The RT News
Newsletter of Division 11
September 2003
Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Letter From the Board:
Meet Us In Orlando
The AER 2004 International Conference will be held at the Hilton at Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida from July 13-19, 2004.The International Conference venue is an excellent opportunity to network with professional peers and share your knowledge and experience as a professional in the field of education and rehabilitation of persons who are blind or visually impaired.
Although we will not be sponsoring a Division Day in 2004, we hope that you will plan to join us and share teaching tips or techniques, research that may have an impact on our profession, or information on critical professional issues. Please check the centerfold in this issue of the RT News to learn more about serving on the Program Committee, the Awards Committee, including the Bruce McKenzie Award, Certificates of Recognition, and the new Rising Star Award, or the Nominations Committee. We are soliciting nominations for Chairperson-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer, and have included selection criteria and job descriptions for both positions. We hope that you will consider serving on one (or several) of these important committees.
For further International Conference information, please contact Barbara C. Sherr, CMP, Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1703 North Beauregard Street, Suite 440, Alexandria, VA 22311; phone: 703-671-4500 x201; e-mail: bsherr@aerbvi.org or visit www.aerbvi.org.
We’ll see you in sunny Florida!
Your Division 11 Executive Team:
Mary D. Fleming, RTC, Acting Chairperson and Chairperson-Elect
Nancy Paskin, RTC, CLVT, Secretary-Treasurer
Maureen A. Duffy, RTC, Immediate Past Chairperson
Division 11 Officers for 2002-2004
Mary D. Fleming: mflemin3@nycap.rr.com
Secretary/Treasurer:
Nancy Paskin: npaskin@worldnet.att.net
Past Chair:
Maureen A. Duffy: mduffy@pco.edu; maduffy@aol.com
Free Publication from the AFB National Symposium on Literacy
In September 2002, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) National Literacy Center held the first-ever National Symposium on Literacy for Adults with Visual Disabilities.
Presenters from within the blindness field and from the general literacy community focused on new ideas that could be replicated or shared with others. Throughout, the symposium showcased solutions that could work effectively in the field and in a variety of agencies or organizations.
AFB is offering single copies of the proceedings of the symposium for free. The topics include:
- GED 2002 accommodations
- ESL instructional methods for adults with visual disabilities
- Workforce Investment Act One-Stop Center accessibility
- impact of learning disabilities on instruction
- braille instruction for adults with low literacy skills
- sociocultural perspectives
- modified mainstream reading programs
Meet A Legend:
“Hall of Fame” Member Dr. Ruth Kaarlela
By a circuitous route! I had been employed as a social worker in a family service agency and in a teaching hospital (during which time I supervised a graduate blind student in his internship) when I took time off to explore the field of education. When the Industrial Home for the Blind (now Helen Keller Services for the Blind) in Brooklyn was recruiting a staff member with both a social work and an education background, I took the position. It involved working with the schools and the families of blind children to make it possible for the children to be integrated into the public schools. After three years of that work, and having taken courses in special education, I became an itinerant teacher of blind children in Nassau County. From there I was invited to apply to Western Michigan University, in Michigan, to develop the Rehabilitation Teaching program. The rest is history!
How long have you been a Rehabilitation Teacher/vision rehabilitation professional?
My total time in New York and Michigan was thirty years. I have been retired for sixteen years.
Tell us about your current life.
I am back to my roots. After several years of winters in Florida and summers at our family cottage on Lake Superior in Northern Michigan, I gave up my Florida residence and settled in the Greater Detroit area where numerous extended family members and friends live, and where I am still within reach of the cottage. I am active at the Finnish Cultural Center, where I do volunteer work and serve as chair of the Finnish American Historical Society. I belong to a book club at the library and I take advantage of cultural offerings as well as tours to interesting destinations.
I have recently returned from a six-week trip to New Zealand and Australia, sponsored by Interhostel. I am trying to expand my mastery of the computer, I practice yoga and tai chi and I maintain contact with several former colleagues and students. Since my retirement, I have been able to make practical use of my background in vision loss and gerontology. As the next youngest member of a large family, I have tried to be supportive of relatives with diminished vision and hearing, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and other chronic afflictions. I share a residence with my younger sister.
Tell us something special about yourself.
I do not consider the following “special,” but rather a characteristic of my work experience. I have found myself in fields that were at transitional points when I entered. In social work, the goal was to “professionalize” the services through graduate programs. In the itinerant teaching program, the objective was to allow visually impaired children to be educated in their home communities instead away from home in residential schools. In rehabilitation teaching, as in social work, the goal was to provide professionally prepared personnel to serve visually impaired persons. And in the area of gerontology, I introduced the first course in my university and into the Rehabilitation Teaching curriculum.
Thus I was in situations which required much ground work and public education, and which at times met misunderstanding and resistance – and which at times were hurtful to those valiant workers who had brought the field to the transition point. We owe them much. With the skills and the support of those with whom I worked, I feel my inner security and strength saw us through. I regret that I am not now a member of Division 11. Given my history in rehabilitation, I became a part of all the organizations that had the potential to move the field forward. My motivation was always to make Rehabilitation Teaching a superior profession with relevance and visibility.
Following is a complete biography of this Rehabilitation Teaching legend from the APH “Hall of Fame” Website at http://aph.org/hall_fame/kaarlela_bio.html.
Ruth Kaarlela was born in Michigan in 1919. She received her bachelors and masters degrees in social work (1947) from Wayne State University and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in gerontology (1978). She took courses at Syracuse University and Columbia University Teachers College that resulted in certification in special education to teach blind children. She is currently living in Michigan.
Ruth was employed as a social worker in the Family Service Agency in Lansing for five years and then at the University of Michigan hospital for four years. During a three-year period at the Industrial Home for the Blind at the Mineola campus, she developed plans for integration of blind children into public schools. For two years she was an itinerant teacher of blind children in a Long Island school system. She was then asked to take charge of a Nassau County day school for emotionally disturbed children, supervising 21 teachers and 90 children.
In 1963, she joined the faculty at Western Michigan University (WMU) to initiate a Rehabilitation Teaching Program. This involved developing the curriculum, acquiring equipment, selecting students, locating internship settings and building a library of literature.
For the next 23 years, she was involved in offering graduate courses, refining program content to include low vision, multihandicapping conditions, gerontology and technology, and in the latter years she served as chairperson of the Department of Blind Rehabilitation. Because of her pioneering work in the profession of rehabilitation teaching and the development of a university curriculum, she has been referred to as the “Founder of Rehabilitation Teaching.”
Ruth was also known as a significant leader in the gerontology movement of the 70s and 80s. She taught the first gerontology course at WMU, which later led to the establishment of a gerontology degree program. She felt strongly about incorporating the principles and practices of aging into the training program for rehabilitation teachers of the blind. After her retirement from WMU in 1986, she worked on a special project for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) educating native Americans with respect to visual problems.
Ruth authored many publications that served as the basis for educating rehabilitation teachers and made countless presentations extolling the need for and virtues of the profession. She served on the accreditation board for the National Accreditation Council (NAC). She was active in AER Division 11, Rehabilitation Teaching; the Mid-America Conference of Rehabilitation Teachers (MACRT); and the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). In 1990 she received the Josephine L. Taylor Award from AER Division 17, Personnel Preparation. At Rehabilitation Teaching: The Next Century: Conference 1999 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, she was the guest of honor and received the Millennium Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the rehabilitation teaching profession. She recently won the 2001 Migel Medal Award from AFB in the “Professional” category.
The Sugar Blues: Rehabilitation Teaching and Diabetes Management
Debra A. Sokol-McKay, RTC, CDE, CLVT, OTR/L
My name is Debbie Sokol-McKay. I am a Rehabilitation Teacher who specializes in Adaptive Diabetes Management. Both of my parents have Type 2 Diabetes, and my father has had diabetes for approximately 27 years. Diabetes was part of my life, but not one that I paid much attention to, and I didn’t know very much about it. In addition, I was fearful of blood and needles.
Debra A. Sokol-McKay, RTC, CDE, CLVT, OTR/L
A major event occurred several years ago that changed my perspective and my life’s direction. At the time, I was attending the Pennsylvania College of Optometry to obtain my degree in Rehabilitation Teaching. I stopped by my parents’ home on my way to work and school as I occasionally did, but that day was very different. I arrived to find that my father had taken his insulin before he had eaten his breakfast. His blood glucose level was extremely low and continued to drop. When I found him, he was unconscious and was having a seizure, caused by an insulin reaction and characterized by severe hypoglycemia. I instructed my mother to call 911, since we could not give him anything by mouth to raise his blood glucose level. (We later learned about an emergency Glucagon kit, an injectable medication that raises blood glucose). My father was taken to the hospital where he remained in a coma for three days and also had a small stroke.
After that incident, I put myself on a path to learn as much as I could about diabetes, and in particular, methods I could learn to help my father and my clients with vision loss cope with this demanding disease. Four years ago, I sat for the certification exam for Diabetes Educators and was awarded my second most prized possession (my first being my RT certification).
The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly and a recent report indicates that over 30% of the 17 million people who have diabetes also experience some form of vision loss due to diabetic eye disease or retinopathy. Diabetes is responsible for 8% of legal blindness, making it the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age. Nearly all persons with Type 1 diabetes for about 20 years will have evidence of diabetic retinopathy. Up to 21% of persons with Type 2 diabetes will have diabetic retinopathy when they are first diagnosed and most will eventually develop some degree of retinopathy (www.diabetes.org).
A recent study by Ann Williams, a leader in the field of diabetes management and vision impairment, documents the lack of accessible diabetes self-management education tailored to meet the needs of persons with vision impairment (Diabetes Educator, Nov./Dec. 2002). At the same time, the American Association of Diabetes Educators states that educators have an ethical and legal duty to provide or promote effective diabetes education services to persons with physical and/or visual disabilities that is equal to those services furnished to persons who have no current disability. Rehabilitation Teachers can fill this gap by training diabetes educators about vision loss and assisting them to choose the appropriate adaptive tools and techniques. In addition, Rehabilitation Teachers who have the appropriate training can provide adaptive diabetes management services directly to clients with vision impairment and diabetes.
The purpose of this regular column will be to help Rehabilitation Teachers become more comfortable with adaptive diabetes instruction and to remain abreast of changes in diabetes care. The following organizations or publications may be helpful for obtaining basic information or contact persons:
- American Diabetes Association (ADA): www.diabetes.org; 1-800-342-2383
- American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE): www.aadenet.org; 1-800-338-3633
- American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org; 1-800-366-1655
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse of National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): www.niddk.nih.gov; 1-800-860-8747
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): ; 1-800-232- 3422
- Diabetes Forecast (available through membership in ADA)
- Diabetes Interview: www.diabetesinterview.com; 1-800-488-8468
- Diabetes Self–Management: www.DiabetesSelfManagement.com; 1-800-234-0923
When East Meets West
Lenore Dillon, RTC, Korea Nazarene University
Just over a year ago, my husband and I learned that we would soon be moving to South Korea to work at Korea Nazarene University (KNU). Within the past five years, my husband Dan’s pastoral work had moved us from Indiana to Illinois and finally to Alabama, where I finally learned to say “y’all” correctly. I had learned to love my Alabama home and the thought of entering a new culture and learning another language terrified me. I needn’t have worried, however. Upon arriving, I learned that most of my preconceived ideas about Korea and Korean culture were short sighted. For example, I had incorrectly assumed that all innovative ideas for adaptive equipment and techniques came from America. Shortly after my arrival, one of my co-workers presented me with a talking alarm clock as a “welcome to Korea” present, saying “I bet you haven’t seen anything like this in America!”
Lenore Dillon, RTC, Korea Nazarene University
In many ways, I was just like my friend who thought I had never seen a talking alarm clock. When I began to work with my first blind and visually impaired students, I became convinced that many of them needed a portable note-taking device and assumed that such a device was not available in “Han-gul” (the Korean language). After calling America to rectify the situation, I learned – to my great surprise – that an excellent note taker in Korean braille had been available for many years.
Any good RT is into problem solving, and so are my Korean friends – the difference is that they see things from an Eastern perspective. When we first arrived, people kept parking in front of the curb cut for wheelchairs that was located in front of our building; this prevented students and faculty members who used wheelchairs from moving about the campus freely. The maintenance department was determined to end this problem. After much onsite observation and discussion, a small sign was placed next to the curb cut. It was ignored. Next, two small signs were placed in the road on either side of the curb cut. Drivers very politely got out of their cars and moved these, and continued to park in front of the curb cut. Again there was an onsite discussion. This time, the maintenance department installed heavier signs attached to concrete blocks. Drivers still managed to move these signs and park at the curb. Finally one morning, we looked out our window and found that the problem had been solved. During the night, the maintenance department had trucked in two 3-foot cubes made of solid granite, each weighing over 200 pounds. These were placed in the road on either side of the curb cut. We have had no further parking problems.
As RTs, we always promote, whenever possible, using the equipment and supplies we have available. The school has provided an electric wheelchair for my husband to use while he is working at KNU. On Sunday afternoons, his is the only electric wheelchair parked in front of the little Korean church we attend. We have always worried about sudden rainstorms and Dan’s unprotected chair, and had considered creating some kind of special cover. We didn’t have to worry. After the first thunderstorm, we walked out of church to find that a thoughtful churchgoer had placed a large golf umbrella over Dan’s wheelchair.
As we RTs like to say —“Whatever works.”
Editor’s note: Lenore has served as a Rehabilitation Teacher both in Indiana and in Alabama, and was the Director of Indiana’s Itinerant Rehabilitation Teaching Program for 14 years. She also spent a year teaching at Northern Illinois University. You can reach Lenore and her husband Dan at 456 Ssangyong-Dong, Chonan City, Choong Nam, Republic of Korea 330-718; email: dancdillon@kornu.ac.kr.
Product Review: The Independent Living Teacher’s Kit
Reviewers/Authors:Lisa-Anne Mowerson, RTC; Roberta O’Rourke, COMS, RTC, CLVT; Stephanie Van, RT; Pittsburgh Vision Services, 300 South Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213; phone: 412-682-5600; Website: http://www.pghvis.org.
Product Source:
Distributed by Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, P.O. Box 6189, Mississippi State, MS 39762; phone: 662-325-2001; Fax: 662-325-8989; or contact Stacy Butler at sle2@ra.msstate.edu.
Product Description:
The Independent Living Teacher’s Kit is described as “a special kit designed for Independent Living Specialists working with older adults who are blind or visually impaired.” According to the product Website at http://www.blind.msstate.edu/Independent_n.html, “Contents include: handwriting templates and pens, low vision information and resources, activities of daily living aids, personal management aids, marking and labeling aids and much more … All compiled in an attractive and professional carrying case.” The cost is $149.99, plus shipping and handling. Special orders for carrying case logos are available.
Three rehabilitation teachers from the community-based training program at Pittsburgh Vision Services reviewed the Independent Living Teacher’s Kit. The reviewers have a combined total of 19 years experience, and have created or used similar kits when providing itinerant rehabilitation teaching services. The product was rated in seven subject areas, using a rating scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 the highest.
| Feature | Score | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | 5 | Heavy, but with good shape and balance |
| Price | 3 | Fair for contents |
| Quality: case and contents | 3 | See Review |
| Durability of case | 4 | Outside flaps may allow water to enter |
| Organization of contents | 2 | Ability to group like items was limited by case design |
| Durability of contents | 3 | Concern for heat/cold tolerance of some items |
| Breadth of contents | 2 | Limited range |
At the outset, each reviewer agreed that the kit should function as both an assessment tool and working toolkit for the user, as well as endure the rigors of itinerant teaching, which include temperature extremes and difficult storage and handling conditions. Based on these criteria, the reviewers noted that the carrying case, while attractive, lacked adequate compartments for organizing. It also was questionable whether the case would be resistant to rain and snow, which is a concern for itinerant teachers.
The contents also raised a number of questions and concerns for the reviewers. For writing skills, the kit included two 20/20 pens and one Vis-A-Vis pen. Since both pens create a similar line, the reviewers suggest a substitute for the Vis-A-Vis pen that would create a bolder, thicker stroke. The reviewers also noted that the selection of writing guides, with the possible exception of the Keizter Check Writing Guide, were appropriate for persons with low vision and did not include tactual options for individuals who are totally blind. In addition, only one style of writing paper was included in the kit.
For telling time, only two devices were included in the kit: the large Pyramid Talking Clock and the E-Z Read watch from Wal-Mart. Again, the reviewers were concerned with durability, quality and replacement ability. The reviewers suggest the substitution of an alternative clock for the Pyramid, since it is not sufficiently durable for a toolkit. In addition, the reviewers questioned the continued availability of the E-Z Read watch at Wal-Mart. A tactual timepiece option could also be included. For leisure skills, samples of large print playing cards and large print bingo cards were included in the kit. The reviewers suggest adding one or two additional samples of each product, including braille versions. For personal management skills, items included an electronic liquid level indicator, non-slip shelf liner, and three pill organizers, two of which were identical. The reviewers suggest the addition of items that could assist with money identification and basic food preparation.
The range of items included for labeling and marking included an orange Spot ‘n Line Pen, large Bump Dots, black Bump Dots, two boxes of rubber bands, and 100 3x5 index cards. The reviewers suggest that the inclusion of this quantity of rubber bands was excessive, since they would likely deteriorate over time. Reviewers questioned the inclusion of a “Free Matter for the Blind” stamp and accompanying inkpad, since they are not used frequently and would likely dry out fairly quickly, in addition to possibly staining other items in the kit. The kit also contained a packet of resources. Since resources and applications change frequently and many are regionally or locally specific, the reviewers suggest the inclusion of a checklist of recommended resources that could be compiled by the individual user.
In conclusion, the reviewers recommend the Independent Living Teacher’s Kit as a good initial attempt to create a product that can serve as an introductory sample for a new teacher or for agencies seeking to standardize the tools used by field-based personnel. In order for this kit to become a consistently useful assessment kit or an everyday toolkit for the field-based or itinerant rehabilitation teacher, modifications of both the contents and carrying case are recommended.
Spreading the Word: Recruiting RTs
KC Dignan, Ph.D., National Personnel Shortage Initiative Coordinator
Through the Front Door: The Rehabilitation Teacher as a Recruiter and a BrandKC Dignan, Ph.D., National Personnel Shortage Initiative Coordinator
“Oh no,” you may be thinking. “Don't tell me I need to do something else!” Actually, as a Rehabilitation Teacher, you are a critical recruiter – among the best, in fact! And, to a greater degree than any professional who works with people who are blind or visually impaired, Rehabilitation Teachers focus on independent living skills.
The impact of face-to-face contact
We know from multiple research studies that most people become Rehabilitation Teachers because they know – or have contact with – a person with a visual impairment or a vision-related rehabilitation professional. Think about it: How did you learn about this intriguing and challenging profession? Did a friend, family member, classmate, or vision professional influence you?
“Me? A Brand? You mean like Chevrolet?”
Yes, indeed. A “brand” is more than a buzzword – it is a promise made to a consumer. A brand includes the tangible and intangible aspects of a product or service, and emphasizes those aspects that separate it from all others; in other words, a brand offers a promise or fulfills a set of expectations. Each time an individual interacts with a “brand,” that interaction serves to further define the brand in his or her mind.
“So a Rehabilitation Teacher is a brand? Even me?”
Certainly. Ask yourself the following questions. See if your answers are similar to mine.
- Does being a Rehabilitation Teacher imply a specialized product of service? Of course. Rehabilitation Teachers promise that they can provide independent living instruction to individuals with visual impairments.
- Is the service unique from other educators? Rehabilitation Teachers not only offer knowledge and skills that assist in maintaining a household, but can also help apply those skills to everyday social situations.
- Is the service meaningful? What could be more meaningful than helping a parent continue to live independently and maintain his or her participation in social activities and the larger community?
KC’s column will be a regular feature in future issues of the RT News. You may contact KC with your reactions, thoughts, and suggestions at kcd@tsbvi.edu.
Action Alert: Advocacy Needed in Support of Vision Rehabilitation Services
in the Medicare Bill (excerpted from Words From Washington)
It is critical to contact members of the Conference Committee, especially House members, to urge them to keep Sec. 446 coverage for vision rehabilitation services in the bill. A House and Senate Conference Committee is now meeting to try to reach agreement on a final version of H.R. 1 (1). See http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.R.1: (Choose [H.R.1.EH] for the final House version; choose [H.R.1.EAS] for the final Senate version. Sec. 446 (Improvement of Outpatient Vision Services Under Part B) of the Senate-approved version of the legislation includes the text of the “Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Services Act,” (S. 1095 and H.R. 1902). It would allow coverage for vision rehabilitation services provided by certified rehabilitation teachers, orientation and mobility specialists and low-vision therapists. Older individuals who lose their vision, most of whom are covered by Medicare, desperately need access to these professionals and their specialized services. However, the House did not include the vision rehabilitation services language in its version of the legislation.
in the Medicare Bill (excerpted from Words From Washington)
H.R. 1 is a complicated piece of legislation with numerous provisions. Most media reporting on the legislation has focused on coverage for prescription drugs for seniors. Advocacy in support of the vision rehabilitation component of the Senate bill is particularly important, because the legislation is complex, and the Conference Committee has many differences to iron out in crafting a final bill out of the two complex pieces of legislation by each chamber of Congress.
Make a special effort to contact your Representative, especially if he or she is listed below as one of the members of the Conference Committee. You should also contact your Senators, particularly if your Senator is on the Conference Committee, urge them to ensure that the final Medicare legislation contains the vision rehabilitation services. Act now to ensure that the final version of H.R. 1 addresses the independent living needs of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. For further information go to www.medicarenow.org.
(1)The bills that are going to conference are the House version of H.R. 1 and the Senate version of H.R. 1. The Senate took H.R. 1 from the House, struck all of the House language and dropped in the amended language from S.1 and passed it. Therefore, there are two versions of H.R. 1: the House version and the Senate version.
House Conferees: Telephone; Fax:
Billy Tauzin (R-LA-3): 202-225-4031; Fax: 202-225-0563
Bill Thomas (R-CA-22): 202-225-2915; Fax: 202-225-8798
Michael Bilirakis (R-FL-9): 202-225-5755; Fax: 202-225-4085
Nancy L. Johnson (R-CT-5): 202-225-4476; Fax: 202-225-4488
Tom DeLay (R-TX-22): 202-225-5951; Fax: 202-225-5241
John Dingell (D-MI-15): 202-225-4071; Fax: 202-225-0371
Charles B. Rangel (D-NY-15): 202-225-4365; Fax: 202-225-0816
Marion Berry (D-AR-1): 202-225-4076; Fax: 202-225-5602
Senate Conferees: Telephone; Fax:
Charles E. Grassley (R-IA): 202-224-3744; Fax: 202-224-6020
Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT): 202-224-5251; Fax: 202-224-6331
Don Nickles (R-OK): 202-224-5754; Fax: 202-224-6008
Bill Frist (R-TN): 202-224-3344; Fax: 202-228-1264
Jon Kyl (R-AZ): 202-224-4521; Fax: 202-224-2207
Max Baucus (D-MT): 202-224-2651; Fax: 202-228-3687
John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV): 202-224-6472; Fax: 202-224-7665
Tom Daschle (D-SD): 202-224-2321; Fax: 202-224-2047
John B. Breaux (D-LA): 202-224-4623; Fax: 202-228-2577
For further information, be sure to visit www.medicarenow.org.
RT Cookbook Project Update
Lisa-Anne Mowerson, RTC, Pittsburgh Vision Services
As of August 2003, I have received the following contributions to the RT Cookbook Project:Lisa-Anne Mowerson, RTC, Pittsburgh Vision Services
- Desserts: 10
- Entrees: 16
- Side dishes: 6
- Soups and stews: 6
- Special appliances: 6
- “How-to” hints: 25
The revised timelines for this project are as follows:
| Collect recipes and suggestions for cookbook: | Fall 2003 | Recipe testing and skill analysis: | Spring 2004 | Create cookbook and accompanying CD: | Summer 2004 | Submit to Division 11 Publication Committee: | Fall 2004 | Submit to AER Publication Committee: | Winter 2004 | Published and distributed: | Summer 2005 | |
How can you help?
Submit recipes: Many recipes are needed that include a range of skill levels. What recipe would you use with a beginner cook? A veteran cook? What recipe can you complete in one lesson?
Note: A suggested rubric for recipes can be found in the archived issue of the March 2003 issue of the RT News at www.rehabilitationteaching.org.
Submit suggestions for cooking hints and definitions of cooking terms: This is not an effort to recreate existing publications; instead we want to share valuable resources that other rehabilitation teachers can utilize in lesson planning.
Volunteer to be a recipe tester: When a sufficient number of recipes have been collected (a minimum of 100), we will need individuals to test all recipes for accuracy and skill level.
Please send your recipes, suggestions or contact information (if you’d like to be a tester) to Lisa-Anne Mowerson, RTC, Pittsburgh Vision Services, 300 South Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213; e-mail: Lmowerson@pghvis.org.
Vision 2005 London: the world's premier event on low vision and sight loss
The 8th international conference on issues concerning low vision and sight loss will be hosted by Royal National Institute of the Blind in London from April 4-8, 2005.
Vision 2005 London conference and exhibition will draw together the world's leading researchers and providers of services, equipment and products at a prestigious venue in Parliament Square, Westminster.
The conference is organized under the auspices of the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR) and is renowned among eye health professionals and specialists throughout the world for offering the latest in scientific research and the best opportunities for networking.
For more information, visit www.rnib.org.uk/vision2005
In 2002 …
Twenty-six (26) individuals took the Low Vision examination. Of these individuals, 17 (65%) passed the exam and nine (35%) failed.
Eighty (80) individuals took the Orientation and Mobility examination. Of these individuals, 64 (80%) passed the exam and 16 (20%) failed.
Seventeen (17) individuals took the Rehabilitation Teaching exam. Of these individuals, 13 (76%) passed the exam and four (24%) failed.
ACVREP and Division 11 Congratulate New Certificants and
Individuals Who Were Recertified for the Quarter Ending
June 30, 2003
New Certificants: Rehabilitation Teachers Carol Baron, ID
Dori Bordner, MI
Randall Cook, IL
John Crawford, GA
Reneé Fortin, MA
Anne Freitas, VA
Ralph Gedeon, NY
Stanley Hirschberg, NY
Gayle Horton, OH
Terry Kendrick, GA
Robert Kozel, TX
Clifton Zang, OR
Douglas Anzlovar, IL
Patty Arnold, AZ
Ruth Bachman, OH
Jeanette Berry, AZ
Mildred Eads, MO
Shelly Faust-Jones, PA
Jennifer Ottowitz, WI
Diane Payton, WI
Rose Prescott, NH
Patricia Jane Shirley, AL
Janet Silverman, OH
You Can Choose To Take The ACVREP Examination In Your Local Community
Although ACVREP always lists 5-6 examination sites and dates on their Website at www.acvrep.org, individuals can arrange to take the examination in their local communities. Most colleges and universities have testing/assessment centers that meet accepted standards. If you can find three or more people to take the examination in your area, ACVREP will pick up the cost. If there are fewer than three people, you will have to cover whatever costs are associated with taking the examination (e.g., testing/assessment center fee, proctor fee). If you are interested in arranging an examination in your area, please contact Lisa Worden at 520-887-6816, at least three weeks prior to the date you wish to take the examination.
Erratum
The following Division 11 member was inadvertently omitted from the
Rehabilitation Teaching Membership Directory 2003-2004.
Division 11 apologizes for this error and urges our membership to make note of the following new member information:Mala Naraine
30 Charles Street West
Apartment 1603
Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 1R5, Canada
Phone: 416-515-9325
e-mail:mala.naraine@sympatico.ca
University Program Review Committee Update
Barb Hunt, RTC, Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator at Hines Veterans Affairs Medical Center, has been appointed to serve as Chair of the Division 11 University Review Committee once again. Please join us in thanking Barb for her commitment to excellence, her professionalism, and her dedication.
The universities scheduled for review are the following:
Florida State University: AER approval status: On-campus program: One-year provisional approval granted 2002, pending compliance with recommended revisions and changes; reapplication and review due 2003. Off-campus/distance education program: application for approval in progress; due 2003.
Mohawk College: AER approval status: The rehabilitation teaching program is currently AER approved, with reapproval due in 2003.
Northern Illinois University: AER approval status: One-year provisional approval granted 2002, pending compliance with recommended revisions and changes; reapplication and review due 2003.
Pennsylvania College of Optometry: AER approval status: The rehabilitation teaching program is currently AER approved, with reapproval due in 2003.
Barb will assemble review committees for each university, according to the following criteria (from theRehabilitation Teaching University Personnel Preparation Guidelines, April 14, 2000):
The review and approval process will be administered by AER through the University Program Review Committee, whose members will be selected according to the following criteria:
- The Chairperson of the Committee will be appointed by the Chair of Division 11 and must have served previously on the Rehabilitation Teaching University Program Review Committee;
- A current faculty member from a Rehabilitation Teaching university program who is also a member of Division 17 (Personnel Preparation);
- A Rehabilitation Teacher who is a graduate of an AER-approved college or university program and possesses current ACVREP Rehabilitation Teaching certification.
ACVREP News: Recertification Policies and Procedures
Recertification Activities and Point Values
Applicants for recertification must earn 100 points to renew their certification at the end of the five-year cycle. They must submit a minimum of 25 points from Category One - Continuing Education. They may also submit all 100 points from Category One. For the remaining categories (Professional Experience, Publications and Presentations, and Professional Service), applicants are allowed a maximum of 50 points for each of these categories.
(A minimum of 25 points is required from this area)
Continuing education activities may include workshops, seminars, conferences, independent studies, and in-service programs. By January 1, 2006, only ACVREP approved continuing education hours may be used. One hour of continuing education (CE) is equivalent to 60 minutes of instruction or participation. Clock hour credit is not given for social hours, coffee breaks, or meals during which instruction is not provided. 1 CE = 1 point.
Documentation Needed:
Official documentation of continuing education credits must include the candidate's name, attendance dates, title of course or program, and contact hours. This can be documented through a certificate of attendance or written certification by the instructor.
College and university courses, including distance learning courses, independent studies, and university courses:
Academic courses for credit:
1 semester credit = 15 CE hours =15 points.
1 trimester credit = 14 CE hours = 14 points.
1 quarter credit = 10 CE hours = 10 points.
Audited academic courses:
1 semester credit = 8 CE hours = 8 points.
1 trimester credit = 7 CE hours = 7 points.
1 quarter credit = 5 CE hours = 5 points.
Continuing education units (CEUs)
Usually issued by a college or university, they are translated into point values as follows:
1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU = 1 point.
10 contact hours = 1.0 CEU = 10 points.
Documentation Needed:
Official transcripts or grade report. If the course title does not appear to be related to the approved content areas, a course outline should be submitted.
(A maximum of 50 points is allowed from this area)
If this category is selected for recertification, 50 points can be earned with a minimum of 360 hours of vision professional experience completed within the five-year recertification cycle. Hours less than 360 are not eligible towards recertification. The hours can be accumulated through the performance of one or several of the following professional roles:
Direct Service Provider - delivers service directly to consumers/students as a vision rehabilitation/education professional by performing assessments, developing and implementing individual programs and treatment plans, documenting assessments and interventions, and working on an interdisciplinary team.
Department, Distance Learning or Internship Supervisor - supervises vision rehabilitation/education personnel and/or students in the direct delivery of service to persons with visual impairments
Administrator - administers a department or a division that includes vision rehabilitation/education services.
Consultant - performs consulting services in vision rehabilitation/education for organizations, educational institutions, agencies or corporations.
Volunteer - volunteer services performed in any of the various roles described above.
Applicants must verify professional experience hours through the employing agency personnel department or their immediate supervisor.
Documentation Needed:
Applicants must verify professional experience hours through the employing agency personnel department or their immediate supervisor
(A maximum of 50 points is allowed from this area)
A certificant may request credit for professional publications and presentations. Credit will not be given for repeat or multiple presentations of the same seminar, in-service, conference, papers or poster presentation.
| Type of Publication | Points |
|---|---|
| Journal articles: Peer-reviewed, original research | 25 |
| Journal articles: Peer-reviewed, publication on practice | 20 |
| Journal articles: not peer-reviewed | 5 |
| Journal article peer reviewer | 1 per review |
| Textbook peer reviewer | 5 per review |
| Newsletter: editing | 2 per issue |
| Newsletter: article | 1 per issue |
| Published editor of a textbook | 25 |
| Textbook chapter | 20 |
| Textbook | 50 |
| Published journal or book reviews | 10 |
| Published research abstract | 2 |
| Unpublished completed masters or doctoral thesis | 50 |
| Lecturing for college and university courses | 2 points for each hour |
| Presentation at a professional conference or CE program | 1 point for each hour |
Documentation Needed:
Copy of the publication or a copy of the title page, table of contents, and publication date. If the publication is in the process of being published, a publisher's notice of acceptance is permissible. For presentations, submit evidence of the presentation (e.g., program announcement, brochure) as well as the presentation date, exact number of contact hours, and a letter confirming that the presentation was completed (e.g., a thank-you letter). For peer review, submit a letter of verification from the publisher or journal editor.
(A maximum of 50 points is allowed from this area)
| Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| International, national or local chapter board chair, committee chair or officer | 10 points per year of service Participation in a minimum of two meetings, in person or by conference call, per year is required. |
| International, national or local board member or committee member | Five points per year of service |
| Service on any committee in a facility | Minimum of five meetings per year required. Two points per year of service |
| Practicum, internship, work experience or supervisor programs for students or entry level professionals | 1 clock hour = 0.25 point |
Documentation Needed:
Letters of verification of service provided by the university personnel or by the employer. Letters of verification documenting the office held and dates held from the board chair, the chair of the committee or the secretary.
New ACVREP Address
ACVREP recently discontinued its post office box. Please mail all future correspondence to our office at 4633 N. 1st Ave., #1, Tucson, AZ 85718-5608. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sharon L. Mikrut at 520-887-6816 or email: smikrut@acvrep.org.
CENTERFOLD:
The AER 2004 International Conference: July 13-19, 2004Committee, Nominations, and Award Information and Criteria
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
This committee is responsible for working cooperatively with the AER Program Committee in planning, coordinating, and presenting general programming and sessions of interest to Division 11 members at the biennial conference.
MEMBERSHIP: Acting Chair & Chair-Elect Mary D. Fleming, RTC, and three additional members
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- The Division program selections shall be of interest to all rehabilitation teachers and rehabilitation teaching assistants and vary from conference to conference.
- Program ideas shall be sought from the state and local representatives and from the membership.
- When the Division program is determined, it shall be submitted to the Division Chairperson and the Board for approval.
- The members of the program committee shall serve as moderators for the Division sessions.
- Write letters of acceptance to all presenters (if this is not done by AER conference staff). After the conference, write thank-you letters to all presenters.
- Work with the AER Conference Committee in a timely and confidential manner
AWARDS COMMITTEE
The committee shall solicit and receive nominations for the Bruce McKenzie Award, Certificates of Recognition, and the Rising Star Award and determine the recipients in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Division. This committee may plan and implement other programs to recognize outstanding contributions to Rehabilitation Teaching with the approval of the Board.
MEMBERSHIP: Acting Chair & Chair-Elect Mary D. Fleming, RTC, and two additional members
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Solicits candidates for the Bruce McKenzie Award, Recognition Certificates, and the Rising Star Award.
- Advertises intent to give the award(s) and certificates in the Fall issue of the RT News and the December issue of the AER Report.
- Works with the Conference Planning Committee to plan a suitable time and arrangements for presenting the award(s) and certificates at the biennial conference.
- Have plaque(s) and certificates prepared.
- Plans and implements other recognition or special awards as approved by the Board.
BRUCE MCKENZIE AWARD, RISING STAR AWARD, AND CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION
At the Biennial International AER Conference, Division 11 presents the Bruce McKenzie Award to a rehabilitation teacher who has made significant lifetime contributions to the field. At the same time, Division 11 also recognizes special individual achievements with the Certificate of Recognition.
The Executive Board of Division 11, in an attempt to recognize talented rehabilitation teachers early in their careers, has created a new award entitled the Rising Star Award. The nomination criteria for all awards are listed below.
The Bruce McKenzie Award
Purpose:
The Bruce McKenzie award is a biennial award established by Division 11 to honor Bruce McKenzie for his pioneering leadership in the field of rehabilitation teaching. It is the Division’s highest award, presented to an exemplary individual for outstanding contributions to the field of rehabilitation teaching and independent living services.
Criteria:
- A nominee shall be an active or retired rehabilitation teacher/rehabilitation teacher supervisor.
- A nominee must have 10 years or more of service in the field of rehabilitation teaching.
- A nominee shall have exceptional leadership qualities.
- The uniqueness of a nominee’s contribution to the field shall be given due consideration.
- A nominee’s contribution shall have been national or international in scope.
- A nominee shall be a member of Division 11.
- All nominations should include biographical information, education and training, employment history, leadership qualities, contributions, achievements and professional memberships.
- All nominations must be submitted and seconded in writing.
- If possible, a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae should be included.
- The Division 11 awards committee shall select the award recipient.
- Nominations must be submitted to Mary D. Fleming, RTC, Acting Chair & Chair-Elect and Awards Committee Chair by February 15, 2004.
| 1973: | Samie Rankin, Texas; Edmund Bird, New York |
| 1975: | Florence Horton, Kansas |
| 1977: | Billie Elder, Arkansas |
| 1979: | Norman Dalke, Oklahoma |
| 1981: | Velma Becker, Illinois |
| 1982: | Alice Raftary, Michigan |
| 1983: | Vera McClain, Alabama |
| 1984: | Linda Olson, Arizona |
| 1986: | Scott Oliver, New York |
| 1988: | Julia Richardson, Alabama |
| 1990: | Susan Ponchillia, Michigan; Paul Ponchillia, Michigan |
| 1992: | David Search, Michigan |
| 1994: | Patricia Bussen Smith, Arkansas |
| 1996: | Nancy Paskin, New York |
| 1998: | Don Golembiewski, Wisconsin; Anne Yeadon, New York |
| 2000: | Lynda Jones, Florida |
| 2002: | Maureen Duffy, Pennsylvania |
Certificate of Recognition
Purpose:
The award shall be presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the profession of Rehabilitation Teaching, general rehabilitation, or community affairs. Such contributions may be in the form of published materials, presentations, leadership experiences, or work history.
Criteria:
- A nominee shall be active in or retired from the field of rehabilitation teaching.
- A nominee should demonstrate outstanding professionalism and service to the rehabilitation field.
- The uniqueness of a nominee’s contribution to the field shall be given due consideration.
- A nominee shall be a member of AER.
- All nominations should include biographical information, education and training, employment history, leadership qualities, contributions, achievements and professional memberships.
- All nominations must be submitted and seconded in writing.
- If possible, a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae should be included.
- The Division 11 awards committee shall select the award recipient.
- Nominations must be submitted to Mary D. Fleming, RTC, Acting Chair & Chair-Elect and Awards Committee Chair by February 15, 2004.
Past Certificate of Recognition Award Recipients:
| 1984: | Patricia Bussen Smith; William Farrell; Thomas Hansen; Michael Nelipovich; Paul Ponchillia; Alvin Roberts |
| 1986: | Juliet Bindt Esterly; Sherrie Raymond; Ruth Kaarlela (special award) |
| 1988: | Beatrice David; Dolores Fricke; Judy Matsuoka; David Search |
| 1990: | Michelle Frazier; Lynne Luxton; Ramona Sangalli; JoAnn Search |
| 1992: | Patty Arnold; Lenore Dillon; Michael Nelipovich |
| 1996: | Cheryl Richesin |
| 1998: | Pamela Cory; Maureen Duffy; Gretchen Good |
| 2000: | Antonina Adamowicz-Hummel |
| 2002: | Barbara Hunt; Diane Weiss |
Rising Star Award
Purpose:
The award shall be presented to an individual who demonstrates potential for exceptional leadership and is expected to provide a unique and lasting contribution to the field of rehabilitation teaching.
Criteria:
- A nominee shall be an ACREVP-certified rehabilitation teacher.
- A nominee should have no more than three years of professional service.
- A nominee should demonstrate outstanding professionalism and service to the field.
- A nominee shall be a member of Division 11
- All nominations should include biographical information, education and training, employment, leadership qualities, contributions and achievements.
- A supervisor or professional mentor should submit the nomination.
- All nominations should be submitted and seconded in writing.
- If possible, a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae should be included.
- The Division 11 awards committee shall select the award recipient.
- Nominations must be submitted to Mary D. Fleming, RTC, Acting Chair & Chair-Elect and Awards Committee Chair by February 15, 2004.
NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
The committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for Chairperson-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer to be presented at the next election. Any candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee shall have filed a written statement signifying willingness to serve if elected.
MEMBERSHIP: Immediate Past Chair Maureen A. Duffy, RTC, Anita Arakawa, RTC, CLVT, and John McMahon, RTC
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- All nominees must be voting members in good standing with the Division.
- Secure from nominees biographical information along with a written statement indicating their willingness to serve.
- In selecting nominees, consideration shall be given to regional representation.
- The committee chairperson shall present the completed slate to the Division Chairperson and the Board no later than four weeks prior to the biennial conference.
- The committee chairperson shall present the proposed slate to the membership (along with biographical information) at the first Division business meeting.
QUALIFICATIONS: Voting member in good standing of Division 11.
Term: Serves for six (6) years in total: Chairperson-Elect – two (2) years; Chairperson – two (2) years; Immediate Past Chairperson – two (2) years. Succeeds to the office of Chairperson. Term commences after final board meeting at biennial conference.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Serves as member of the Board and Executive Committee.
- Serves as assistant to the Chairperson and, in the absence of the Chairperson, shall preside at meetings of the Board and the membership.
- Serves on AER’s Council of Division Chairpersons.
- Serves as chair of the Division’s Program Committee for the biennial conference.
- Works with the AER Program Committee in planning, coordinating, and presenting general and division programming at the AER biennial conference.
- Collects papers referred to the Division by the AER Program Committee.
- Serves as chair of Awards Committee. Plans awards ceremony with Division’s Awards Committee. Seeks nominations for awards from Division membership.
- Keeps Division Chairperson informed of all activities and decisions of the AER and Division Program Committees.
- Tentative Division programming shall be submitted to and approved by the Division’s Executive Committee.
- Serves as Chair of the Marketing Committee and reports all suggested activities to the Division’s Executive Committee.
- Serves as Chair of the In-service Committee and reports all suggested activities to the Division’s Executive Committee.
- Have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the Division as may be provided by the Board, Bylaws Board Policies and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to the office of Chairperson-Elect.
QUALIFICATIONS: Voting member in good standing of Division 11.
TERM: Two (2) years. By succession from the office of Chairperson Elect. Succeeds to the office of Past Chairperson. Term commences after the final board meeting at the biennial conference.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Serves as member of the Board and Executive Committee.
- Presides at the biennial meetings of the membership and all meetings of the Board of Directors.
- Serves on AER’s Council of Division Chairpersons.
- Consults with the Past Chairperson and the Chairperson Elect to prepare agendas for the biennial business meetings and board meetings.
- Fills all Division vacancies during tenure.
- As necessary, appoints special committees and their chairpersons.
- Works with chairpersons of each committee to develop goals.
- Assists the Secretary-Treasurer in preparing a budget for the Division’s activities.
- Serves as spokesperson in all matters concerning the Division.
- Writes articles for the RT News.
- Available to state and local division chapters to assist in organizing division meetings and promoting the growth and development of existing Division chapters.
- Identifies and/or responds to issues affecting rehabilitation teaching and serves as a catalyst in organizing a common response to the issues.
- Receives proposed amendments to the Bylaws.
- Conducts the Division election at the biennial conference.
- Have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the Division as may be provided by the Board of Directors, Bylaws and Polices and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to the office of Chairperson.
QUALIFICATIONS: Voting member in good standing of Division 11.
TERM: Two (2) years. Term commences after final board meeting at biennial conference.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Serves as member of the Board and Executive Committee.
- Records, prepares and disseminates the minutes of all meetings of the Board and membership meetings.
- Corrects previous minutes as required.
- Conducts routine correspondence for the Board as directed by the Chairperson.
- Assists the Chairperson in preparing a budget for the Division.
- Maintains financial records of the Division. Prepares Treasurer’s Report and reports on the financial status of the Division at Board and Membership meetings.
- Maintains a ledger of bills submitted and paid.
- Maintains communication with AER Central Office finance administrator and reconciles the Division’s financial records.
- Submits all appropriate records to the Archives for cataloging.
- Have and carry out such duties in the management of the Division as may be provided by the Bylaws, Board Policy and to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to the office of Secretary and Treasurer.
To submit your name or a name of a colleague (with her or his permission), please contact Maureen A. Duffy, RTC, Immediate Past Chair and Nominations Committee Chair, Anita Arakawa, RTC, CLVT, or John McMahon, RTC
Maureen A. Duffy, RTC
Editor, RT News