The Act to Promote the Education of the Blind authorizes an annual appropriation for the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) to produce and distribute educational materials adapted for students who are legally blind and enrolled in formal educational programs below the college level. Materials produced by APH include textbooks in Braille and large type, educational tools such as braille typewriters and microcomputer software and hardware, teaching aides such as tests, performance measures, and other special supplies. The materials are distributed to programs serving individuals who are blind through allotments to the states. The allotments are based on an annual census conducted by APH of the number of students who are legally blind in each state and are provided in the form of credits. State educational agencies and programs serving persons who are blind may order materials free of charge up to the amount of funds allocated to each state for educational materials. Approximately 85% of the appropriation is used to cover the cost of operations to produce these materials.
The APH also uses a portion of these funds to conduct research related to developing and improving products and to provide advisory services to consumer organizations on the availability and use of materials produced by APH.
