Professional Organizations and Local Resources

Tools & Resources

Blind and Low Vision

  • Perkins School for the Blind: Perkins is an organization dedicated to building a world where people with complex disabilities and visual impairments can unlock every opportunity. Perkins serves children and young adults with multiple disabilities, their families, educators, researchers and professionals around the globe through educational services, accessibility, professional development and innovation.
  • Massachusetts Commission for the Blind: The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind is a state agency, established in 1906, that provides individualized training, education, and empowerment to people who are legally blind, and advocates for inclusive policies across the Commonwealth, with the goal of life-long independence and full community participation.
  • The Carroll Center for the Blind: The Carroll Center serves the needs of blind and visually-impaired persons by providing rehabilitation, skills training, and educational opportunities to achieve independence, self-sufficiency, and self-fulfillment and by educating the public regarding the potential of persons who are blind and visually-impaired. The Carroll Center's services for the blind include vision rehabilitation services, vocational and transition programs, assistive technology training, educational support, and recreation opportunities for individuals who are visually impaired of all ages.
  • The National Federation for the Blind: The National Federation for the Blind (NFB) has developed a comprehensive listing of current assistive technologies which can be accessed at their website.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

  • Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing: The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) is the principal agency in the Commonwealth on behalf of people of all ages who are deaf and hard of hearing. The mission of MCDHH is to provide accessible communication, education and advocacy to consumers and private and public entities so that programs, services and opportunities throughout Massachusetts are fully accessible to persons who are Deaf and hard of hearing.

Assistive Technology Resources

  • Easter Seals Assistive Technology Regional Center (ATRC): The MassMATCH Assistive Technology Regional Centers hosted by Easterseals are lending libraries of Assistive Technology (AT). MassMATCH offers device demonstrations at two locations and has an extensive lending library of devices, which includes equipment, software, and toys, from low-tech to high-tech solutions. Residents of Massachusetts can visit MassMATCh's centers to learn about, try out, and borrow AT free of charge, for 30 days. Thousands of devices are available in the areas of communication, education, hearing and vision impairment, and daily living. Let Easter Seals know your goals and desired outcomes and their experts will help bridge the gap to get you there. 

Accessible Website and Design

  • TPGi: TPGi is an accessibility solutions provider that supports all phases of accessibility through best-in-class management software and professional services. TPGi consulting services include accessibility testing and evaluation, WCAG/Section 508 compliance audits, VPAT analysis and production, training, user testing and research, design reviews and strategic planning to embed accessible user experience into all aspects of your product development lifecycle.

Higher Ed Organizations

  • National Association of ADA Coordinators: The National Association of ADA Coordinators (NAADAC) brings together ADA coordinators and ADA professionals, providing a forum for the most up-to-date information on ADA issues, strategies and solutions, and enforcement. 
  • AHEAD (Association on Higher Ed and Disability): AHEAD is a professional membership organization for disability resource professionals, student affairs personnel, ADA coordinators, diversity officers, AT/IT staff, faculty and other instructional personnel, and colleagues who are invested in creating welcoming higher education experiences for disabled individuals.

Facilities Access

  • Institute for Human Centered Design: The Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD), founded in Boston in 1978 as Adaptive Environments, is an international non-governmental educational organization (NGO) dedicated to enhancing the experiences of people of all ages, abilities, and cultures through excellence in design.
  • U.S. Access Board: The U.S. Access Board is is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Access Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Access Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, public right-of-way, information and communication technology, and medical diagnostic equipment under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and other laws. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design, and continues to enforce accessibility standards that apply to federally funded facilities under the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA).