Membership of NAB (India) is granted to Individuals, Institutions and Corporate, subject to

approval of the Executive Council (EC) of the Association.

The Executive Council of NAB, India reserves the right (under clause of the Constitution of
NAB, India) to:

1. Alter Membership Fee.

2. Reject any application for membership, without assigning any reason.

3. Expel any member who they feel is unworthy of continuing as a member of the
Association, however, not before affording the member opportunity to explain why
he/she should not be expelled.

Types of Membership:

 Individual Life.
 Individual Ordinary.
 Institutional.
 Corporate.

 Activities
o Blindness Prevention
o Nursery
o Education
o Talking Books
o Braille Press
o Rehabilitation
o Vocational Training
o Employment
o Advocacy
o Client Service
o Research library and information
o Recreation
o Women’s Empowerment
o State Branches
o Community Based Rehabilitation
 Beyond Mumbai
o Home for Elderly Blind
o Centre for Blind Women
o Rehabilitation Centre

Training Courses

To begin with, DOR conducted Basic Rehabilitation Course for the visually challenged
covering life skills and mobility and also initiated courses for employment officers and
orientation & mobility instructors, which in due course were withdrawn. Soon after however,
appreciating the wide range of training requirements of its clients DOR initiated a number of
need-based courses as well as vocational training courses in physiotherapy and acupressure
& massage.

Basic Rehabilitation Course

The course makes a blind person realize the Three A’s – Accept blindness, Adjust to
blindness and Achieve despite being blind. This cost-free training course is conducted twice
a year. Each batch is of 3½-month duration. The 30 trainees admitted per batch are given
intensive training to develop skills in Activities of Daily Living which covers: Self-care
(brushing, bathing, grooming, eating, etc.); Orientation & Mobility (safe indoor and outdoor
travel techniques using the White Cane); Home Management (sweeping, making bed,
simple mending, cooking, ironing, sewing, identifying currency and so on); Communication
(Braille reading and writing; social etiquette etc.

Confidence-building to lead a normal and productive life takes place through activities like
physical training, participation in sporting and cultural activities, visits to public spaces,
familiarization with public transport etc. Trainees are also provided vocational guidance,
exposure to work avenues open to them and assistance in identifying occupation that suits
them most. They are given a small monthly stipend.

DOR has the capacity to provide lodge and board facility to around 22 trainees.

Short-term Need-based Courses

Course for Adolescent: This preparatory course gears up for adult life, youth in transition
age – primarily those who appear for secondary/higher secondary exams. Trainees are
introduced to community-based experiences; given career guidance through lectures; and
trained in disability-specific skills, physical fitness and basics of day-to-day chores. The
program helps them recognize and manage the physical, psychological and emotional
changes they go through during this transitional phase, and gives them the confidence to
pursue further education.

Vocational Training Course: Covers trades like making candle/incense sticks (agarbattis),
liquid soap/phenyl, garlands/torans (door-hangings), envelopes, popcorn, chocolates
and ubtans (face and body packs) etc., besides training in sewing, servicing gas-stove, and
other manual jobs as well. Students undergo intensive training in at least three trades.
These trades when pursued as a vocation can provide a livelihood. Demonstrations on
marketing skills are also organized.

Women’s Special Course: This full-time course of 1½ month duration has been
exclusively designed for all-round development of visually challenged women who are 18
and older. The Course covers orientation & mobility; Braille and communication skills; Yoga
and recreation; domestic science with special emphasis on food preparation, nutrition, child
care; grooming and personality development – including social etiquette; self-defense etc.
Trainees are also counseled and taught vocational trades. Those from out of Mumbai are
provided residential facility. The training renders these women confident enough to lead
near-normal life.

Physiotherapy Course

Introduced in 1996 as a Certificate Course, this two-year full-time training was in due
course recognized as Diploma Course in Physiotherapy, by the Maharashtra State Board of
Vocational Examinations (MSBVE). Subjects covered include human anatomy,
physiotherapy, abnormal physiology and other allied topics besides English, computer
applications and entrepreneurship. Assessment is through theory and practical exams. On
completion of the course the trainees undergo 60-day clinical internship in select hospitals.
Students also volunteer at hospitals to get hand-on experience.

Eligibility Criterion: Grade X Pass and good knowledge of English

Selection Procedure: Written Test and Interview

Number of Seats: 15

The physiotherapy Out-patient Department introduced by DOR in 2010 has been well-
received by the community. The OPD besides helping the trainees receive hands-on
experience and enhance their knowledge in the field also creates awareness about
capabilities of the visually challenged among the public. Patients taking treatment at the
OPD are charged nominal fee.

Acupressure and Massage Course

This MSBVE recognized six-month training program initiated in 2004 enables visually
challenged individuals to work as masseurs/masseuses in hospitals and clinics and also
carry out private practice. Visually challenged trainers conduct the course. On successful
completion of the Course, MSBVE awards Certificates.

DOR also provides job placement assistance to successful candidates. Those employed can
earn around Rs.5,000 a month. With more and more people becoming health conscious, this
profession is fast gaining importance.

Eligibility Criteria: Grade VII Pass

Selection Procedure: Written Test and Interview

Number of Seats: 15

General Machine Operator's Course

Recognized by theBoard of Vocational Examination, Government of Maharashtra, this cost-

free two-year training course imparts theory and practical knowledge that helps the trainees
become skilled workers and adapt to industrial environment.

During the training they are given intensive practice on lathe, shaping, milling and drilling
machines, besides power and hand presses. They are also taught to operate plastic
moulding machines, and handle assembly jobs. The Polytechnic accepts bulk orders from
industrial set-ups, to provide the trainees such hands-on experience under factory
conditions. They are also offered stipend ranging from Rs.150-Rs.300, and are provided free
lodge and board facility. The Board conducts the final examination.

Eligibility: Age: 18-35 years

Qualification: Grade VIII Pass, with good knowledge of Braille.

Number of Seats: 20

Short-term Vocational Course

Covers training in making cardboard files, phenyl and candles and operating plastic
moulding machine and grain mill.

Computer Training

The Polytechnic also manages the Computer Training Centre set up by NAB (India) with
financial assistance from Amway Opportunity Foundation. It is hoped the training imparted
at this well-equipped Centre will open new employment avenues for educated blind persons.

VISUALLY IMPAIRMENT
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment or vision loss, is a decreased ability
to see to a degree that causes problems not fixable by usual means, such as glasses.[1][2] Some also
include those who have a decreased ability to see because they do not have access to glasses
or contact lenses.[1] Visual impairment is often defined as a best corrected visual acuity of worse than
either 20/40 or 20/60.[5] The term blindness is used for complete or nearly complete vision
loss.[5] Visual impairment may cause people difficulties with normal daily activities such as driving,
reading, socializing, and walking.[2]
The most common causes of visual impairment globally are uncorrected refractive
errors (43%), cataracts (33%), and glaucoma (2%).[3] Refractive errors include near-sightedness, far-
sightedness, presbyopia, and astigmatism.[3] Cataracts are the most common cause of
blindness.[3] Other disorders that may cause visual problems include age-related macular
degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal clouding, childhood blindness, and a number
of infections.[6] Visual impairment can also be caused by problems in the brain due
to stroke, premature birth, or trauma among others.[7] These cases are known as cortical visual
impairment.[7] Screening for vision problems in children may improve future vision and educational
achievement.[8] Screening adults without symptoms is of uncertain benefit.[9] Diagnosis is by an eye
exam.[2]

The definition of visual impairment is reduced vision not corrected by glasses or contact lenses. The
World Health Organization uses the following classifications of visual impairment. When the vision in
the better eye with best possible glasses correction is:

 20/30 to 20/60 : is considered mild vision loss, or near-normal vision

 20/70 to 20/160 : is considered moderate visual impairment, or moderate low vision
 20/200 to 20/400 : is considered severe visual impairment, or severe low vision
 20/500 to 20/1,000 : is considered profound visual impairment, or profound low vision
 More than 20/1,000 : is considered near-total visual impairment, or near total blindness
 No light perception (NLP) : is considered total visual impairment, or total blindness
Blindness is defined by the World Health Organization as vision in a person's best eye with best
correction of less than 20/500 or a visual field of less than 10 degrees.

The most common causes of blindness in 2010 were:

1. Cataracts (51%)
2. Glaucoma (8%)
3. Age-related macular degeneration (5%)
4. Corneal opacification (4%)
5. Childhood blindness (4%)
6. Refractive errors (3%)
7. Trachoma (3%)
8. Diabetic retinopathy (1%)
9. Undetermined (21%)[6]
Cataracts: is the congenital and pediatric pathology that describes the greying or opacity of the
crystalline lens, which is most commonly caused by intrauterine infections, metabolic disorders, and
genetically transmitted syndromes.[29] Cataracts are the leading cause of child and adult blindness
that doubles in prevalence with every ten years after the age of 40.

Computers and mobile technology[edit]

Access technology such as screen readers, screen magnifiers and refreshable Braille
displays enable the blind to use mainstream computer applications and mobile phones. The
availability of assistive technology is increasing, accompanied by concerted efforts to ensure the
accessibility of information technology to all potential users, including the blind. Later versions
of Microsoft Windows include an Accessibility Wizard & Magnifier for those with partial vision,
and Microsoft Narrator, a simple screen reader. Linux distributions (as live CDs) for the blind
include Vinux and Adriane Knoppix, the latter developed in part by Adriane Knopper who has a
visual impairment. macOS and iOS also come with a built-in screen reader called VoiceOver,
while Google TalkBack is built in to most Android devices.
The movement towards greater web accessibility is opening a far wider number of websites
to adaptive technology, making the web a more inviting place for visually impaired surfers.
Experimental approaches in sensory substitution are beginning to provide access to arbitrary live
views from a camera.
Modified visual output that includes large print and/or clear simple graphics can be of benefit to
users with some residual vision.