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Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind

General Information

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
205 South St E
Talladega, AL 35160
256-761-3200
graham.terry@aidb.state.al.us
http://www.aidb.org/

Brief Description

AIDB is a comprehensive education, rehabilitation and employment system serving children and adults who are deaf, blind, deafblind and multidisabled. AIDB has five campuses and eight statewide regional centers.

Services Offered

  • Library Services
    • Maintains the Library and Instructional Resource Center for the Blind, which serves clients of AIDB Regional Centers and the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services and is also a Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, administering the federal lending program for qualifying residents of Coosa, Talladega and St. Clair Counties.

  • Consultation/Technical Program Assistance
    • Provides technical assistance to schools as needed, demonstrating, lending, and setting up adaptive equipment.

  • Employment/Job Training
    • Operates the E.H. Gentry Technical Facility, a 2-year technical school for sensory impaired adults (most of whom have been referred by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services). Includes an Employment Services Department. Pathways project makes handcrafted furniture for sale in retail stores. Industries for the Blind, primarily a sheltered workshop, employs many graduates of the Gentry facility.

  • Low Vision Services
    • Offers clinics, assessments and technical assistance, including getting prescriptions for eyeglasses filled. Offers vision screenings, counseling, and referrals for seniors through the Elderaction outreach program. Prescribes and supplies low vision devices.

  • Community Outreach Programs
    • Does outreach primarily through the 8 regional centers.

  • Recreation Services
    • Offers the Special Equestrians Program and many other recreational facilities.

  • Daily Living Skills/Independent Living Skills Training
    • Provides training in personal management, braille, handwriting, listening skills, typing, computer keyboarding skills, home management, remedial education, sensory training. Maintains the Hackney Play Therapy Center.

  • Professional Training
    • Offers in-service training for those working with older people who are hard of hearing and vision impaired.

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

  • Health
    • Offers regular dental care, ear-nose-throat clinics, orthopedic clinics and even a seizure clinic held by a pediatric neurologist, in addition to other services as needed through the Office of Health, Evaluation and Outreach.

  • Assistive Products
    • Loans equipment, like braillewriters and tape recorders, to help students learn alternate communication skills.