[Ohio-talk] OOD and ACVREP certification

Wed May 13 17:51:58 UTC 2015

Dave, I like your idea.  Could we write a grant for something like
this so people who do this could at least get paid a small amount of
money?  I think this has some real potential here.  I do believe there
is a difference between knowing a skill and teaching a skill.

I am going to give a little history lesson here.  Rehabilitation
Teachers had another name in the past and were all blind.  In fact, in
Kansas in the 1980's you had to be blind to have the job. Then,
colleges started getting in on the education and it opened up to
anyone.  Over time, the number of blind rehabilitation teachers as a
percentage of rehabilitation teachers has declined. Today the name has
changed from rehabilitation teacher to certified vision rehabilitation
therapist and most agencies require the certification in order to be
hired.  Now occupational therapist are also providing this training
and physical therapists are working as O&M instructors.  By the way,
these medical professionals earn more money than their ACVREP
certified peers.

On 5/13/15, Dave Cohen via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I have thought at times how blind people within the state are the perfect
> resource to provide training in their own homes and communities.
>
> A network of Federationists throughout the state who are willing to open up
> their homes/lives for X amount of time and who are capable of providing an
> exposure to blindness skills the likes of which one would be exposed to at a
> NFB training center is what I imagine.
>
> A buddy program for adults.
>
> I am biased.  I think that one weekend with an independently-living blind
> person or a family who knows the true benefit of blindness skills has
> something very beneficial to share even if the training (cane, Braille etc.)
> is minimal at first.
>
> A network of inner-state Federationists from Ohio could be coordinated to
> host such a person wanting to learn the alternative techniques.  Social
> media can be used to keep everyone involved/informed.
>
> Such a person hosting would be acting as home management, Braille, travel
> and technology teacher.  Maybe one only does travel.  Maybe one does Braille
> and home management and maybe someone else has the skill to teach another
> something else?  Make the training center environment within the homes of
> the membership.
>
> ---- Marianne Denning via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> ACVREP stands for Association for Certification of Vision
>> Rehabilitation and Education Professionals.  If you want to be
>> certified in rehabilitation teaching, low vision therapy or O&M they
>> are the certifying agency.  Yes, I know NFB also has an O&M
>> certification.  I doubt the state would pay for someone with that
>> certification to provide training to consumers, but I don't know that
>> for sure. My concern is that the state allows anyone with one of those
>> 3 certifications provide all 3 services.  Why is an O&M instructor
>> qualified to be a rehabilitation teacher just because they have an O&M
>> certification? A rehabilitation teacher would be the person who would
>> provide braille instruction.  They have to complete braille courses as
>> part of their college program.
>>
>> On 5/13/15, barbara.pierce9366--- via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>> > What exactly is ACVREP certification?
>> >
>> > Barbara
>> > Barbara Pierce
>> > President Emerita
>> > National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
>> > Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
>> > 440-774-8077
>> > The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
>> > characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
>> > expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
>> > between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you zwant;
>> > blindness is not what holds you back.
>> >
>> >> On May 13, 2015, at 10:46 AM, Marianne Denning via Ohio-talk
>> >> <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I am going to try to explain this because it is a concern for me.  OOD
>> >> requires anyone providing O&M or rehabilitation teaching services to
>> >> blind people to have ACVREP certification.  I have known that for a
>> >> few years.  I recently learned thatcertified O&M trainers can provide
>> >> rehabilitation teaching services.  All OOD cares about is the ACVREP
>> >> certification and not the area of certification.  I think most people
>> >> who have O&M certification would say they don't feel qualified to
>> >> evaluate braille, lifeskills and similar needs.  I would say the same
>> >> goes for rehabilitation teachers.  Does anyone else have a similar
>> >> concern?
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>> >> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>> >> (513) 607-6053
>> >>
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>> >
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>> (513) 607-6053
>>
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>
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053