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TSBVI is a Project of
The Junior League of Austin

Bike Buddies Project

TSBVI began a Tandem Bike Club in 1998 with four tandem bicycles purchased with money from the Junior League of Austin and four League volunteers who partnered with six of our students. Since that time student interest has increased and 14 students entered and completed the 20-mile Ride for the Roses in April 2001. The 2004-05 Bike Buddy Project has 8 volunteers. The project also affords the League volunteers an opportunity to be a special friend and mentor to a visually impaired child who is living away from home by providing them a partner in tandem bicycling and a friend to spend time with on non-bicycling visits.

The Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired has established a successful program for students to ride bicycles on campus and in rides around the central Texas area. Students with visual impairments require extra supervision while bicycling and are evaluated for skill, ability and safety before being given a “bike license.” Students learn proper use of a bicycle and are instructed in safety issues associated with bike use as part of the license procedure. Any student who wishes to participate on a tandem bike with a League partner will have been evaluated and licensed through this program. The students will benefit from exercise and fresh air while riding, as well and the fun inherent in this activity and the companionship with a League volunteer. The League is also providing funds for helmets and uniforms, entry fees and after-race celebrations, and bicycle maintenance.


Tandem Trailer purchased in 2004 transports bikes to distant rides.

Bike Buddy Objectives

  1. Increase students’ self-confidence and self-esteem by expanding their opportunities to participate in different activities and to interact with League members who are excellent role models and leaders.
  2. Provide stimulating and real-life experiences through which students learn good social skills by example.

Braille Book Transcription Project

The school library has a critical need to acquire examples of outstanding children’s literature, both classics and new books published each year, and to make those books available to all students at TSBVI by transcribing them into Braille. Reading is fundamental to literacy, and Braille is the written language medium for blind children.

Junior League volunteers contribute to the literacy of Braille readers by transcribing books into Braille that the School currently has only in print. The transcribing process begins by using a scanner to scan an entire book into a standard word processing program such as Microsoft Word. The word processing document is “cleaned up” to correct spacing and spelling errors and to eliminate any pictures or illustrations. Once the file is edited, we use a Braille translation software program called MegaDots to format the text into proper Braille format. Then the book can be produced in computer-generated Braille on a special Braille printer called an embosser. Once a book has been put into an electronic file, that file can be printed out in Braille numerous times, loaned to other schools and posted on the TSBVI website to benefit even more students throughout the United States. The 2004-05 Braille Book Transcription Project has 8 volunteers working on their home computers to transcribe some of the $600 worth of new books purchased by the League for the library.

Audio CD-ROM Recording Project

TSBVI has begun to record literary material on CD-ROM using specialized computer software. There are many advantages inherent in digital recording. Digital voice recordings of books are easier to make because “spot” errors can easily be corrected “in place” rather than having to rerecord an entire selection. The sound quality is superior to audio tape, recordings can be made in any location because all background noise is blocked out automatically, the CD can be indexed. League volunteers record books using this specialized software and a library computer. The recorded books are placed in the library collection for checkout and use with CD ROM players. The League is also providing money to purchase six new CD-ROM players and batteries.

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