[nabs-l] A question for you all

[Ryan Silveira]

Hi Matt,

First off, the United States does not offer any assistive technology
"certification".  There are groups that are working on it and I,
myself have done some research into it, but there is, as yet, no
standardize AT certification in the U.S.  The U.K., however, does have
one.  Though there is no certification, there is a great training
program that gives you experience with a veriety of different
assistive tech and includes a huge student teaching portion.  The
program is at World Services for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas.
They do accept students from outside the U.S., so you will have no
problem.  I did their nine-month assistive tech instructor training
program there from August, 2011 until June, 2012 and I loved it.  You
learn a bunch of different AT, as well as improve your skills on the
stuff you already know.  As a graduation requirement, you do take the
JAWS certification test as well as the Microsoft Office Specialist
certification.  As the training center includes a life-skills
evaluation period prior to anyone entering any of the vocational
training programs, the assistive technology instructor students are
responsible for teaching the assistive tech classes to all the
students coming in for evaluation.  For example, if you were to attend
the center, prior to starting the ATI program, you would go through a
30-day evaluation of your skills (tech skills, mobility skills,
household skills) and a student in the ATI program would evaluate your
tech skills and teach you anything new.  Then, when you entered the
program, you would to the same.  I can't recall how much detail there
is on the website about the program, but if you want to check it out,
their website is: http://www.wsblind.org.  Feel free to e-mail me
off-list if you want to know more about the program.  I helped to
design their new assistive tech corriculum, so I know the whole
program inside and out.

Ryan

On 1/23/14, Matthew Dierckens <matt.dierckens at me.com> wrote:
> Good morning list.
> I am interested in taking some kind of certification course for becoming an
> assisitve technology professional. Does anyone know of any places that will
> do this, and that will also accept Canadians? Thank you.
>
> Matthew Dierckens
> Macintosh Trainer
> Blind Access Training
> www.blindaccesstraining.com
> 1-877-774-7670 ext. 4
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Ryan L. Silveira