by Anthony R. Candela and Debbie Cook
(Editor's Note: The authors had planned to publish this article simultaneously in "Access World," the American Foundation for the Blind's excellent publication which deals primarily with assistive technology and issues associated with access; "The Braille Forum;" and the NFB's "Braille Monitor." We at "The Braille Forum" welcomed the opportunity to participate in a joint effort which promised to inform many thousands of people who are blind and visually impaired about the important issues outlined below. Therefore, we are disappointed to learn that "The Braille Monitor" has decided not to take part in the joint publication plan to which we had all aspired. We hope that our readers will share the information below with their friends and colleagues in the National Federation of the Blind. The lack of access to appropriately trained instructors is a hindrance to all of us as we attempt to obtain access and expertise in the assistive technologies which are so crucial to life in the 21st century.)
A critical shortage of professionals who are qualified to provide specialized computer skills assessment and training, as well as hardware and software installation, configuration, and customization services significantly affects the viability of visually impaired people in today's society. Hardly a business or work environment exists in this country that does not utilize the enormous power of computer technology. Since most jobs held by people with visual impairments require them to use computer-based tools, inadequate and untimely training on both computers and assistive technology (AT) contribute to the persistence of social and employment inequities. These inequities, so serious in scope that visually impaired people face an unemployment rate 15 times higher than the general population, are exacerbated by long waiting lists, insufficient time for training to be done properly, and increasing strain on an already overloaded service delivery system.
To fully understand the nature and causes of the shortage of assistive technology specialists, in 1999, the American Foundation for the Blind surveyed state and private agencies for the blind about their technology-related services. Next, in 2000, AFB facilitated a series of consumer focus groups. Held in eight locations around the country, participants included end users who had received technology training. Another set of focus groups sought input from AT specialists and their supervisors as well as training center administrators. These efforts resulted in a rather daunting list of problems that boiled down to a few major themes.
Public and private rehabilitation agencies reported that the list of significant challenges with which they must deal includes the following: insufficient training resources; difficulty finding, recruiting, and retaining qualified AT personnel; providing training for consumers who live in rural areas; inadequate methods to determine the qualifications of independent contractors; and an acute shortage of trainers in particular regions of the country.
Consumer comments tended to be more negative than positive. Although many consumers reported receiving quality training and increased self-confidence from learning how to use computers, a number of them felt that training was simply not available often enough to meet their needs. Many complained about training programs that lacked proper equipment or flexibility. For example, one setting had no computers connected to e-mail or the Internet available for consumers. Other settings lacked commonly accepted AT configurations, such as speech in combination with screen magnification.
A number of consumers wished their training had included deeper coverage of their assistive technologies and more detail about their work-related application packages. They asked for more time to fully learn the material being taught and more comfortable training situations (e.g., training groups that were not too large or classes where slower learners were not mixed with faster ones). They felt that group instruction where students all use disparate assistive technologies unnecessarily dilutes the attention trainers can provide. Finally, many consumers complained about trainers being forced to cram instruction into an insufficient number of training hours; trainers' unwillingness to change their teaching style to accommodate the needs of individual students; and lack of sufficient knowledge about certain assistive and mainstream software packages to adequately teach them.
AT specialists generally agreed that the shortage of AT personnel around the country is caused by a scarcity of resources on which they might call to obtain necessary knowledge and skills, which forces them to struggle to find training from a variety of sources. They stated that, because there is currently no widely accepted way to judge their qualifications, more training resources and a unified set of standards would be desirable.
Generally balking at the notion of certification, they worry aloud that there is so much to know that, unless standards were developed in such a way as to allow practitioners with different types of skill-sets to be certified, many current AT specialists would be put out of business. Moreover, there is consensus that no organization in the U.S. currently exists that they would regard as a viable certifying body.
Both consumers and AT specialists agreed that AT specialists should possess competencies in certain critical areas. AT specialists are expected to know about common hardware, a wide variety of assistive technologies, mainstream application software packages, and even non-assistive technology such as cell phones and personal digital assistants.
AT specialists are also expected to know a great deal about training and support services, including contacts and resources and possess competency in core elements such as file management, keyboarding, and troubleshooting. They also need to possess the same life skills (mobility, grooming, proper humor and demeanor) as everyone else. Sound office and professional (business management, writing, public speaking) skills, as well as good teaching, problem solving, and independent study skills are a must.
In 2001, it appeared that only AT specialists themselves could drive the process of developing equitable and comprehensive competency standards that would enhance their profession. The matter turned out to be even more complicated than expected.
When looking at the types of knowledge, skills, and abilities required by AT specialists, it quickly became evident that most of them work in one or more significantly different environments, evaluating and training consumers in schools, agencies, at job sites, in training centers, and more. The plot thickened when analyzing the variety of tasks AT specialists actually perform in these environments. Many teach basic assistive technology and application software skills, others go into work environments to interface assistive technology with complex networks. Still others work as consultants to large government and corporate entities, advising them on systems accessibility.
AT specialists currently obtain their professional skills in unsystematic ways. Generally, their professional development occurs through apprenticeship arrangements similar to many other trade groups, where they learn their skills from master trainers. They also take short courses when they can find and afford them, participate in workshops and "vendor trainings," attend technology conferences, and make extensive use of training manuals, tutorials, listservs, and occasional on-line classes. Many AT specialists take Microsoft and other mainstream computer and networking classes and some take the CSUN (California State University at Northridge), a cross-disability certificate course which provides a detailed overview of assistive technology and ergonomics.
In 2000 and 2001, only a few noteworthy programs existed that provided training to AT specialists. Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wis. developed a certificate program for trainers of assistive technology for people with vision and reading impairments. Lions World Services provided training in a variety of skills to AT specialists wishing to acquire basic and upgraded skills. The Colorado Center for the Blind created the PTAT (Professional Training in Assistive Technology) program to train people who are computer literate to be AT specialists.
Northern Illinois University requires students training to be rehabilitation teachers and teachers of visually impaired students to take one or more assistive technology courses to be able to instruct blind youngsters, older blind people, and others in basic AT skills. A noteworthy distance learning option, offered by Cathy Ann Murtha, combines PC-based teleconferencing technology (for lectures) with the Internet (for transmission of instructional materials) to teach a variety of courses in assistive technology and mainstream applications. Most of her students are AT specialists, who often cannot afford the time to attend conferences or classes.
In the United Kingdom, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), in concert with the British Computer Association of the Blind, modified the teaching standards of an existing information technology trade organization. Together, they created a teaching competencies certification system that is designed to ensure that AT specialists who work with blind people provide quality instruction. The group also gained the cooperation of technology vendors to provide standards for teaching the use of their technology.
Unfortunately, in 2001, the number of AT specialists in this country who were able to benefit from the programs described above was small. It was clear that more was needed.
Several professional conferences in 2000 and 2001 added volume to the growing call for solutions to the shortage. One of the more memorable of these conferences took place in Minneapolis in late March 2000. Sponsored and organized by Mississippi State University, the conference, entitled "Focus On Technology," brought together representatives from AFB, ACB, NFB, private, state, and federal agencies, and a variety of other interested parties, including several vendors. Differing viewpoints were expressed and discussed. The conference concluded with participants' reaching tentative consensus about a core consumer training curriculum. Moreover, the concept of minimum competencies for AT specialists was accepted as a reasonable alternative to certification. The key to the solution became the compilation of a comprehensive list of competencies, some or all of which AT specialists could strive to achieve.
By March of 2001, with the data from the survey and focus groups having been thoroughly analyzed, a group of leaders in employment and technology services for blind people met at the AFB Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. The results of the survey and focus groups were reported and it was clear that the time for concerted, targeted action had come.
On the recommendation of the participants, which included consumer and professional representatives, the Assistive Technology Specialist Competencies Task Force was formed. Now in its second year, the goals of the task force are to develop a comprehensive list of AT specialist competencies. The task force consists of AT specialists and supervisors, university-based teacher trainers, and consumer group representatives all willing to work on specific tasks.
The task force was also charged with developing ways to assess whether AT specialists possess some or all of the competencies in the lists. The purpose of this difficult and detailed process is to stimulate the growth of train-the-trainer courses around the country. Armed with the competencies and measurement protocols, master trainers, vendors, and university personnel will be able to develop a variety of basic training and continuing education courses.
After several meetings in 2001 and 2002, the task force completed its preliminary list of competencies and measurement protocols. The task force also has begun asking vendors to develop standards of their own to ensure that, when they train AT specialists how to use and instruct in their products, there is clear evidence that the AT specialists have mastered the required skills needed, for example, to write scripts or set files for screen reading software; teach people how to effectively use portable note takers; properly install, configure, and teach the use of braille display devices; assess a consumer's efficiency using screen magnification software and all its features; and more. Thus, the task force has begun systematically surveying vendors to develop a comprehensive list of vendor training courses, material to be covered, and criteria for awarding certificates of completion.
The task force is currently seeking feedback from consumers and professionals in the blindness community and is publishing the competency lists in consumer and professional magazines, journals, and listservs. It seeks comments and has set up an e- mail address for this purpose. To comment, or to view the complete list of competencies, please visit the task force web site at http://www.tsbvi.edu/technology/afb.
While the task force continues to monitor the progress of the train-the-trainer programs described above, many more are needed. They will make it easier for AT specialists to learn their trade and keep up with new information. Increased numbers of training programs will make it more desirable for newcomers to enter the profession. Combined with increased attention to quality training by product vendors and improvements in standards for awarding certificates of completion, AT specialists will find it easier to prove to the world they possess a particular set of skills. Additionally, recognizing the value of obtaining quality instruction, they will seek out opportunities to develop their portfolios, accumulating well-earned certificates and other documents to display their qualifications. This will improve their prospects and increase the compensation they can command. Shortages will abate as more people seek to enter the profession.
If blind and visually impaired people have adequate opportunity to obtain training in technologies that can give them equal access to information and employment, they will truly have a fair chance to fully participate in the benefits of our society. In the long run, the hope is that positive comments will outnumber negative ones when the next set of focus groups takes place a few years from now. The Competencies
AT competencies fall into four major categories: Assessment; Equipment (hardware-software installation, configuration, customization); Training (delivery); and Professional competencies. Each category contains within it a series of competency clusters and each cluster contains a set of specific competencies. Due to space limitations, only the categories and major clusters, along with an example or two from each cluster, are listed below. Assessment
Cluster 1: Use of appropriate and effective assessment methods
Example: Ability to obtain or develop tools to implement an assessment of an individual or group of individuals.
Cluster 2: Assessment of Environmental Factors
Examples: Ability to assess the following factors to maximize the functional efficiency of the learner: lighting; ergonomics (seating and positioning of the user, and positioning of equipment components). Equipment Installation, Configuration, and Customization
Cluster 1: General
Example: Ability to install and configure mainstream office applications.
Cluster 2: Access Technology
Example: Ability to set up and configure operating system and commercial application settings to maximize accessibility. Professional Competencies
Cluster 1: Reading and Writing and Related Skills
Example: Ability to describe the Braille system to non-users.
Cluster 2: Communication
Example: Ability to verbally communicate the role of an AT specialist and technical concepts and language to non-technical individuals.
Cluster 3: Creation and maintenance of a receptive service environment
Example: Ability to orient the learner to the physical environment and the technology on which services will be provided.
Cluster 4: Disability-related Factors
Example: Ability to determine the functional relationship between a consumer's eye condition and his or her visual capacity, efficiency, specific learning needs, and effective assistive technologies.
Cluster 5: Professional development and continuing education
Example: Ability to identify mechanisms and resources necessary to obtain, maintain, and enhance technology-related knowledge, skills and abilities.
Cluster 6: Business management
Example: Ability to arrange for and organize assessment, training, or equipment installation, configuration, or customization services. Training Competencies
Cluster 1: Training
Example: Ability to develop instructional plans (learning objectives) to meet specific learning needs and technology requirements of individuals and groups.
Cluster 2: Technology
Examples: Ability to instruct learners in the use of speech and braille screen access software and hardware, screen magnification software and hardware.