The Foundation has established its Technology Grant Program in order to enable blind and visually-impaired children to obtain technology for use at home that is comparable to the technology available to them at school.
Technology in the classroom
Under current federal law, school districts are required to provide blind and visually-impaired schoolchildren with "free and appropriate" education, taking into account their disabilities. This means that school systems are required to provide blind or visually impaired children with adaptive technology to enable them to use the same educational materials as their classmates. Nebraska school systems have risen to this challenge. Blind and visually impaired children employ technology such as braille writers, iPads, closed circuit television magnifiers, computer screen-reading software, and braille notetakers on a daily basis in Nebraska classrooms.
Technology at home
But too often, the use of technology ends when the student walks out the schoolhouse door. Parents often lack the resources or knowledge to obtain suitable technology for their children to use at home. As a result, at-home learning opportunities can be limited, and these children face unnecessary obstacles to obtain the education they need to succeed in life.
NFVIC Technology Grant Program
Our technology grant program is designed to close the gap between the technology available at home and the technology available at school. We provide blind or visually impaired Nebraska students, free of charge or at minimal cost, with in-home technology comparable to the technology that they use in school.
During the last few years, we have provided a wide range of technology to students including:
- Perkins braille writers
- Refreshable braille displays
- Personal computers
- Closed circuit television systems
- Computer screen-reading software
- Computer magnification software
- Portable magnification systems
- Talking book players
- iPads
Each of these technology grants enabled a student to pair or supplement technology available at school with technology in the home. Although the primary focus of our technology grant program is addressing the mismatch between technology available in the school and that available at home, we are open to any grants of technology to blind or visually impaired Nebraska children that will assist in the intellectual, emotional, or social development of those children.
Eligibility
Any blind or visually impaired Nebraska child between the ages of five and 18 who is receiving school vision services is eligible to participate in the program.
Historical technology grants
Over the last ten years, the Foundation has made over $125,000 of technology grants to Nebraska students from all areas of the state.
If you have questions about whether a particular type of technology would be eligible for the program, please contact us.