The RT News
Newsletter of Division 11
March 2003

• Certification attests to the individual's knowledge and skills deemed necessary to the field of practice as delineated by the profession.
• Certification attests that the individual has met basic and ongoing requirements of professional and ethical practice.
• Certification conveys a sense of pride and accomplishment in your profession.
• Certification commands the respect of other professionals who also have stringent standards for professional practice.
• Certification assures consumers that professionals have met national standards and that these professionals have the basic knowledge and skills to provide those services that will be more likely to result in reaching consumers' goals safely and effectively.
• Certification assists employers in identifying qualified vision rehabilitation and education professionals.
• Certification often results in professionals receiving better salaries and more opportunities for professional advancement and promotion.
• Certified professionals are more likely to be reimbursed by third party insurers.
• Certification is more likely to protect the certificant in litigation, as lawyers, judges, and jury members understand that a credentialed professional has taken the extra step to prepare him or herself for practice.
• Certification ensures that the professional's credentials are recognized nationally and is the single best way to begin a process of developing national standardization and acceptable levels of service.

• Making Ratatouille

• Peeling
• Slicing
• Dicing

• Cleaning vegetables
• Measuring dry ingredients
• Using a can opener
• Stove usage Level I
  (Level I: reheating, sautéing, boiling)
  (Level II: frying, steaming, searing)
  
• Oven usage Level I
  (Level I: baking or reheating)
  (Level II: broiling, stage baking, steaming)
  
• Determining when foods are done

• 1 eggplant peeled and cubed
• 3 medium zucchini peeled and sliced
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• 1 sliced green pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. basil
• ¼ tsp black pepper

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Vegetable peeler
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Large sauce pan
• Wooden spoon
• 3-quart casserole dish
• Aluminum foil
• Oven mitts
• Timer

• Prepare all vegetables according to the ingredients list.
• Sauté vegetables in olive oil over medium heat on stovetop until vegetables begin to soften. Use wooden spoon to stir vegetables.
• Remove from stove and pour vegetables into a casserole dish. Add spices to vegetables in casserole dish. Use wooden spoon to mix them into vegetables.
• Cover casserole dish with foil or a lid.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Set timer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve.

• Proof of a Bachelor's or Master's degree (official transcripts are required), with a specialization in the area of Rehabilitation Teaching (RT), from an AER approved RT program at the time the degree was granted. If you are unsure of the status of your school's program when your degree was granted, contact your university program coordinator.
• Successful completion of 350 hours of RT instruction, supervised by a Certified Rehabilitation Teacher (RTC) in conjunction with a faculty member from a college or university who is also an RTC. The internship must have been provided in a variety of direct services to adults with vision impairments or blindness.
• Sign a written statement agreeing to uphold high ethical and professional standards.

• Pass a written exam demonstrating knowledge of RT principles and applications.

• Proof of a Bachelor's or Master's degree (official transcripts are required) with a specialization in the area of RT. This degree should be granted from a university or college with a program of study in RT that meets the core curriculum of RT. The core curriculum must meet all 14 of the following coursework areas:

1. Principles of teaching and learning
2. Counseling/professional interpersonal relations
3. Assessment
4. Human development (including child development, gerontology or aging)
5. Psychological aspects of disability
6. Medical aspects of blindness and low vision
7. Introduction to the rehabilitation process
8. Cultural diversity
9. Research
10. Adapted communication systems
11. Adapted techniques of daily living skills
12. Case management
13. Computer literacy/assistive technology
14. Braille

• Successful completion of 350 hours of RT instruction, supervised by an RTC in conjunction with a faculty member from a college or university who is also an RTC. The internship must have been provided in a variety of direct services to adults with vision impairments or blindness.
• Sign a written statement agreeing to uphold high ethical and professional standards.

• Pass a written exam demonstrating knowledge of RT principles and applications.

• Proof of a Bachelor's or Master's degree in any field (official transcripts are required) with documentation of evaluated learning in the following core curriculum components:

1. Principles of teaching and learning
2. Counseling/professional interpersonal relations
3. Assessment
4. Human development (including child development, gerontology or aging)
5. Psychological aspects of disability
6. Medical aspects of blindness and low vision
7. Introduction to the rehabilitation process
8. Cultural diversity
9. Research
10. Adapted communication systems
11. Adapted techniques of daily living skills
12. Case management
13. Computer literacy/assistive technology
14. Braille

• Successful completion of 350 hours of RT instruction, supervised by an RTC. The internship must have been provided in a variety of direct services to adults with vision impairments or blindness.
• Sign a written statement agreeing to uphold high ethical and professional standards. Eligibility for RT certification:
• Pass a written exam demonstrating knowledge of RT principles and applications.

1. Understanding Vision (2 CE hours)
2. Understanding Measurements of Impaired Vision (1.5 CE hour)
3. Understanding Disorders of the Visual System (2 CE hours)
4. Understanding Vision Enhancement (1 CE hour)
5. Understanding Visual Function Limitation and Vision Disability (2.5 CE hours)
6. Understanding Visual Skills Training (1.5 CE hour)
7. Understanding Adaptation to Vision Loss (2 CE hours)
8. Vision and Blindness Rehabilitation Services (.5 CE hour)
9. Understanding the Visually Impaired Patient (1 CE hour)
10. Reimbursement (1 CE hour)

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