1) Daily Living Skills, which teaches adaptive techniques for completing everyday tasks that are critical to staying independent and maintaining quality of life, and 2) Arts & Healthy Living classes that support emotional and mental well-being. These include exercise, art, fall prevention, diabetic management, book clubs, discussion groups, and more. 1,739 additional adults (including Braille Institute students, low vision professionals, and other community members) attended a variety of seminars, workshops, and professional trainings. Our O&M specialists provided 4,297 one-on-one training sessions to 741 adults on how to prevent falls and safely navigate their environment using a white cane and sensory awareness. Our Independent Living Skills Instructors provided one-on-one instruction to 250 adults on adaptive techniques for completing routine tasks in the home on their own.B. Braille Institute's Youth Program helped 83 young people (ages 7-19) cultivate self-confidence, independence, and set goals for the future.C. Braille Institute's Child Development program for blind and visually impaired children (ages birth to 6) provided one-on-one services to 183 children and their families.D. Braille Institute's Low Vision Rehabilitation Occupational Therapists provided 4,437 one-on-one consultations to 1,850 adults.E. Braille Institute's Connection Pointe staff provided 3,964 one-one-one training sessions in the use of mainstream devices with adaptive features and specialized technologies designed for people with a vision impairment to 1,128 students.F. Braille Institute's award-winning national Braille Challenge competition, which tests braille competency skills, reached 853 students in grades 1-12. Our national orientation & mobility competition, Cane Quest, reached around 284 students in grades 3-12.

(SEE SCHEDULE O)Braille Institute's Special Collection had 8,351 subscribers this year. Program staff produced and distributed 1,493 "Dots for Tots" braille storybook kits (for preschool children ages 2-5) free to subscribers.

(SEE SCHEDULE O)Braille Institute's award-winning library is the official Southern California branch of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, a division of the Library of Congress. With a collection of more than 115,000 book titles in digital cartridge, braille, electronic, and large print formats, the Library is Braille Institute's most used service. This year we served 11,616 patrons. In addition to checking out 985,828 digital and braille books, Library patrons received one-on-one training in the use of accessible reading technologies. Braille Institute's comprehensive Library services are available through the main library in our Los Angeles headquarters and through our six centers (Anaheim, Coachella Valley, Laguna Hills, Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara) and through partner institutions, which include senior living residences, public schools, and public libraries across the ten counties of Southern California.