Assistive Technology

The Assistive Technology (AT) team at the California School for the Blind (CSB) provides assessment and instruction to students with visual impairments on campus and throughout the state of California.

The Assistive Technology (AT) team at the California School for the Blind provides assessment and instruction to students with visual impairments on campus and throughout the state of California. Training and workshops are provided to educators, students, and their families on technology and educational topics through requests and conferences. The highly skilled assistive technology specialists continually develop curricula to reflect the changing technology and the demands of current educational needs.

Who We Serve

The AT team serves students with visual impairments on campus and throughout the state of California. We offer services to districts, vision professionals, Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, and families on request, through conferences, or through training. Training and workshops are provided to educators, students, and their families on technology and educational topics through requests and conferences. The highly skilled assistive technology specialists continually develop curriculum to reflect the changing technology and the demands of current educational needs. Outreach requests can be made through the Outreach Application Form (Google Forms).

Our Focus

The Assistive Technology Team provides instruction in many areas including the following areas:

Screen reading software
Magnification software
BrailleNote takers
Smart phones & tablets
Optical character recognition software
Internet navigation
Accessing mainstream technology and software
Electronic braille displays

In addition to expertise in assistive technology, our teachers have backgrounds in higher education with an emphasis in visual impairment including Teachers for the Visually Impaired (TVI), Rehabilitation, and Orientation & Mobility.

Assessments

On-Campus Assessments

During the Assessment of Suitability for Placement process, our AT team conducts initial technology evaluations for incoming students through targeted observations, file reviews, interviews, diagnostic testing, and hands-on device trials. For current CSB students, evaluation is continuous-integrated into daily classroom instruction, interdisciplinary team collaboration, triennial reviews, and individualized instruction.

Off-Campus Outreach and Assessments

We partner with educators, students, and families across California to deliver statewide training and technical guidance. Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) can request specialized assistive technology assessments. Our team will observe, consult with your educational staff, and deliver tailored technology recommendations.

Ready to request an evaluation? Submit an Outreach Application Form (Google Forms).

Trainings

The AT team offers both on- and off-campus training opportunities for Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs), educators, and students across California. Educators can request customized assistive technology sessions where our team designs interactive lessons to introduce, practice, or refine skills with specific devices, programs, or software applications.
Past workshops have covered essential topics such as Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) accessibility, Job Access With Speech (JAWS) (beginning and intermediate), BrailleNote devices, and Google Workspace integration.
Stay Updated: Subscribe to the Braille n Teach listserv or visit the CSB homepage to view current and upcoming offerings.

Request a Session: Submit a Training Request Form (Google Forms)

Upcoming In-Person Training Events

Date & Time	Topic	Description	Registration Link
October 9th, 8:30AM - 12:00PM	Updates and New Features in Technology Products	This event will take place on CSB's campus in our theater. Presentations and demonstrations from Sterling Adaptives, Access Ingenuity, and BookShare.	Register Here

Tech Talks: 30 Minutes to Master Your Assistive Tech

Beginning Sep 9, 2026, 9:30AM-10:00AM, level up your digital skills every other week with quick, 30-minute demos on everything from braille displays to the MS Word equation editor. Catch each session live or stream the full series anytime on our YouTube playlist!

Tech Talks Registration Link

September 9: Focus40 for Beginners
September 23: Brailliant for Beginners
October 7: Focus40 for Intermediate Users
October 28: Brailliant for Intermediate Users
November 4: Microsoft Word Equation Editor + JAWS Math Viewer
November 18: Braille Math Editor with a Braille Display
December 9: MathPix and MathType

Short Courses

CSB offers week-long Short Courses throughout the school year. Previous Short Courses offered by the AT team have included the Braille Short Course, Google Short Course, and the iPad Short Course. You can find our current offerings on the Short Course web page.

Lending Library

TVI's can make requests to borrow devices for a period of up to 60 days to trial devices with students to aid in determining the most appropriate devices for students, and while devices are being repaired. Devices available include, braille displays, braille notetakers, embossers, etc. Please fill out our Lending Library Form (Google Forms) to make requests.

Assistive Technology Lab Links and Resources

AT After Hours YouTube Playlist recorded technology workshops from the 2025-2026 school year.
Computer Science Curriculum Resources
Day of Code Toolkit
Techie Toy Gift Guide
Curricula & How-To Guides
Google Suite with assistive technology (Video; 1:01:10)
CSB YouTube channel - under "Virtual Learning" where you can find a catalog of Assistive Technology discussions.

Events

Day of Code

News & Recognitions

Apple Day with CBS TV Network's Mission Unstoppable (Video; 4:27)
CSB partnered with Apple to host a coding day camp for students during Computer Science Education Week. The video is featured on CBS online.