Blinded veterans and their families are invited to participate in a virtual Video Programming Accessibility Forum that will highlight the importance of audio description. The forum is scheduled for this coming Monday, March 28, 1:00-3:45pm Eastern Time. Hosted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the forum will explore the state of audio description availability for online video programming, including best practices and technical issues. It will also explore how to enhance accessibility, such as voluntary […]

Preliminary information and online registration for this summer’s BVA 77th National Convention in Washington, DC, is now live at https://bva.org/national-convention/. Official dates for the Convention are August 22-26 (Monday-Friday). The BVA room block rate at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill is available to convention attendees from August 21-27. Please note that there will be a special kayaking event held on Saturday, August 27, for those remaining in Washington an additional day. (CLICK HERE) […]

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) has joined 12 other organizations in support of the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Act, The National Herald reported late last week. The bill, reintroduced by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), would help visually impaired Medicare beneficiaries live safe and independent lives by creating a five-year national demonstration project to evaluate the economic impact of allowing reimbursement for low vision devices. Such devices are currently […]

Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) National President Joseph D. McNeil, Sr. will form part of a nine-member panel of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) this Wednesday, March 2, as he summarizes the organization’s priorities for the second session of the 117th Congress in a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs. The hearing, which will be conducted as a hybrid meeting with both virtual and in-person participants, will begin at 2:00pm EST. It […]

Experts in the field of vision rehabilitation will convene as a panel this Wednesday, February 23, at 5:30pm Eastern Time to discuss current issues on the subject. The live event will be accessible on both Facebook (CLICK HERE) and LinkedIn (CLICK HERE). Hosted by the National Eye Institute (NEI) to emphasize the importance of Low Vision Awareness Month, the discussion is part of the organization’s outreach campaign throughout the month of February to promote vision […]

The Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco, California, has opened the application process for the prestigious Holman Prize. The award, presented to three honorees annually, was named after a prolific blind world traveler of the 19th century who accomplished what was then considered an impossible dream. It is designed to support the growth of adventurous spirits, entrepreneurship, and leadership within the blind community in any form it may present itself. The […]

The online IRS Alternative Media Center (AMC) provides the blind and visually impaired with tax-related content in several formats that are accessible with assistive technology that includes screen reading software, refreshable Braille displays, and screen magnifying software. Links to hundreds of tax forms, instructions, and publications are located in the AMC in the following formats: Text-only Braille-ready files Browser-friendly HTML Accessible PDF Large-print PDF  A toll-free accessibility Helpline, 833-690-0598, answers questions on subjects related to […]

Researchers at the National Research & Training Center on Blindness & Low Vision, of which the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) is an active partner organization, is seeking blind and low-vision recruits to participate in a February 14-18 pilot study for a new job search skills training program. The study will be conducted via Zoom. In addition to having a vision impairment, the recruits for the study should be job-ready adults with blindness or low vision […]

NSITE, an initiative of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is now accepting applications for its upcoming 40-week Cisco Academy, an innovative virtual training opportunity for talented individuals who are blind and interested in an IT career. The NSITE Cisco Academy provides not only the training but the necessary support to obtain employment opportunities with some of the leading industries in the country. The deadline to apply is March 1. Key components of the […]

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), the only Veterans Service Organization (VSO) exclusively dedicated to serving our nation’s blinded veterans and their families, was among a coalition of 11 VSO advocates participating in a January 19 roundtable discussion of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs focused on H.R. 3967, the “Honoring our PACT Act of 2021.” The virtual roundtable was hosted by Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA-41) and Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-IL-12). Passage of the […]