This section contains links to other organisations and services beyond EBU that we believe will be useful for blind and partially sighted persons as well as for anyone looking for information related to sight loss.
The links are organised into categories
- Other international organisations for the visually impaired
- Low vision websites
- Specialised European and international organisations and projects
- Employment- and job-related websites
- Mobility- and transport-related websites
- Digital Accessibilty and technology websites
- Health
Other International organisations for the visually impaired
- World Blind Union (External link)
- L'Union Francophone des Aveugles (External link) (UFA) (in French)
- African Union of the Blind (External link)
- Latin-American Blind Union (ULAC) (External link)
- The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) Global Book Service is managed by WIPO. The ABC catalogue contains thousands of accessible digital books in many languages and includes a large collection of high-quality, humanly-narrated titles.
- National Federation of the Blind (USA) (External link)
- International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) (External link)
- ICEVI-Europe (External link)
- International Blind Sport Federation (External link)
- Vision 2020, The Right to Sight (External link)
- International Federation of Guide Dog Schools for the Blind (External link)
- The European Guide Dog Federation
- The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (External link) is the coordinating membership organisation leading international efforts in blindness prevention activities. Read their position paper on recycling used spectacles.
- The Louis Braille museum in his birthplace in Coupvray, 40km from Paris (site in French).
- The European Network for Vision Impairment Training and Research (ENVITER)
- DAISY Consortium – international membership organization driving standards and best practices in accessible publishing and reading.
- On-line Braille printing and talking letter service (External link)
- Yanous (External link) - a French language internet magazine dedicated to disability issues.
- Edencast (External link) French-language platform for sight-loss information and topics
Low Vision websites
- Olent Ottica low vision page (External link)
- Lowvision.com resource page (External link)
- All About Vision low vision page (External link)
- Low vision consumer website (External link)
- European Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (External link)
- Via Opta Simulator (android app). This app simulates quite a few low vision conditions.
- Tengo Baja Visión – Simulador (android app). This app simulates quite a few low vision conditions.
Specialised European and International organisations and projects
- Accessible EU have published a document Accessibility Standards at European Level (pdf) detailing what is a standard and introduces the standardisation system. They have also published Guidelines to European legislation on accessibility. These guidelines are a concise and easy-to-use document aiming at providing knowledge about the most relevant European Union legislation and standards on accessibility. Readers will get a better understanding of their purpose, scope, main and requirements. This document also includes the dates by which Member States have been or will be required to implement the provisions stated or transpose them into national legislation. The document is in pdf, available in many languages. Accessible EU have published a document Accessibility Standards at European Level (External link) (pdf) detailing what is a standard and introducing the standardisation system.
- The EU Commission DOTCOM tool is a searchable database on disability topics, where information can can found in categories such as country or specific themes.
- inclusivemobility.eu - the platform for inclusive academic mobility. It is a unique platform where students with disabilities can find all relevant information to support their participation in academic mobility programmes.
- The APACE (Accelerating Publishing Accessibility through Collaboration in Europe) project is a network set to enhance social inclusion for over 100 million print impaired in the EU (blind, visual impaired, dyslexic persons).
- Amóvil (External link) is an initiative led by the ONCE Foundation, developed by Technosite and supported by the Vodafone Spain Foundation that aims to help persons with special needs identify accessible mobile devices that are compatible with available assistive technologies and that suit their preferences and needs.
- EASPD (European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities) represents over 15.000 support services for persons with disabilities across Europe
- European Disability Forum (External link)
- AGE Platform Europe (External link)
- International Disability Rights Monitor (External link)
- United Nations Enable (External link)
- Albino Support, UK (External link)
provides help and support to people with albinism, their friends and family members - European Youth Portal (External link)
- The LINK Network (External link) , sharing knowledge, best practice and experience with the aim of raising the quality of service for third level students with disabilities across Europe.
- The Centre for Disability Law and Policy
- Toolkits on cultural participation and dance for persons with disabilities.
Employment and job-related websites
- (07/2024) EU Disability Rights Strategy 2021-2030, 'Disability Employment Package' 1/3 CEDEFOP briefing note on lifelong guidance for persons with disabilities, to improve education, training and labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities (end of extract)
- EU Disability Rights Strategy 2021-2030, 'Disability Employment Package' 2/3 Catalogue of positive actions to encourage the hiring of persons with disabilities and combating stereotypes
- EU Disability Rights Strategy 2021-2030, 'Disability Employment Package' 3/3 Practitioner toolkit on strengthening Public Employment Services (PES) to improve the labour market outcomes of persons with disabilities
- TalentWorks: Accessible eRecruiting for Employers.
- European Union of Supported Employement (EUSE)
- ASPIRO (External link) , a joint WBU / CNIB project,with many resources for blind and partially sighted jobseekers.
- Integrating people with disabilities : European Commision quick guide to EU employment and social policies (External link)
- Business & Disability: a European Network (External link)
- European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 - guide (External link)
- Employing blind and partially sighted people, useful information and guidelines (External link)
- Dialogue Social Enterprise (External link) offers social awareness exhibitions and workshops, while creating jobs for marginalized and disadvantaged people worldwide.
- Blind'n'Business (External link) - helping blind and partially sighted people into work.
- The Royal Society for Blind Children offers help with interview and selection procedures.
Mobility and transport-related websites
- For visitors to Hungary Diversigo provide accessible walks and tourism.
- ACI EUROPE, who work, amongst many other things, on the accessible airports awards, published in January 2024 their guide to assisting passengers with non visual disabilities, in regards to airports. (pdf file).
- EDF have a transport disability discrimination database, to report all issue of discrimination in transport-related issues.
- Village for All (V4A) has published a “Destination Accessible Hospitality 2021” guide (pdf file) in English and Italian, on accessible tourism in Italy, promoting complete, reliable and tailored information for people’s needs, accessible to blind and partially sighted users and travellers.
- Brexit - travelling to and from the UK with an assistance dog post-brexit. EBU published a piece on this topic. The direct information is, for those travelling to Europe from the UK:Detailed guidance for travelling into Europe or Northern Ireland can be found here For those travelling from the European Union into the UK however, rules have not changed and are detailed as follows Detailed Guidance for travelling into the UK from Europe or Northern Ireland can be found here .
- British Airways - Disability assistance (External link)
- Travellers with reduced mobility - EU guidelines (External link)
- "Your rights to fly step-by-step guide", by the UK Department for Transport and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (External link)
- France - Aéroports de Paris - Passagers Handicapés (External link)
- European Commission welcomes European Parliament approval for maritime passenger rights (External link)
- DisabledTravelers.com (External link) , a resource dedicated to accessible travel information.
- Disability equipment and transport in the UK (External link)
- UK disabled travel advice (External link)
- People with reduced mobility air travel rights (External link)
- European Network for Accessible Tourism
- A site offering some information on inclusive travel rights for persons with disabilities
Digital Accessibilty and technology websites
- (In French) Signaler un problème d’accessibilité à l’Arcom (how to tell authorities about a website which does not conform to accessibility rules).
- G3ict – the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies
- The DAISY Consortium European Inclusive Publishing Forum.
- The Design For All Principal aims to enable all people to have equal opportunities to participate in every aspect of society. To achieve this, the built environment, everyday objects, services, culture and information must be accessible, convenient for everyone in society to use and responsive to evolving human diversity. For more information see the EIDD website (External link)
- European Assistive Technology Information Network (External link) Some of the best known, expert information providers in Europe have joined together to create the biggest, most comprehensive information service on assistive technology (AT) serving older and disabled people, their families and carers across the globe. Resource available in many languages.
- Digital Accessibility Laws Around the Globe (External link)
- A Joint ITU/G3ict Toolkit for Policy Makers Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (External link)
- World Braille Usage 2013 (External link) : a digital copy of this book can be found online at www.perkins.org/worldbrailleusage (External link)
- iBUG Today (External link) The website of the iOS Blind Users Group, dedicated to helping the blind and visually impaired community become more proficient in using the accessibility features of Apple © iOS1 Devices.
- The BBC Mobile Accessibility Standards and Guidelines (Mobile S&G) are a set of technology agnostic best practices for mobile web content, hybrid and native applications.
- Amóvil (External link) is an initiative led by the ONCE Foundation and developed by Technosite that aims to help persons with special needs identify accessible mobile devices.
- See also the EBU guidelines on 'Making information accessible for all' in 5 languages
Access to healthcare
EU Disability Platform guidelines on access to healthcare for persons with disabilities and other deliverables under EU4 Health action have been published. Please find below the links.