Committee Meetings

Minutes (9-11-2010)

Minutes (6-4-2010)

Minutes (3-5-2010)

Minutes (1-6-2010)

Minutes (12-4-09)

Minutes (9-11-09)

Minutes (5-14-09)

Minutes (3-6-09)

The following position is being posted and available for application: 

NCBVI Brochure for Businesses

THE NEBRASKA COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PROVIDES EMPLOYERS WITH THE FOLLOWING FEATURES AND BENEFITS FREE OF CHARGE:

1. Dependable, qualified and competitive candidates who want to work.  Our candidates have demonstrated to be very stable at work resulting in low turnover and the costs incurred from retraining.

2. Potential pool of dependable candidates that employers had not recognized was available to them.

3. Employer Education/Sensitivity Training:  An in service training to staff, and employers in regard to blindness.   These types of training are not available anywhere else in Nebraska.

4. Work Trial/On the Job Training:  While the candidate is in training, the employer will have the opportunity to evaluate the perspective employee's performance prior to hiring.  Many times NCBVI covers the expense for this trial period.                         

5. Resource for Job Coach: Available to our candidates before and after hiring, when applicable.

6. Technical Assistance: Employers don’t have to be concerned with the installation and maintenance of adaptive equipment.  Many times NCBVI purchase technology for the workplace.

7. Follow Up Services: This will provide prompt ongoing support and problem solving.  This includes technology, technical support, job coaches, counseling, and sensitivity training.

8. Hiring our candidates can inspire other workers to do their part, when they see a blind person doing their share.

9. Accessible information to our candidates according to their individual needs.  This information can be in different formats, such as brailled, large print or recorded manuals.

10. Networking with other successful blind workers.  This networking will enable blind employees to fine ways to deal with any situation at work that someone already has faced.

11, Networking with other employers who hired successful blind workers.  This will give employers an opportunity to ask other employers about doubts that they might not want to discuss with us.

12. Assistance to find readers and drivers if necessary. 

13. Less accident claims filed saving money for the employer from increased insurance premiums.

14. Employers receive TAX CREDITS by hiring our candidates.

For more information, you can contact  us at 402-471-2891

Workplace Successes

Employers Speak Out

Many businesses have discovered the benefits of using the resources available from the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Read what employers are saying about their experience in working with the Commission.

I can't say enough about the ease of working with the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Their program provides the opportunity to help visually impaired individuals have the resources and training needed along with equipment and visual aids to build confidence to perform necessary job duties that may not have otherwise been possible.

Dan Hill, the Rehabilitation Counselor went out of his way to make it easy for our potential employee and Cabelas to work as a team with the Commission. The Commission provided the necessary computer, software and glasses to make this possible. Dan has also done follow ups to make sure that our needs and expectations are being met.

Dan worked with our payroll department in getting the pay structure put in place for the temporary On-The-Job training period to ensure there would be a good match between our employee and Cabelas. As a result, our employee in Oshkosh is still employed with Cabelas and does a very accurate and thorough job in her present position.

Renee Lucero 
Human Resource Representative 
Cabela's Inc, Oshkosh Returns Center

Working with the Commission on the Blind and Visually Impaired has been a very rewarding experience for me. Six months ago, I hired a new employee that came highly recommended by the Commission. Not only did my department receive an outstanding employee, but the Commission offered all of our employees a tour (they conducted about 5 tours) of the Commission and the opportunity to learn what would be helpful for us to know when working with a blind person - how to appropriately assist the employee in the workplace, and an explanation of the training she would have received through the commission in order to live an independent life. This tour included a demonstration of the technology the new employee would be using to do the job in our office.

The Commission made this experience very meaningful for all of us - we met some incredible people and learned about the work each one does at the Commission.

I won't hesitate to contact the Commission the next time I'm searching for an employee!

Colleen R. Huls
Information Services
Communication and Operations
Assistant Manager
Nebraska Hall

Because of the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired we have an individual who has worked at the south Grand Island Walmart Supercenter for quite a few months now.  This individual has done a great job for us working on our 2nd shift in-stock crew.  He helps unload the trucks and also helps stock in our paper goods department.  He lends a hand to his fellow associates by putting their cardboard into the baler when needed.  We are happy to have this individual as our Walmart associate.

Brad Koza
Store Manager
Walmart

The Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired assisted us in creating a work environment that was suited for the Department of Labor and for the employees.   The main work activity in our office involves the collection and analysis of a variety of types of labor market information, and then publishing the results.  This process requires extensive employer contact, review of survey forms for accuracy, and computer input of the data.  Due to stringent time lines and the need for accuracy in the work I was skeptical about their ability meet our program requirements.  We now have two valued employees and they have far exceeded my expectations. With the assistive technology and their positive attitudes they have proven to be a very productive and integral part of our staff.

Phillip A. Baker
Nebraska Workforce Development

To Learn More About Filling Your Nebraska Employment Needs, Click Here to Contact Our Staff 

Your transition team is providing these addresses and web sites for your information and convenience. While we do not necessarily recommend, nor endorse the products and services as described on each site, we hope you find this information of beneficial value.

APH CATALOG OF INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS, TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
189 Frankfort Avenue
PO Box 6085
Louisville KY 40206-0085
800-223-1839

THE LIGHTHOUSE, INC
3620 Northern Boulevard
Long Island City NY 11101
800-829-0500

LS & S GROUP
P.O Box 673
Northbrook IL 60065
800-468-4789

INDEPENDENT LIVING AIDS, INC
200 Robbins Lane
Jericho NY 11753-2341
800-537-2118

FLAGHOUSE
150 No. MacQuesten Parkway
Mt. Vernon NY 10550
800-793-7900
(this company has several catalogs)

PUBLICATIONS SPECIFIC TO BLINDNESS AND CHILDREN

FUTURE REFLECTIONS
Parents of Blind Children National Magazine

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLIND STUDENTS
1155 15 St NW
Ste 1004
Washington DC 20005
800-424-8666

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore MD 21230
(click on “publications")

AWARENENSS NEWSLETTER

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PARENTS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, INC
P.O. Box 317
Watertown MA 02272-0317
800-562-6265

VIISA (Vision Impaired InService in America)
Many resources listed for newsletters, books, information
(SKIHI materials also distributed by HOPE, INC

NATIONAL NEWSPATCH (twice yearly newsletter - $5.00 per year)

Oregon School for the Blind
700 Church Street SE
Salem, Oregon 97301-3795
(no website at this time)

BLIND CHILDREN'S FUND
(989) 779-9966
(resources, materials, etc. – also links to other sites)

TOYS, EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES, BRAILLE BOOKS

SEEDLINGS BRAILLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
P.O. Box 51924
Livonia MI 48151-5924
800-777-8552

American Action Fund for Blind Children & Adults
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore MD 21230
410-659-9315
fax 410-685-5653

NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston MA 02115
617-266-6160

HEARTHSONG
156 N. Main Street
Sebastopol CA 95472
800-325-2502

LILLY'S TOYBOX
Lillian Vernon Corporation
Virginia Beach VA 23479-0002
800-285-5555

• One-on-one communication (remember signing space – close to your face, perhaps back up).
• Tracking- bringing hands into my signing space.
• Tactile communication (two different ways: one hand and two handed).
• Print on palm or POP.
• Finger spelling- Different methods (Bird method- looks like birds pecking at seeds: Side method or back method- hand over hand).
• Braille.
• Cell markers on the palm of the hand in Braille. (Some people prefer this).
• Tellatouch- used like a TTY with Braille output.
• Morse Code.
• Hearing aids or FM Systems.
• Note taking.
• TTY or computer.
• Tadoma method- hand on the throat and on the lips to understand speech.
• Lip reading.

The Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCDHH) licenses sign language interpreters statewide to ensure quality communication access for all Nebraskans.

If you are looking to hire an interpreter for your business, organization, or event, it is important to know that Nebraska law requires all paid sign language interpreters to hold a valid license issued by NCDHH. It is the responsibility of the hiring party to verify that an interpreter is properly licensed before services are provided. Hiring an unlicensed interpreter may result in fines or enforcement action.

If you have concerns about a Nebraska-licensed interpreter, NCDHH also accepts formal grievances for review.

To view the current list of licensed interpreters or find interpreters available for direct hire, visit the NCDHH website.

The Nebraska Relay Service allows deaf and hard of hearing people who use a TTY to communicate with hearing telephone users. The NRS communication assistant (CA) or operator relays the information between the two parties. The CA will say what the TTY caller types and types what the hearing caller says. All states now offer statewide telephone relay services. In Nebraska, TTY callers may dial 1-800-833-7352 (TTY) or hearing callers may dial 1-800-833-0920 (VOICE).

VCO – Voice Carry Over.

When making a NRS call a person with a hearing loss and understandable speech may request VCO, allowing him/her to speak directly to the hearing caller. The person with a hearing loss then reads the hearing person’s responses on his/her TTY.

HCO – Hearing Carry Over.

When making a NRS call, a speech-disabled person who can listen may request HCO, allowing him/her to listen directly to the hearing caller. The speech disabled person answers by typing his/her response.

An “individual who is deaf-blind” means any individual having auditory and visual impairments, the combination of which cause extreme difficulty in attaining independence in daily life activities, achieving psychosocial adjustment, or obtaining vocational objectives.

If you believe that you, a relative, or a friend might be eligible for services through the Nebraska Individuals with Deaf-Blindness Project, contact the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired office nearest you.

People who are blind and visually impaired work in almost every career field imaginable. There are blind teachers, lawyers, engineers, biologists, chefs, university professors, retail workers, mechanics, custodians, childcare workers, and small business owners. Other people who are blind and low vision choose to be stay-at-home parents or active homemakers. Regardless of your career or independent living goals, NCBVI can equip you to reach them.