American Foundation for the Blind Announces New, Enhanced eLearning Center for Vision Loss Professionals

NEW YORK, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Busy professionals in the blindness and low vision fields now have a familiar resource with a new look and even more robust offerings: the AFB eLearning Center. A long-time leader in the arena of professional development for vision loss specialists, AFB is now offering webinars on cutting-edge topics from some of the most reputable names in the field. The eLearning Center builds upon AFB's well-known professional development offerings such as the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, AFB Press, the AFB Leadership Conference, and professional development workshops and seminars.

"AFB is committed to supporting and growing the community of vision loss professionals who dedicate their lives to helping blind or visually impaired people achieve their full potential," said Carl R. Augusto, President and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind. "eLearning is the wave of the future and AFB is excited to expand its offerings in this area."

The AFB eLearning Center was established to help vision loss professionals remain at the forefront of the latest research and trends, while earning continuing education credits on their own time. The webinars and courses cover the latest on technology, education, employment, aging, and leadership, and serve educators, rehabilitation therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, rehabilitation counselors, occupational therapists, and other professionals. With course titles like Overview of Assistive Technology for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired and Exploring the Link Between Listening and Literacy Skill Development, specialists new to the field as well as veterans seeking to expand their knowledge will benefit from the content.

"Thanks to AFB's outstanding network of experts and the most trustworthy body of information available via AFB Press, we plan to regularly offer new webinars on the latest developments in the field," said George Abbott, AFB Director of eLearning.

Visitors enrolled in AFB eLearning webinars and online courses can expect to:

• Learn from national experts in the visual impairment and blindness fields
• Earn continuing education credits from the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals, and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
• Take webinars at their own pace, whenever and wherever is convenient for them

As with all content produced by AFB, all webinars and online courses are accessible and user-friendly. To explore AFB's ever-growing collection of eLearning offerings, visit eLearn.afb.org or email [email protected].

About AFB Professional Development

For almost a century, AFB has served as a knowledge leader and trusted authority on vision loss. AFB's publishing arm, AFB Press, produces more texts for college and university programs and more professional books on visual impairment than any other publisher in the field. Almost 85% of professionals in the field of vision loss are educated by AFB Press textbooks. AFB is also the publisher of the award-winning Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, the leading scholarly journal in the field. In addition, the AFB eLearning Center offers accessible, affordable, and authoritative tools and resources, webinars, and continuing education courses to support professionals in the field of blindness and low vision.

About AFB

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. Headquartered in New York, AFB is proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the more than 40 years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB.

SOURCE American Foundation for the Blind