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Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth provides educational support services for students in Manitoba schools who are Blind or Visually Impaired.

The supports are intended to provide these students with the resources that are required to allow them to participate in educational programs along with their sighted peers.

Vision Consultant Services (Consultants for the Visually Impaired)

A team of Educational Consultants for the Visually Impaired (vision consultants) provides support services on a province-wide basis to students who are blind or visually impaired.

Vision Screening Program

The vision screening program is coordinated by the school divisions with support (training, equipment loans, and repairs and data collection) from Education, Citizenship and Youth. It is intended to identify, as early as possible, school age students who may have undetected vision difficulties.

Alternate Format Services

Alternate Format Services (AFS) provide students who are print handicapped (Blind/Visually Impaired, Physically Disabled, Learning Disabled and English Second Language) with a collection of books in alternate formats; an inter-library loan service to acquire alternate format materials from other educational resource centres for the print handicapped in Canada; instruction on the use of the online catalogue; and quick and in-depth information and detailed searches of the collection.
Media Production Services (MPS) supports the education of students who are print handicapped by producing books in alternate formats (audio books (cassettes, MP3), braille, large print, and electronic text).

Alternate Format Textbooks for Post-Secondary Students

Students who are registered as being visually impaired or who have certifiable disabilities which affect their ability to read print, and who attend Manitoba colleges or universities, have access to braille, large print, audio books or electronic textbooks.

Online Catalogue

Special Materials Services (SMS) Catalogue is a listing of alternate format materials housed at 215-1181 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg. Alternate formats include Braille, Large Print, Sound recordings (audiocassettes), and Electronic Text and are designed to supplement or replace the regular print text. Materials are available only to eligible students.