SBBZ Sehen

What SBBZ Sehen does

SBBZ Sehen St. Michael Waldkirch is a state-run special educational and counseling center with boarding facilities (Staatliches Sonderpädagogisches Bildungs- und Beratungszentrum mit Internat Förderschwerpunkt Sehen) operated under the Regierungspräsidium Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The institution serves approximately 85 students aged 6 to 20 with blindness or visual impairment, including some with additional intellectual, physical, or emotional disabilities, across four educational tracks: Grundschule, Werkrealschule, Bildungsgang Lernen, and Bildungsgang Geistige Entwicklung. Core offerings are supplemented by an Individuelle Lern- und Entwicklungsbegleitung (ILEB) framework, orientation and mobility training, Braille and assistive technology instruction, augmentative and alternative communication services, and three residential groups accommodating 6–10 students each during the school week. Ancillary services include a free Beratungsstelle (counseling center), Frühförderung (early intervention from birth), Sonderpädagogischer Dienst (school inclusion consulting), psychological services, and on-site health and nursing care.

The institution's technology stack consists of assistive devices procured for student use rather than proprietary platforms: JAWS screen reader software, Braille typewriters, laptops with speech output, electronic Braille displays, and tactile media including relief maps and 3D-printed materials. The Digitales Monokel e-book platform and the Sdui school administration platform provide digital content delivery and stakeholder communication. The institution's principal proprietary product is the Waldkircher Hefte — a catalog of over 35 specialized notebook lineations designed for visually impaired students, manufactured in-house by the Förderverein's printing press and sold nationwide.

The business model is primarily government-funded through the Baden-Württemberg state education ministry, with education and residential services provided free of charge to enrolled students. Ancillary revenue is generated by the Verein zur Förderung Sehbehinderter e.V. Waldkirch (founded May 1975, ~220 members) through unit-priced sales of Waldkircher Hefte (€1.70–€4.20 per item), annual membership fees (€5–€30), and donations including grant funding from social organizations such as Aktion Mensch. Customer acquisition is referral-driven through early intervention services, medical professionals, and the Sonderpädagogischer Dienst, with the Beratungsstelle serving as the primary top-of-funnel touchpoint. Leadership is provided by Director Nicole Adamski (Gesamtleiterin) and Deputy Director Anna-Lydia von Seggern (Stv. Gesamtleiterin), with a multidisciplinary staff of administrative, pedagogical, therapeutic, and facilities personnel.

Name

SBBZ Sehen

Legal name

Staatliches Sonderpädagogisches Bildungs- und Beratungszentrum mit Internat Förderschwerpunkt Sehen

Website

https://sbbz-sehen-waldkirch.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SBBZ Sehen St. Michael Waldkirch is a state-run special education center with boarding in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, serving approximately 85 visually impaired and blind students aged 6–20 across four educational tracks, with associated counseling, early intervention, and residential services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education for the Visually Impaired

NAICS

Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAKAI

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDAJAKAB

IEP/504 Planning, Case Management & Compliance

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDALAGAD

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Disability Services & Accessibility

SECONDARYEDAKADAI

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) & Progress Monitoring Services

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Specialized Tutoring & Academic Intervention (Remediation)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Visual impairment education
• Boarding school services
• Early intervention counseling
• Assistive learning materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Waldkirch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Educational Funding: State-funded educational institution operating under the Regierungspräsidium Freiburg, with funding from the Baden-Württemberg state education ministry
2. Specialized Educational Materials Sales: The Förderverein produces and sells Waldkircher Hefte - specialized notebooks and blocks with various lineations for visually impaired students throughout Germany. Pricing: Heft DIN A4 at €1.70, Block DIN A4 at €4.20, Catalog at €3.50
3. Membership Fees: Verein zur Förderung Sehbehinderter e.V. collects annual membership fees: €20 for individuals, €30 for couples/life partners, €5 for students/apprentices. Currently has approximately 220 members
4. Donations and Sponsorship: The Förderverein receives donations and sponsorship funding, such as the Aktion Mensch grant for a new minibus in November 2024

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SBBZ Sehen St. Michael Waldkirch operates a state special educational and counseling center with boarding for children and youth (ages 6-20) with blindness and visual impairment. It delivers four schooling tracks (Grundschule, Werkrealschule, Bildungsgang Lernen, Bildungsgang Geistige Entwicklung), three residential groups, counseling and early intervention services, and produces Waldkircher Hefte — specialized notebooks with over 35 custom lineations for visually impaired students sold across Germany.

Product overview

SBBZ Sehen St. Michael Waldkirch is a state special educational and counseling center with boarding facilities providing comprehensive education for children and youth with visual impairments. The institution operates as a single unified institution offering multiple interconnected educational programs (Grundschule, Werkrealschule, Lernen track, and Geistige Entwicklung track), residential care across three boarding groups, and extensive support services including counseling, early intervention, psychological services, health care, and specialized training in orientation/mobility, Braille, and assistive communication technologies. The institution also includes the Förderverein support association which manufactures and sells specialized notebooks (Waldkircher Hefte) nationwide. Core educational programs are supplemented by the ILEB individual support system and benefit from the Digitales Monokel e-book platform for accessible reading materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBBZ Sehen St. Michael Waldkirch (Special Education Center) State special educational and counseling center with boarding facilities for children and youth (ages 6-20) with blindness and visual impairment, combining four schooling tracks, residential care, counseling, and therapy services under one institution.
• Grundschule (Elementary School Program) Five-year elementary school program for visually impaired students using visual-impairment-specific teaching methods, differentiated instruction in small groups, and integration of specialized aids and technologies.
• Werkrealschule (Secondary School Program) Secondary education program (classes 5-9/10) preparing visually impaired students for Hauptschulabschluss and Werkrealschulabschluss with vocational orientation and career preparation.
• Bildungsgang Lernen (Learning Track) Combined elementary and secondary education program with differentiated instruction tailored to students with learning difficulties alongside visual impairments.
• Bildungsgang Geistige Entwicklung (Intellectual Development Track) Educational program for students with visual impairment combined with intellectual, physical, or emotional development needs, organized in three stages (Grundstufe, Hauptstufe, Berufsschulstufe).
• Internat (Boarding Services) Three residential groups each accommodating 6-10 students, providing care from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon, recreational activities, life skills training, and overnight supervision.
• Beratungsstelle (Counseling Services) Free consulting services for parents and institutions regarding visual impairment, providing guidance on early intervention, school placement, classroom accommodations, and exam support.
• Frühförderung (Early Intervention) Home and kindergarten visits by a specialist team for children with visual impairments from birth until school enrollment, provided free of charge.
• Sonderpädagogischer Dienst (Special Education Services for Mainstream Schools) Consulting services for visually impaired students attending regular schools, providing advice on aids, classroom adaptations, assistance, and exam accommodations.
• Waldkircher Hefte (Specialized Notebooks) Specially designed notebooks and pads with over 35 custom lineations for visually impaired students, manufactured in-house by the Förderverein and sold nationwide across Germany.
• Psychologischer Dienst (Psychological Services) Two psychologists providing counseling, diagnostic assessment, parent support, and emotional well-being services for students, families, and staff.
• Gesundheitsdienst (Health Services) Medical care provided by a school nurse during school hours, coordination with school doctor Dr. Weeber, and night supervision in the boarding facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average class size of 6-7 students enables individualized attention
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Universitäts-Augenklinik FreiburgsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity Eye Clinic Freiburg provides specialized ophthalmological consultations for students, arranged through the school's medical coordination services. Supports regular eye care appointments for enrolled students.
• External Rehabilitation Specialists for Orientation and Mobility (O&M)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal specialists providing orientation and mobility training and life skills instruction for students with high-degree visual impairment or blindness, complementing in-school programs.
• External Therapy Providers (Physiotherapy, Logo-Therapy, Ergotherapy)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of external therapeutic service providers offering physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services to residential students during afternoon hours at nearby facilities.
• Verein zur Förderung Sehbehinderter e.V. Waldkirch (Support Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in May 1975, this 220-member association provides both financial and ideological support to the school. Activities include purchasing vehicles, playground equipment, teaching materials, optical and electronic visual aids, Braille equipment including Braille displays and 3D printers, sponsoring projects such as riding, theater visits, and ski hiking, and manufacturing Waldkircher Hefte specialized notebooks.
• Dr. Weeber (School Physician)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool physician providing medical oversight and collaborating with the school nurse to ensure student health services, injury care, and management of chronic conditions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stiftung Evangelische Altenhilfe und Blindenhilfe Bad Arolsen: Foundation-based institution providing residential care, education, and rehabilitation services for blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages in Hessen. Comparable multi-disciplinary care model with state and foundation funding mix.
• Nikolauspflege Stuttgart: Private, foundation-based institution offering education, vocational training, and residential services for blind and visually impaired people of all ages in Baden-Württemberg. Operates as a larger, more diversified alternative to state SBBZ institutions with broader age coverage including early intervention and adult services.
• SBBZ Sehen Stuttgart (Staatliches Sonderpädagogisches Bildungs- und Beratungszentrum Stuttgart mit Internat, Förderschwerpunkt Sehen): Another state-run SBBZ Sehen in Baden-Württemberg serving visually impaired students with residential facilities. Operates under the same legal framework (Staatliches SBBZ mit Internat) and Regierungspräsidium oversight, serving as the closest functional peer within the same state.
• SBBZ Sehen Frankfurt (Staatliches Schulamt für den Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis und die Stadt Frankfurt am Main): State special education center for vision impairment in Hessen, offering comparable K-12 education and residential services for visually impaired students in another German state. Directly comparable institutional model with similar programmatic structure.
• Bayerisches Blindenerziehungsinstitut (BBI): Bavarian state institution for education and rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired children and youth, including those with additional disabilities. Provides a directly comparable regional state-school model in another Bundesland with residential and educational programs.
• Blindeninstitutsstiftung Würzburg: Major German foundation providing residential, educational, and therapeutic services for blind and visually impaired individuals, including children with multiple disabilities. Comparable integrated care model with similar cross-disability services and assistive technology focus.

Others

• Freedom Scientific (JAWS screen reader): Producer of JAWS screen reader software that is explicitly deployed by SBBZ Sehen Waldkirch for blind-specific technology training. Adjacent ecosystem vendor providing critical assistive technology infrastructure for the institution's educational programs.
• HumanWare (assistive technology provider): Global manufacturer of Braille displays, note-taking devices, and assistive technology used by visually impaired students. Ecosystem supplier whose products (Braille displays, JAWS-compatible devices) are integral to SBBZ Sehen Waldkirch's assistive technology curriculum.

Broad incumbents

• Berufsförderungswerk Würzburg (BFW): Major German vocational rehabilitation provider offering training and employment support for people with disabilities including visual impairment. Comparable in serving visually impaired populations but focused on adult vocational outcomes rather than K-12 education.
• Carl-Strehl-Schule (Deutsche Blindenstudienanstalt, Marburg): Germany's oldest and largest institution for blind and visually impaired students, offering comprehensive education from primary through vocational levels plus adult rehabilitation. Broader scope than SBBZ Sehen Waldkirch but serves the same population with similar programmatic elements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbbz-sehen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SBBZ Sehen