The differences in computer use and internet access among those with and without 

disabilities decrease slightly when considering only persons who are employed (age 

25 49): 

N 

17% of employed persons without a disability have never used a computer,  

in comparison to 31% of employed persons with vision problems.  

N 

64% of employed persons without a disability have internet access (at home  

or elsewhere), in comparison to 54% of employed persons with vision 

problems. 

USE OF ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT, OPTICAL DEVICES,  

BRAILLE & GUIDE DOGS 

According to data collected from The Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss 

(The Lighthouse Inc., 1995), only 30% of adults (age 45 and older) with self 

reported vision impairments report using an optical device (such as a magnifier or 

telescope). 

Large print materials are used by 21% of adults with self reported vision 

impairments. Other adaptive devices (e.g., talking books, talking clocks, etc.) are 

used by an even smaller minority (under 5%) (The Lighthouse Inc. 1995). 

According to data from the 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability 

(Russell, Hendershot, LeClere et al., 1997), approximately 527,000 persons in 

the US use some type of vision device:  

N 

Telescopic lenses:  158,000 

N 

White cane: 130,000  

N 

Readers:  68,000 

N 

Braille:  59,000 

N 

Computer equipment:  34,000 

N 

Other vision technology:  277,000 

According to the American Printing House for the Blind (1999), approximately 

10% of blind students (5,557) primarily use Braille and 25% primarily use large or 

regular print (14,571). 

Based on estimates compiled by the American Foundation for the Blind, just over 

7,000 Americans use guide dogs.   

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