The RT News
Newsletter of Division 11
September 2002
Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Letter From the New Chair: My View of Our Future
What I hope to do is work with members of this Division to continue to build on the work of state, national and international leaders by addressing issues of re-certification; completing the Guidelines portion of the RTA Standards; continuing to produce our regular publications (newsletter, University Directory, Member Directory, annual Product Review) and explore additional publications (such as Lisa-Anne Mowerson’s new Rehabilitation Teaching cookbook and textbook - look inside this issue to learn more about the cookbook project); and expanding the Rehabilitation Teaching Website based on feedback from you, the members.
In addition, I am hoping to work with you to find ways to strengthen the linkages between the national and state Rehabilitation Teaching professionals; address the issue of shortage of qualified RTs by working with service providers, administrators, educators and interested persons to “market” Rehabilitation Teaching; continue to explore issues of distance education; monitor national developments such as the move to include rehabilitation services in the federal IDEA guidelines, and any developments with ACVREP certification; and finally, to work with all of “y’all” to begin reaching out to those who came before us and blazed the trail we have been following. The Home Teachers, the consumers, educators… people who can tell us first-hand of their experiences with the beginnings of our profession. This Oral History Project has been mentioned in previous newsletters. I will keep you abreast of developments. We are a profession with a past, a present and a future. It is vital that we not lose track of any of these.
You have elected a strong leadership team with Maureen Duffy as Past Chair, Mary Fleming as Chair-Elect, Nancy Paskin as Secretary-Treasurer, and me. With your help, we will continue the development of Division 11, Rehabilitation Teaching.
Bruci Hawkins, RTC, COMS
Chair, AER Division 11, 2002-2004
Special Conference Issue!
Look Inside for the Following Stories:
- Letter From the New Chair: Bruci Hawkins, RTC, COMS
- Award Winners
- Biennial Conference Report
- Newcomer’s Report
- Meet Your New Officers: Mary D. Fleming, RTC and Nancy Paskin, RTC, CLVT
Senate Appropriations Committee Votes Increases for Older Blind and Teacher Training Programs
(Excerpted from Words From Washington, August 1, 2002)
Upcoming Advocacy Conference:
Advocacy: Everyone’s Responsibility
Division 11 Award Winners: Congratulations to All!
The Bruce McKenzie Award is the highest award in the field of Rehabilitation Teaching. It is given to an exemplary individual for outstanding contributions to the field of rehabilitation teaching and independent living services. This biennial award was established by Division 11 to honor Bruce McKenzie for his pioneering leadership in the field of Rehabilitation Teaching.
The Certificate of Recognition was also established by Division 11 to honor those Rehabilitation Teachers who have consistently demonstrated commitment and service to the profession and who exhibit exceptional leadership qualities. At the 2002 Biennial Conference in Toronto, Canada, these awards were presented to the following individuals:
Since 1990, Maureen has been an Assistant Professor and Director of the Master of Science and Certificate Programs in Rehabilitation Teaching at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Department of Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment. At PCO, she teaches all Rehabilitation Teaching methods courses, as well as courses in gerontology and low vision rehabilitation. As a member of the Advisory Board of Associates for World Action in Rehabilitation and Education (AWARE) and their Central European Project, she assisted in the development of gerontology content for the Polish-American Postgraduate Teacher Training and Orientation and Mobility Program at Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej im. Marii Grzegorzewskiej (Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education), Warsaw, Poland, where she is an adjunct faculty member and has taught in the Rehabilitation Teaching program since 1996.
She has written and edited a number of books, chapters, and articles about the needs of older people with vision loss, here as well as in Poland, including Making Life More Livable: Simple Adaptations for Living at Home After Vision Loss; Understanding and Managing Vision Deficits: A Guide for Occupational Therapists; New Independence! Environmental Adaptations in Community Facilities for Adults with Vision Impairments; and New Independence! For Older Persons With Vision Loss in Long-Term Care Facilities. In addition to her publications, Maureen has presented keynote speeches, papers and workshops at conferences throughout the United States and abroad. She has served as Chair, AER Division 11, been named Educator of the Year at PCO in 1999-2000 and 1992-1993, and received the Division 11 Certificate of Recognition in 1998.
Barb is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where she received an M.A. Degree in Rehabilitation of the Adult Blind 1978. In 1973, she also received an M.A. degree in German Languages from Purdue University. She has worked at the Blind Rehabilitation Center, Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL since 1978, where she has been a Blind Rehabilitation Instructor and Supervisor of Living Skills. At present, she is Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator at Hines, where she coordinates medical, vision, prosthetic, and social services for approximately 300 veterans who are blind or visually impaired. She is also an instructor in the Department of Blind Rehabilitation at Northern Illinois University.
Throughout the years, Barb has served AER and the Rehabilitation Teaching profession in many capacities: She has been Chair of Division 11, Chair of the University Personnel Preparation Review Committee, Chair of Council of Division Chairs, elected to the AER Board of Directors, a member of the Task Force for Certification of Professionals in Blindness and Visual Impairment, and served as Secretary, Illinois AER.
In addition to her service with AER, Barb is a member of Toastmasters International, and has served that organization as Area Governor, District Treasurer, and District Sergeant-at-Arms. She has been inducted into the Outstanding Alumni Academy at Western Michigan University, been named “Woman of the Year” in the Federal Women’s Program at Hines, and received the Area Governor of the Year Award from District 30 Toastmasters International.
Diane is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, where she received an M.S. Ed. degree in Rehabilitation Teaching in 1978. She has worked at the Savannah (Georgia) Association for the Blind and the Nevil Center for the Blind in Philadelphia (now Associated Services for the Blind). At present, she is Director of Rehabilitation and Community Outreach at VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in New York City, where she oversees a wide range of agency services, including Rehabilitation Teaching, Orientation and Mobility, Occupational Therapy, social services, and transitional employment. She is also an adjunct instructor in the Rehabilitation Teaching Master’s Program at Hunter College.
Throughout the years, Diane has been actively involved in Rehabilitation Teaching Assistant issues and remains committed to quality RTA services and educational programs. At the 1999 Rehabilitation Teaching Conference in Kalamazoo, MI, she served as the first Chair of the Paraprofessional Standards Committee and Work Group. She is a member of the Paraprofessional Training Program Advisory Committee at Lighthouse International, has trained paraprofessionals at New York City Technical College, and has taught in the Paraprofessional Education Program (PEP) at the Center for Independent Living (now VISIONS).
Diane has revised the CIL Publications textbook Rehabilitation Teaching for Persons Experiencing Vision Loss, and has served AER in several capacities, including the Division 11 Certification Committee and the New York State Board of Directors, where she is serving her second term as secretary.
AER Biennial Conference Report : Toronto 2002
Bruci Hawkins, RTC, COMS, Chair AER Division 11
Division Day - Division 11 had its first “Day” for which 55 people pre-registered with an additional 4 signing up on the day. Representatives came from 14 states in the US and 5 provinces in Canada to hear about the latest developments (included in the topics below), participate in Show and Tell, and receive hands-on experience with the new line of products which the American Printing House for the Blind is developing. Our thanks to the American Foundation for the Blind and the Hadley School for the Blind, whose generous donations allowed us to provide substantial breakfast and lunch buffets to participants in our Division Day. In addition, the American Printing House for the Blind donated a $150 gift certificate that was awarded as a door prize.
Awards and Certificates - Our very own Maureen Duffy was awarded the Bruce McKenzie Award for lifetime achievement in the service of Rehabilitation Teaching. This is the highest honor bestowed by our Division and we are very proud of her. (Just because it refers to “lifetime achievement” does not mean we’re letting her off the hook for the future!) Sadly, we had not a single nomination for the Rising Star Award, a new award intended to honor an outstanding Rehabilitation Teacher embarking on his or her professional career. Keep your eyes and ears open for next time! Twenty-eight Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to members of the University Personnel Preparation Review Committee, the RTA Standards Committee, and the Rehabilitation Teaching Certification Committee. And finally, unable to arrive at a decision regarding which of two worthy individuals deserved recognition for their work on behalf of Division 11, Certificates of Recognition were awarded to Barbara Hunt and Dianne Weiss. This is the second-highest honor awarded by our Division, and is well deserved by both recipients. Congratulations, all!
Rehabilitation Teaching Assistant (RTA) Standards - The RTA Standards Committee, under the able leadership of Don Golembiewski, reported that the Division had voted to accept the standards, with the AER Board approving them on April 18, 2002. This Committee is charged with creating the guidelines for training programs, after which the entire packet will be submitted to ACVREP for certification consideration.
AER Approval of University Programs in Rehabilitation Teaching (RT) - The Division 11 Personnel Preparation Review Committee, under the able leadership of Barb Hunt, has been actively engaged in establishing that universities offering programs in Rehabilitation Teaching met the RT Standards established by Division 11 and AER. In the 2001-2002 period, a total of four universities were awarded approval. Other universities were expected to follow and/or renew their approval. In April 2002, the AER Board decided that - effective immediately - AER would no longer approve university programs. This is especially important since there is no other body in place to approve university programs in Rehabilitation Teaching, Orientation & Mobility or Low Vision. Look for more on this issue in the next RT News.
ACVREP (Academy) certification - Dr. Pat Bussen Smith, RT representative to the ACVREP Board, reported that as a certifying body, the Academy must be approved by a recognized “approval” organization. As part of that approval, the Academy has been informed that it must provide more than a single “track” to obtain certification. In other words, there must be more than one way to become a certified vision rehabilitation specialist (RTC, COMS, CLV). In fact, because of our AA and A certifications, we are probably ahead of the game. However, the distinct tracks are under review by ACVREP. The precise nature of the track(s) has yet to be determined.
Hadley School for the Blind & Continuing Education - Division 11 has begun a dialogue with the Hadley School regarding the possibility of distance education offerings that could count as continuing education credits for ACVREP re-certification. The AER Board initiated this process, and other Divisions are exploring similar options with Hadley. Hadley School representatives made it very clear that it was not their intention to provide coursework that would take the place of the university training programs, but to provide a means of accruing credits for re-certification. This is likely to be a lengthy process requiring identification of areas of interest, instructors, course content, pilot testing of materials and, ultimately, ACVREP approval for Continuing Education credits. We will keep you posted.
Medicare Legislation - We now have legislation in both houses of the US Congress that would add vision rehabilitation services to the list of services for which Medicare reimbursement may be sought. While there is substantial support in the House, there are only nine Senators who have signed on. Please consider contacting your congressional representatives and letting them know how you feel about the legislation. If you log on to www.medicarenow.org on the web, you will find a very user-friendly site that will give detailed information about the legislation and walk you through the process of contacting your congressional representatives by email. Since the anthrax scare, mail is delayed, so email, phone or fax are the most effective means of contacting them quickly.
Committees - If any of the topics in this article or in the RT News appeal to you, please consider volunteering to serve on a Division 11 committee. If you have a concern that has not been addressed, let us know. There may be a committee that needs your help.
Newcomer’s Report
Kendra Farrow, RTC, Susquehanna Association for the Blind
and Visually Impaired (SABVI), Lancaster, PA
Several speakers were outstanding. Don Golembiewski’s presentation about the Hadley School for the Blind provided me with innovative ideas about using this resource to better serve my clients. Tom Perski from Macular Degeneration International spoke about reactions to vision loss. This was extremely helpful, since I work with many individuals who are experiencing great emotional stress. Several additional presenters discussed psychological adjustment and support groups. These topics are extremely important and provided me with lots of new ideas to apply to my agency and to the support groups we have established.
The opportunity to meet and just hang out with other professionals in the field was enjoyable and invigorating. It was a wonderful time to meet with old friends and make many new ones. I hope that I can attend many AER conferences in the future. For anyone who has never attended an AER international conference, I highly recommend it.
CONFERENCE NOTICE
Past and Present: Pathways to Empowerment: 2002 Joint MACRT-ASERT
Conference: November 14-16, 2002
Early Bird Registration: $80.00; Registration after 9/16/02 $100.00
Check out the program and download your registration form at www.aph.org/edresearch/macrt/index.html
For additional information, please contact
Jennifer McKeown, MACRT President, Badger Association of the Blind, Milwaukee, WI 53213; phone 414-258-9200; Fax 414-256-8750; jmckeown@badgerassoc.org
Advocating for the Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Services Act
Jerry Miller, RTC, COMS; jmvrt@att.net
Author Affiliations:
Jerry Miller, RTC, COMS; jmvrt@att.net
Pre-vocational and O&M specialist, Saint Joseph's School for the Blind, Jersey City, NJ; Consultant, RT, O&M, and employment, Employment and Vision Rehabilitation Services
I need a new cap.
So I was thinking about ordering the RT cap. You know - the one with the logo “Whatever Works.” I like the phrase. It reflects our creativity, ingenuity, and most of all our consumer-oriented approach. Sometimes, however, “Whatever Works” does not always work.
This occurred to me as I was advocating for legislative support of the Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Services Act. While we as RTs understand the relevance of “whatever works,” the general public (and legislators) may fail to understand the specific context of the motto and our corresponding professional competence.
Passage of this legislation requires that legislators understand our skills and services as being equivalent to those of Medicare-funded OT and PT services. Rehabilitation teaching is both an art and a science. As the profession developed, experimental studies using both traditional research design and small-subject design have been used to validate existing teaching procedures and develop new insights (Wiener, Foundations of Rehabilitation Teaching, 1996). We belong to a profession that has developed and maintained professional standards and ethics. Most importantly, however, we deal with crucial issues of consumer health and safety, and provide unique and specialized skills developed though comprehensive academic and practical training.
It is this strong professional image that we must project as we advocate for S.1967/H.R.2484. So let’s put our writing caps on (RT logos, if you choose) and write, email, telephone, or visit our legislators. This legislation is critical to the provision of quality specialized vision rehabilitation services. We need to do “whatever works.”
MEET A MEMBER:
Meet A Member: Division 11 Chair-Elect
Mary D. Fleming, RTC
Actually, I stumbled, tripped, and backed into it (as many of us have done). I was on maternity leave as director of a U.S. government program and realized that I wanted (and needed) more flexible working hours. A friend recommended that I contact the local commission for the blind, and - poof! - there I was doing evaluations, in-service training, and home instruction!
How long have you been a rehabilitation teacher/vision rehabilitation professional?
I’ve been around the block for 30+ years.
Tell us about your current job.
Currently, I work for a small agency in upstate New York. I cover three counties - about 100 sq. miles - which is a real challenge during the winter. (I envy Linda Mamer who gets to fly to her students throughout Canada!) I also do consulting work with school-age children.
Tell us something special about yourself.
I love being a catalyst for change! I have served on my Lions district cabinet for nine years as diabetes/health chair and past club president, and I’m also a Eucharistic minister at my church. I love my wonderful family, too: I have a grown son and daughter, five grandkids, and a spouse who indulges my every whim. But most of all, I am thankful for being alive - as a cancer survivor, it gives me great joy to give something back every day to my students.
Why did you join Division 11?
I joined Division 11 to keep current as a professional. When you are itinerant and only in the office for two hours a week, it’s important to network far and wide in order to keep pace with all of the great advances that our profession offers. I truly hope I can be a stepping-stone in the growth of our profession. We need to get tough and run with the “big dogs” (such as O&M and OT)!
MEET A MEMBER:
Meet A Member:
Division 11 Secretary/Treasurer Nancy Paskin, RTC, CLVT
I was encouraged to investigate RT and O&M by Nancy Johnson, a friend who was in the O&M program at Western Michigan University. She arranged a meeting and interview with Don Blasch, Ruth Kaarlela and Stan Suterko (my BIG introduction to the field) in 1970. I entered the RT program in the fall of that year, and was known as “Nancy's Nancy.”
How long have you been a rehabilitation teacher/vision rehabilitation professional?
I graduated in December 1971 from WMU, and began working at Central Association for the Blind in Utica, NY on January 2, 1972. That makes it 30 years this year. Over 22 of them have been at The Lighthouse.
Tell us about your current job.
Currently, I am the clinical director for all rehabilitation teaching staff at Lighthouse International in New York - approximately 18 people, including teachers (RTCs), paraprofessionals (RTAs and VRAs), guides, and adjuncts at six facilities throughout the greater NYC area. I’m also involved in many other activities and departments, including faculty responsibilities for courses in continuing education, and co-coordinating National Vision Rehabilitation Day.
Tell us something special about yourself.
I like to try new things. I love all sorts of crafts, with quilting and stained glass being the top two. I love to travel, though lots of hiking and climbing is fading out of the picture for me in recent years. My husband and I collect a lot of different things, but the biggest and most unique collection is our “Uncle Sams.” We have over 1,600 “Sams,” ranging in size from over 6' to under 1/2", and all but three live indoors.
Why did you join Division 11?
Initially, I joined as a student member while I was in the Master's program at WMU and attended my first state conference in the fall of 1970. I have always been a member of a professional organization, whether it was AAWB or AER, and have held many offices and committee positions throughout the years.
CMS Program Memorandum on Medicare Coverage of Rehabilitative Services for Beneficiaries with Vision Impairment
Lorraine Lidoff, Director, National Vision Rehabilitation Cooperative
(Excerpted from the AER Listserv: July 31, 2002)
According to our latest discussions with CMS staff:
- This Program Memorandum (PM) is an educational document for Medicare carriers, the insurance companies that handle Medicare claims and payments in each state.
- The PM is not a national coverage decision. It is intended to clarify that carriers should not automatically deny claims solely on the basis of a primary diagnosis that is vision related. As such, the PM does not ensure coverage of vision rehabilitation services.
- Carriers may develop their own coverage policy (Local Medical Review Policy or LMRP) for vision rehabilitation services, but the PM does not compel them to do so. Carriers may still deny all claims that they deem not medically reasonable or necessary.
- The PM is not intended to add any services or other providers to the Medicare program - this would require a change in the Medicare law, which can be accomplished only through legislation (such as S. 1967/H.R. 2484) and could not be done through a PM.
- Some carriers may adopt LMRPs, but there is no assurance that the policy will be workable or adequate - carriers may also choose to do nothing.
- If carriers do not recognize the value of vision rehabilitation services, they will continue to deny claims, as they will be viewed as not medically necessary.
- National coverage of vision rehabilitation services provided by specialized vision rehabilitation professionals will only occur if Congress enacts “The Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Services Act” (S.1967/H.R.2484).
Lorraine Lidoff
llidoff@att.net
250 South Eastham Street
Eastham, MA 02642
Phone and fax: 508-240-6510
New Division 11 Publication: The Product Review Guide
Please join us in thanking the talented authors and reviewers who have generously contributed their talent and time to the RT News and to our profession: Kinshasa Coghill, Marshall Flax, Traci Godwin, Tyra Rice Hawkins, Angela Humbertson, Kara D. Mahan, Anna Ngo, Gina Palmer, Debra Scott, Jeanne Smaltz, Christine Snellman, Sandra Sommi, Enoch Todd, and Moira Williams.
To order a copy (or two) of this publication, please make your check payable to AER Division 11, and add $2.00 for shipping and handling. Send your order request to Maureen A. Duffy, RTC, PA College of Optometry, Dept. of Graduate Studies, 8360 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027-1598, 215-780-1362 or mduffy@pco.edu.
Rehabilitation Teaching Assistant (RTA) Training Guidelines
- Yes: 58
- No: 12
- Returned late (after 2/15/02): 1
International Corner: News From Israel
Yad Sarah Health News: July 2002 vol.6 no.2
http://www.yadsarah.org.il/english
Two toilets in the Quarter have been adapted for use by people in wheelchairs. Guided tours on tape for blind people and sound amplifiers for the hard-of-hearing and tours for children with mental disabilities are also part of the Center’s program. In addition, the Center is training 35 special guides to assist disabled persons throughout the country.
Yad Sarah is a unique, community-based non-profit organization whose 6,000 volunteer and small professional staff provides home care support services to residents in need of temporary or permanent assistance. Aid is also extended to disabled tourists and visitors to the country. To subscribe to the newsletter or to send your comments and suggestions, please write to newsletter@yadsarah.org.il.
Division 11 Officers for 2002-2004
Chair-Elect: Mary D. Fleming; charlton15@aol.com
Secretary/Treasurer: Nancy Paskin; npaskin@worldnet.att.net
Past Chair: Maureen A. Duffy; mduffy@pco.edu; maduffy@aol.com
Division 11 Cookbook Project
Lisa-Anne Mowerson, RTC, Pittsburgh Vision Services
Background: Traditionally, RTs have drawn upon a variety of texts that detail adaptive techniques for cooking skills and food preparation and have used a range of readily available cookbooks for supplementary recipes and menu ideas. The difficulty lies in identifying recipes that teach specific skills for food preparation. The intent of this project is to create a training text and reference book organized by skill area. This unique volume of recipes will be offered as a package containing print, large print, Braille and CD versions.
Format: The book will contain recipes that will be organized and indexed by specific food preparation skills. A portion of the book will include standard cooking terms and definitions, hints for adaptive cooking skills and measurement conversions. Each recipe will be organized according to the following techniques: pouring, spreading, cutting, slicing/dicing, peeling, measuring, mixing, stove usage level, oven usage level, and appliances required (i.e., microwave, crock pot/slow cooker, frying pan).
We are seeking the following contributions from Division 11 members:
- Recipes that offer specific skill training, including innovative suggestions for corresponding hints, adaptations, and definitions. Please note that we do not want to replicate information that currently exists in available cookbooks.
- When we have compiled a sufficient number of recipes (a minimum of 100), we will need volunteers to test and analyze each one.
| Collect recipes and suggestions | Fall 2002 |
| Test recipes | Winter/Spring 2002-03 |
| Create cookbook and CD | Summer 2003 |
| Submit to Division 11 Publication Committee | Fall 2003 |
| Submit to AER Publication Committee | Winter 2003 |
Published and distributed by Summer 2004
Submissions should be sent to: Lisa-Anne Mowerson, Pittsburgh Vision Services, 300 South Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or emailed to Lmowerson@pghvis.org.
Maureen A. Duffy, RTC, Editor
Find us on the Web:
www.RehabilitationTeaching.org