[Trainer-talk] assistive technology instructor career information

[Wayne Merritt]

The certification process for becoming a technology contract trainer
in Texas has and continues to evolve, so I don't know that i would
rely totally on what a website says for the full say so. It will get
you going in the right direction, but depending on when the site was
last updated, the information may be very recent or not so recent. The
tests in the certification process are pretty straight forward. From
what i remember having done the process myself several years ago, you
pick at least 4 topic areas to test on, which could be JAWS, Windows,
Word, and Internet Explorer, or other things, which make up phase one.
Phase two of the testing involves you going to a particular office,
which could be local or could be you traveling to Austin to the
Assistive Technology Unit at Criss Cole, and then making a
presentation where you go through the motions of teaching someone how
to use said technology. When you get to the testing facility they give
you the situation and the supposed person's experience. At least this
was how things were back in 2004 when I did my testing and
presentations. AS I say though, seems like things are evolving all the
time. From what I recall, I believe you have to get at least an 80
percent on the initial tests in order to move on. I've got some
friends that are contract trainers in the Dallas area, and they told
me that new and current trainers need to also be able to test on
Windows Seven, which makes sense.

Aside from state training, there is a well known but long
certification process you could go through with a site called the
Access Technology Institute, located at:

http://www.blindtraining.com

This site has a 9 month certification course you can take, which you
will likely have to get rehab services to pay for, however it sounds
very comprehensive. I believe the person who runs the course is even
subscribed to this list, so she could probably say more.

Aside from these two options, there's really no one big standard for
AT trainers, though there should be. I'd say that if you can bring
together people skills, skills on blindness, knowing where people are
on their adjustment to blindness processes, and skills on teaching and
knowing technology in general, then you've got a good recipe for
success. If you're going to the national convention in a few weeks in
Dallas, you might check out the meeting of the Assistive Trainers
division, which meets on Sunday or Monday night, can't remember which.

I'm a technology teacher as well at Criss Cole and often students ask
me how they can teach technology. I tell them that one of the first
ways is to read and listen to computer news and talk shows, and read
about technology news. This was what I did for 2 or 3 years before I
actually got my hands on a computer in college, and I think it really
helped my understanding of what was going on.

Good luck,
Wayne Merritt

On 6/15/10, Jeanine Lineback <jlineback at austin.rr.com> wrote:
> Hello. My name is Jeanine. I'm a technology instructor at the Criss Cole
> Rehab Center in Austin. The state of Texas does use contract trainers for a
> variety of services including assistive technology. If you go to the
> following link, which I found via Google, you will be on the web site for
> the DARS/ DBS Assistive Technology Trainer Guidelines and Procedures
> contents page.
> http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dbs/standards/assistivetech/default.htm#ch1
> In chapter one of this manual it instructs you to contact:
> Susan Hunter at (512) 377-0650 or
>  Susan.Hunter at dars.state.tx.us
> In addition, I can tell you that there is a testing process you must pass in
> order to become an assistive technology trainer in the state of Texas. One
> part is written and another part is a live presentation.
> Hth!
>
> Jeanine Lineback
> Technology Instructor & Career Center Representative, Web Designer & Web
> Master
> http://www.braillecelebration.org
> Check me out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jeanine.lineback
> Check me out on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jlineback
> Or take a look at my profile on Linkedin:
> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeanine-lineback/17/b65/99
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah
> Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 3:49 PM
> To: trainer-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Trainer-talk] assistive technology instructor career information
>
> Hello. I have an Associate's degree and would like to become an assistive
> technology trainer. I live in texas. Is there a training program? What do I
> need to do to become certified to teach technology? Thank you.
>     Sarah
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