WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 18, 2021)—The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) today announced the release of the second Access and Engagement research report, based on the November 2020 survey that delved into the continued impact of COVID-19 on the education of students with visual impairments, their families, and the professionals who serve them.

The report investigates how the education of students with visual impairments in the United States and Canada continued to be affected nine months into the pandemic. Research staff documented the systemic and pandemic-related ways in which children (birth to age 21), their families, teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs), orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and dually certified professionals have been affected.

The survey was made possible thanks to funding provided by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Braille Institute, American Thermoform, and Objective Ed, as well as the collaboration among 22 organizations, companies, and universities invested in the education of children with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities and deafblindness.