- (a) The goal of the Older Individuals Who Are Blind (OIB) program is to enable individuals with blindness or significant visual impairments to live more independently in their homes and communities with a maximum degree of self-direction.
- (b) According to the Code of Federal Regulations, 34 C.F.R. § 367.5, “Older individual who is blind means an individual age 55 or older whose significant visual impairment makes competitive employment extremely difficult to attain but for whom independent living goals are feasible”.
(c) In keeping with this directive, the primary goal of the OIB program is to provide instruction and guidance to help individuals with blindness or visual impairments to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to:
- (1) Manage their daily lives;
- (2) Develop self-confidence; and
- (3) Achieve self-sufficiency at the highest attainable level.