ALT A young girl smiles at the camera and claps her hands. Text: What would early childhood systems look like if they were designed for all children from the beginning? Perkins logo.

ALT Children in a classroom get ready to use drums in music class. Text: “All means all.” Including children with disabilities.

ALT Children sit on the floor in their classroom and get ready for a lesson. Text: “A commitment that does not reach children with disabilities is not universal.” — Justin van Fleet, Theirworld

ALT Zeke engages with blocks in the classroom. Text: “For some children, learning through play first means learning to play.” — Katherine Holland, Perkins

ALT Isabella wearing a blue cap and gown, and bright red glasses, smiling at the camera

ALT Isabella wearing a blue cap and gown, and bright red glasses, playing with a toy in a classroom

ALT Madilyn smiling at the camera, wearing a blue cap and gown

ALT Madilyn performing in a choir concert, wearing a green gown

ALT Colton rides a pony wearing noise canceling headphones

ALT Cameron pets a baby duck

ALT Savannah and her mom smile

ALT Alex pets a baby animal

ALT Two girls smile with flowers they've collected

ALT Xavier smiles after painting with sidewalk chalk

ALT A girl does braille art on a Perkins Brailler

ALT A girl shows off her oil pastel painting

ALT Clock icon. Text: The mental load of having a disability: Building extra time into your day for barriers you can’t predict.

ALT Person with white cane. Text: The mental load of having a disability: Remaining kind, polite, and patient when navigating inaccessible systems

ALT Hands raised with hearts. Text: The mental load of having a disability: Being seen as “inspiring” instead of able.

ALT Phone and chat bubble icon. Text: The mental load of having a disability: Doing extra research to make sure the space or event is accessible.

ALT Matteo smiles in a blue graduation cap and gown

ALT Matteo, wearing a black suit and purple bow tie, plays the piano in the chapel

ALT Text: The majority of people with the leading cause of childhood blindness don’t even know they have it. Icon of child with glasses.

ALT Text: But together, we can strengthen diagnosis and support for people with Cerebral/ Cortical Visual Impairment. Join us for the 2026 CVI Conference: The Collective Power of Us on July 19-21 Perkins.org/CVIConference. The CVI Conference Logo.

ALT Person walking. Text: People are often surprised to learn: Not every blind person uses a cane or guide dog. Some don’t use mobility aids at all. People navigate in different ways depending on their vision, environment, and personal preference. Some use mobility aids, while others rely on remaining vision, technology, or familiar routes.

ALT Eye looking at object. Text: People are often surprised to learn: Blindness is a spectrum.Not everyone who is blind sees complete darkness. About 90% of blind people have some functional, residual vision, often described as low vision!

ALT Book with the braille letter P on the cover. Text: People are often surprised to learn: Not every blind person reads braille. Braille is an important literacy tool for many people, but others may prefer audio, screen readers, magnification, large print, or even smart glasses.

ALT Chat bubbles. Text: People are often surprised to learn: Phrases like “Did you see that show last night?” are a normal part of conversation for many blind people, too. Figurative visual language comes up in everyday speech all the time – you don’t have to worry about avoiding it.