[Trainer-Talk] Remote Opportunities at Allied Instructional Services

Wed May 20 18:02:15 UTC 2026

Hi Michael and All:

Michael, I think you bring up some very important points, and, with your permission, I would be interested in sharing your thoughts with the leadership of AIS so they hear that perspective. As I mentioned previously, I think the certification requirement in this particular case is more recently added because certain schools are requiring them to add it as part of their contracts with the company. In any case, if the districts' focus is truly on the quality of services for their students, they should be focused more on experience and teaching ability (with certification as a plus) than on what a colleague of mine once called "nothing more than letters in an email signature."

I would add to this the opinion that, while there is value in being certified for the purpose of professional knowledge and development, there may be such a thing as being "over-certified" (with all due respect to the NBPCB folks, if they are on this list). This is particularly true of our field, which relies so much on day-to-day experience in an ever-changing technical environment which isn't always reflected in certification programs. I'm told, for example, that a sighted colleague who recently got her CATIS certification compared notes with a blind coworker who was in the same class with her, and learned that some of the information on the exam was several years out of date. I don't have any personal experience with this yet because I haven't started the process toward either of the AT training certifications. But the larger point, for her and for me, is that certification alone does not seem to be adequate for effective AT teaching; we have to stay on top of the changes in the tech around us and the needs of our students, and only experience (both in and out of the workplace) will do that. 

As a final comment, I'm grateful to know that several state agencies are now changing their requirements to include "equivalent experience" as an alternative to certification. this could open the door to opportunities for those of us who have been teaching and working in this field for a while, but don't yet have the letters after our names. For this reason, my small AT training business now consists of myself and 2 subcontractors: a certified TVI, and an AT trainer who is new to the field professionally but has a lot of experience working with blind adults through volunteer projects--just as I did when I started. Incidentally, all 3 of us are blind. I'm hoping this combination of experience will be an asset to a variety of students, educators and government/private agencies. Before anyone asks, we unfortunately can't add any more trainers to our team at this time, as much as I would love to do so. As soon as we have more clients and we could use more people, you'll be the first to know!

Thanks again for your thoughtful comments. I believe this is a discussion worth having within our organization and in the wider blindness education field.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: mevers421 at gmail.com <mevers421 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 11:33 AM
To: 'Chris Nusbaum' <canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>; trainer-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: RE: [Trainer-Talk] Remote Opportunities at Allied Instructional Services

Hi Chris and All,

I think Skylar raises a very important point, and honestly, I believe this issue is contributing to the shortage of qualified assistive technology trainers in the blindness field.

Over the years, many organizations and school systems have increasingly emphasized expensive certifications and highly specific credential pathways, often expecting blind professionals to pursue those certifications on their own or rely on Vocational Rehabilitation funding to subsidize them. At some point, I think the field needs to take a hard look at whether that model is sustainable or even realistic.

There are many of us who have decades of lived experience using assistive technology every single day, along with years of informal training, mentoring, troubleshooting, leadership, and professional experience. In my own case, I have been using and helping teach assistive technology for more than 30 years. I also have direct experience in higher education administration, accessibility services, training, and supporting blind students and professionals in real-world environments.

That kind of practical knowledge has value, especially when it comes from someone who actually depends on the technology personally rather than only understanding it from a technical or academic standpoint.

I absolutely understand the desire for standards and quality assurance. However, I think organizations may eventually need to reconsider how they approach certification requirements if they truly want to expand the pool of qualified trainers. If certifications are becoming essential to employment, then employers, agencies, school systems, or partnering organizations may need to invest more directly in creating paid pathways, apprenticeships, mentorships, or employer-sponsored certification programs rather than expecting applicants to absorb all of the cost and risk themselves.

Otherwise, we risk excluding highly capable blind professionals who already possess extensive practical expertise simply because they lack a particular credential.

Just my thoughts on the broader issue. I appreciate Chris sharing the opportunities and providing additional perspective.

Best regards,

Michael Evers
Email: mevers421 at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Nusbaum <canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 3:30 PM
To: trainer-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Remote Opportunities at Allied Instructional Services

Hi Skylar:

 That's correct at this point—not as much because AIS insists on that experience, but more because the schools themselves are beginning to be more choosy about the certifications and experience levels they want. When I started working there in 2023, I had fairly extensive experience working with students through summer programs and other volunteer activities, but none directly in the schools. I would still encourage you to at least put in an inquiry; they may decide to use you for a certain placement once they know your background if they think the nature of the placement fits your skill set, or at the very least you would be on the list for future opportunities.
Chris Nusbaum
CAN Access Solutions
(443) 487-6262
canaccesssolutions at gmail.com
Schedule a meeting with me: https://fantastical.app/cnusbaum/cas

> On May 19, 2026, at 2:34 PM, skylar covich via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Aside from certification being necessary, they also seem to want 
> people who have experience in the school system. Hard to break in for 
> those of us who have experience only in adult services.
> 
> 
>> On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 5:01 AM <trainer-talk-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
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>> Today's Topics:
>> 
>>   1. Remote Training Opportunities (Chris Nusbaum)
>>   2. Re: Remote Training Opportunities (Christopher Murphy)
>> 
>> 
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> -
>> 
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 12:18:35 -0400
>> From: "Chris Nusbaum" <canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>
>> To: "'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology'"
>>        <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: [Trainer-Talk] Remote Training Opportunities
>> Message-ID: <01fe01dce6e1$fa4f66d0$eeee3470$@gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>> 
>> Hi All:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Since several people have expressed in recent threads their interest 
>> in remote AT training, I wanted to pass along a few opportunities 
>> from Allied Instructional Services, where I work as an independent 
>> contractor. AIS seems to have an unusually high number of openings at 
>> the moment, so now would be a good time to take advantage of the 
>> opportunity if you have experience working with K-12 students and you 
>> want to work as a contractor. There are a few that are AT only, and 
>> many more for TVI, so if you can do both, that's a big plus. Here's 
>> the link to check out the current openings:
>> https://alliedinstructional.com/opportunities
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Also, AIS is hosting an "Ask Me Anything" to answer questions about 
>> contracting generally and working with them specifically on Thursday 
>> at
>> 3:30
>> PM Eastern. Teams link here: Join Teams meeting < 
>> https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=/_%23/meet/
>> 277449
>> 
>> 111979492?p%3D95k0TOiBwRe32xAJlA%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meet&deeplinkId=8
>> 20d8110
>> 
>> -6df5-4364-b48d-fd983aa62866&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobile
>> Page=tr
>> 
>> ue&suppressPrompt=true&fbclid=IwVERDUAR4F95leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwc
>> F9pZAo2
>> 
>> NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_xLIWkaLOw0i-2_J9XjW0-f0c3HSr3J3C3apQWBYvhkgjjZIVL1o-
>> Ud_Fm0_
>> aem_T7mbwYIDRb0AQUtNKX-tsa
>> <https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=/_%23/meet
>> /277449111979492?p%3D95k0TOiBwRe32xAJlA%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meet&deepl
>> inkId=820d8110-6df5-4364-b48d-fd983aa62866&directDl=true&msLaunch=tru
>> e&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true&fbclid=IwVERDUAR4F95leHRu
>> A2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_xLIWkaLOw0i-2_J9XjW0-f0c
>> 3HSr3J3C3apQWBYvhkgjjZIVL1o-Ud_Fm0_aem_T7mbwYIDRb0AQUtNKX-tsa>>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I hope this is of some help to those who are seeking employment. If 
>> you can't make the call on Thursday or would just like another 
>> perspective, I would be glad to chat off-list about the contracting experience.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Warmly,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Chris
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Christopher A. Nusbaum, B.A., JAWS Certified
>> 
>> Independent Assistive Technology Trainer for Blind and Low-vision 
>> Students
>> 
>> CAN Access Solutions, LLC
>> 
>> Assistive Technology Specialist (Independent Contractor), 
>> <http://www.alliedinstructional.com/> Allied Instructional Services
>> 
>> Assistive Technology Trainer,
>> <https://mdod.maryland.gov/tam/Pages/mat.aspx> Maryland Accessible 
>> Telecommunications
>> 
>> Office: (443) 487-6262
>> 
>> Cell: (443) 547-2409
>> 
>> Email:  <mailto:canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>
>> canaccesssolutions at gmail.com
>> 
>> <https://fantastical.app/cnusbaum/cas> Schedule a meeting with me
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish 
>> and you feed him for a lifetime." -Maimonides
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of 
>> the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential information 
>> covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
>> If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are 
>> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of 
>> this message, including any attachments, is strictly prohibited. If 
>> you have received this message in error, please destroy all copies of 
>> the original message, including attachments, and notify me 
>> immediately by reply email message. Thank you.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 11:21:44 -0500
>> From: "Christopher Murphy" <cjohnmurph at gmail.com>
>> To: "'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology'"
>>        <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Remote Training Opportunities
>> Message-ID: <007301dce6e2$6be3c980$43ab5c80$@gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="UTF-8"
>> 
>> Good morning,
>>        Thanks for sending this. I'll check out the link and see what 
>> happens.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Christopher Murphy
>> Email:
>> cjohnmurph at gmail.com
>> 
>> this is a CONFIDENTIAL communication and is not to be duplicated or 
>> forwarded to other individuals or organizations unless the email says 
>> otherwise. This electronic message, including all attachments, is 
>> intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above and may 
>> contain legally privileged and confidential information. The 
>> authorized recipient of this information is prohibited from 
>> disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do 
>> so by law or regulation and is required to destroy the information 
>> after its stated need has been fulfilled.  If you received this 
>> message in error, please do not use, disclose, copy, or disseminate 
>> any of the information in this message. Please notify the sender by 
>> reply e-mail and delete the original message
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of 
>> Chris Nusbaum via Trainer-Talk
>> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2026 11:19 AM
>> To: 'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology' < 
>> trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Chris Nusbaum <canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>
>> Subject: [Trainer-Talk] Remote Training Opportunities
>> 
>> Hi All:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Since several people have expressed in recent threads their interest 
>> in remote AT training, I wanted to pass along a few opportunities 
>> from Allied Instructional Services, where I work as an independent 
>> contractor. AIS seems to have an unusually high number of openings at 
>> the moment, so now would be a good time to take advantage of the 
>> opportunity if you have experience working with K-12 students and you want to work as a contractor.
>> There are a few that are AT only, and many more for TVI, so if you 
>> can do both, that's a big plus. Here's the link to check out the current openings:
>> https://alliedinstructional.com/opportunities
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Also, AIS is hosting an "Ask Me Anything" to answer questions about 
>> contracting generally and working with them specifically on Thursday 
>> at
>> 3:30 PM Eastern. Teams link here: Join Teams meeting < 
>> https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=/_%23/meet/
>> 277449
>> 
>> 111979492?p%3D95k0TOiBwRe32xAJlA%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meet&deeplinkId=8
>> 20d8110
>> 
>> -6df5-4364-b48d-fd983aa62866&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobile
>> Page=tr
>> 
>> ue&suppressPrompt=true&fbclid=IwVERDUAR4F95leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwc
>> F9pZAo2
>> 
>> NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_xLIWkaLOw0i-2_J9XjW0-f0c3HSr3J3C3apQWBYvhkgjjZIVL1o-
>> Ud_Fm0_
>> aem_T7mbwYIDRb0AQUtNKX-tsa
>> <https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=/_%23/meet
>> /277449111979492?p%3D95k0TOiBwRe32xAJlA%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meet&deepl
>> inkId=820d8110-6df5-4364-b48d-fd983aa62866&directDl=true&msLaunch=tru
>> e&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true&fbclid=IwVERDUAR4F95leHRu
>> A2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_xLIWkaLOw0i-2_J9XjW0-f0c
>> 3HSr3J3C3apQWBYvhkgjjZIVL1o-Ud_Fm0_aem_T7mbwYIDRb0AQUtNKX-tsa>>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I hope this is of some help to those who are seeking employment. If 
>> you can't make the call on Thursday or would just like another 
>> perspective, I would be glad to chat off-list about the contracting experience.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Warmly,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Chris
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Christopher A. Nusbaum, B.A., JAWS Certified
>> 
>> Independent Assistive Technology Trainer for Blind and Low-vision 
>> Students
>> 
>> CAN Access Solutions, LLC
>> 
>> Assistive Technology Specialist (Independent Contractor), < 
>> http://www.alliedinstructional.com/> Allied Instructional Services
>> 
>> Assistive Technology Trainer,
>> <https://mdod.maryland.gov/tam/Pages/mat.aspx> Maryland Accessible 
>> Telecommunications
>> 
>> Office: (443) 487-6262
>> 
>> Cell: (443) 547-2409
>> 
>> Email:  <mailto:canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>
>> canaccesssolutions at gmail.com
>> 
>> <https://fantastical.app/cnusbaum/cas> Schedule a meeting with me
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish 
>> and you feed him for a lifetime." -Maimonides
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of 
>> the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential information 
>> covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
>> If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are 
>> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of 
>> this message, including any attachments, is strictly prohibited. If 
>> you have received this message in error, please destroy all copies of 
>> the original message, including attachments, and notify me immediately by reply email message. Thank you.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> Subject: Digest Footer
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>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> End of Trainer-Talk Digest, Vol 247, Issue 5
>> ********************************************
>> 
> 
> 
> --
> Skylar J. Covich, Ph.D., Political Science Vice President of the Board 
> of Directors, Xavier Society for the Blind Member of Santa Barbara 
> Access Advisory Committee Freelance assistive technology trainer, AI 
> advisor and public policy researcher 
> _______________________________________________
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