THE INTERNATIONAL BRAILLE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR THE BLINDThe International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind (IBTC) was established to serve as a nerve center and laboratory to stimulate the use and development of technology for the blind, to facilitate comparative evaluation of state-of-the-art technological devices, to constitute a test site for innovative technologies, and to function as a hands-on training center for blind individuals and other interested persons and groups. The IBTC is the world's largest demonstration and evaluation center for computer-related technology used by blind persons. The center has made a commitment to have for study, use, and demonstration at its headquarters in Baltimore at least one of every Braille-embossing computer-driven device that is commercially available anywhere in the world to blind individuals and institutions. There are also Braille translation programs, speech synthesizers, screen review programs, reading machines, scanners, optical character recognition systems, refreshable Braille displays, Braille note-taking devices, raised-line drawing equipment, and much more. The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is a two-story facility which is located at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland. The first floor, which is the heart of the Center, is a room approximately 120 feet long, which contains a series of stations displaying various groupings of equipment available for demonstration. The second floor of the Center contains offices and conference facilities. Center staff conduct tours and inform individuals about the features of the equipment. Those visitors with a more serious personal or professional interest in studying and comparing several systems can make arrangements to spend extended time in the facility to discuss technicalities with the Director of the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind. Information, tours, and advice are available to anyone—blind individuals, professionals in the blindness field, manufacturers and sellers of technology, prospective employers, and members of the general public. The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults is pleased to help make possible this truly unique state-of-the-art facility for the blind of the world. |