Welcome to Iris's World
This web resource has been designed for use in New Zealand primary schools. It has been developed primarily to:
- Raise awareness of people who are blind, deafblind or vision-impaired and their abilities
- Foster understanding and acceptance of people who are blind, deafblind and vision-impaired
- Develop respect for the ways in which people overcome their disabilities
- Foster understanding that people who are blind, deafblind and vision-impaired want to participate fully in society
- Raise awareness of preventable eye conditions and how to avoid them
- Inform students of the work of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Much of the material is written directly for students so that you can easily photocopy and distribute information and activities.
You can order the following material by emailing cea.
- "I See You See" - a 30 minute video on children who are vision-impaired in mainstream classes. This can be viewed in segments or as a whole.
- "3VI" – a fun interactive educational CD-ROM for children on vision and vision impairment, developed by the Royal Society for the Blind in South Australia
If you have any suggestions about activities or information we could include in this resource, please contact the Technology, Employment and Awareness Division on 09 355 6900. We would appreciate your feedback.
If you would like further information about blindness or would like to have a Foundation member, staff member or guide dog user visit your school please contact the RNZFB's Information and Advice team on 0800 24 33 33.
Visits by classes to the RNZFB's Auckland office, the library and talking book studios, Guide Dog Centre, and to the Homai Campus of BLENNZ (the Blind & Low Vision Education Network NZ) can be arranged. Contacts for these are listed on the following page.