Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS) Body of Knowledge and Clinical Competencies
Section 4 - Body of Knowledge
CATIS must know and understand four core domain areas and the listed competencies in the domains. The CATIS must know and understand the following:
Assessment:
- The visual system (oculomotor system, eye, optic pathway, and brain)
- Eye conditions and their implications including glare sensitivity, contrast sensitivity, lighting, visual fatigue and ergonomics
- How to review and interpret vision reports including abbreviations and notations that describe pathology, visual functioning and refractive error
- How to collaborate with Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Low Vision Therapists as applicable
- Appropriate interviewing techniques
- How to use interviewing techniques for eliciting technology needs during the interview with the consumer and/or family
- How to extract feedback from individuals who are visually impaired in order to identify the best combination of colors, text size, audio tones, etc. to best access digital information in their preferred formats
- How to gain knowledge about individuals' educational background/literacy skills through chart/file review or obtained during the interview
- How to gain knowledge of individuals' preferred learning styles and implications for training
- How to interview adults to determine their vocational background
- The benefits and limitations of hardware and software
- How to state rationales for recommendations of specific devices or software
- Alternatives for various price points of technologies that can be used to accomplish tasks objective/goals
- Appropriate technologies to meet goals and needs based on the individuals
- Keyboarding skills
- Ability to read and write braille
- Baseline computer skills (vision/hearing/tactile) and implications for training such as the ability to attend to synthesized speech
- How to determine when to use magnification, speech, braille, or possible combinations
- How to analyze tasks that are typically done visually, and explore solutions for non- visual ways to perform those tasks due to contrast, visual fatigue and glare issues
- How additional disabilities affect visual functioning
- How to recognize other disabilities and make appropriate referrals to professionals
- How other disabilities or factors will affect the use of specific technologies
- How cognitive disorders and/or neurological conditions such as head injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and stroke impact the choice of assistive technology solutions
- How medical conditions and motor abilities such as manual dexterity, range of motion, and neuropathy relate to mode of input
- How to recognize a mild medical reaction/condition such as complications from diabetes and what response should be taken
Instruction:
- How to guide individuals to make appropriate, informed decisions on the most appropriate and effective toolsets for their needs and goals
- How to provide instruction using the most effective modality(s) and assistive technology solutions (i.e. braille, visual skills, keyboarding)
- Know teaching techniques for individual learning styles and be able to teach the integration of technology (devices and software) for vocational, avocational, and educational activities of daily living
- Know planning, implementation, and record keeping for short-term and long-term instruction based on the individual's abilities, goals and needs
- Know and be able to teach screen reading software, magnification software, stand-alone devices, and a broad spectrum of low vision and blindness specific devices
- Know and be able to teach general computer hardware and software basics, operating systems and accessible third party options
- Know and be able to teach built-in accessibility software options such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and voice recognition programs
- How to teach third-party assistive technology software solutions to meet the individual's ability, goals and needs
- Know and be able to teach common productivity, recreation, and special accessibility applications, and ability to use them with different input technologies (keyboard only, keyboard and mouse, alternate input devices, braille displays, voice recognition)
- Know and be able to teach current device personalization options for desktop, laptop, mobile and specialty devices
- How and when to adjust scope, structure and pace of instruction based upon learning styles and capacity for new information
- How to provide resources for further learning
- How to teach and orient individuals to a keyboard using tactual and/or visual cues
- How to clearly orient an individual to a screen change using terminology and references appropriate to the assistive technology being used
- Know and be able to teach the basic features of all of the major productivity software packages and their respective keyboard shortcuts
- Know and be able to teach the use of appropriate environmental modifications such as ergonomics, illumination and size control, speech output settings, tactual marking, etc.
- Know and be able to teach basic maintenance and troubleshooting (updates, configurations, malware, anti-virus, etc.)
- Know and be able to teach the appropriate configuration, updating and maintenance of assistive technology devices
- Know and be able to teach assistive technology solutions for various platforms
- Know how to adjust scope, structure and pace of instruction based upon changes and advances in technology
- Know and be able to provide local, regional and national assistive technology resources and strategies for troubleshooting
Configuration:
- How to configure and setup computers and portable devices as needed, including, but not limited to: installation of software; email functionality; account setup; folder management; disabling and removing of unneeded and inaccessible third party software, and installation of antivirus software
- Know the various operating systems and their available accessibility features
- How to install and customize various assistive technology solutions needed to meet individuals' goals and objectives
- How to install, remove, and replace computer hardware components as needed such as hard drives, memory and sound cards
- Know a variety of assistive technology solutions and their required specifications
- How to connect peripheral devices and access points via technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC
- How to configure operating systems to be compatible with AT and other third party applications
- How to track and implement hardware and software updates
- How to configure systems and devices for remote training and instructional purposes as needed
- How to effectively troubleshoot basic hardware and software problems
Exploration:
- Know continuing education resources
- How to explore self-teaching opportunities to gain knowledge on current practices and various forms of technology
- Know the primary professional journals, list serves, social media, and conferences related to technology, low vision and blindness, and assistive technology
- Know assistive technology manufacturers
- Know resources to engage in beta testing or provide feedback to software developers.
- How to develop manuals and/or training materials
- Know the various assistive technology products available
- Know the major manufacturers and how to receive updates on new features and compatibility issues
- Know where to find the accessibility sites for major mainstream software providers
Section 5 - Clinical Competencies
A Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist ("CATIS") must demonstrate competency in four core domain skill areas and in each of the competencies outlined within in those domain areas.
Assessment:
- Perform an intake evaluation ensuring the following:
- The individual has received a clinical low vision evaluation (when appropriate)
- The individual is using the prescribed optical systems as appropriate
- Conduct a thorough interview to determine the individual's goals (personal, vocational, educational), needs and desires
- Perform a task analysis to determine the specific tasks required to accomplish the individual's goals, needs and desires including:
- Accessing printed information
- Accessing electronic information
- Performing written communication
- Accessing mobile navigational information
- Participating in leisure & recreational activities
- Assess current hardware and software to determine if features are available that might assist the individual in accomplishing the desired tasks
- Determine if the individual has the necessary skills or has the ability to learn to successfully use the technology tool(s) to accomplish the desired task based on:
- Sensory skills (tactile, auditory, visual)
- Motor skills
- Cognitive skills
- Analyze the information gathered and make recommendations for specific technologies and the necessary training for the individual
- Provide adequate rationale and justification for the technology recommendations
- Educate the individual to ensure they understand the technology recommendations and use this information to advocate for the recommended tools and training
Instruction:
General:
- Instruct techniques for integrating assistive technology, devices, hardware and software into the individuals daily activities including home and work (if applicable) by applying learning styles and learning theory to suit the individual's need
- Create a training plan specific to individual's abilities, goals and needs and to adjust scope, structure and pace of instruction to the individual's learning style and capacity for new information
- Plan, implement, and keep records for short-term and long-term instruction for each individual
Desktop/Laptop Mobile Solutions:
- Instruct general computer hardware and software basics, standard operating systems and accessible third-party options
- Instruct the appropriate use and maintenance of assistive technology devices
- Instruct the use of appropriate environmental modifications such as ergonomics, illumination and size control, speech output settings, and tactual marking
- Instruct basic maintenance and troubleshooting (updates, configurations, malware, anti- virus, etc.)
- Instruct basic levels of computer hardware and software, operating systems and accessible third party options
- Instruct built-in accessibility software options
- Instruct third-party accessibility software such as screen reading, screen magnification, braille display and OCR
- Instruct common productivity, recreation, and special accessibility programs
- Instruct how to use software with different input technologies ? keyboard only, keyboard and mouse, braille displays, voice recognition
- Instruct current device personalization options in desktop, laptop, mobile and specialty devices
- Instruct orientation to a keyboard using tactual instead of visual cues
- Orient an individual to a new screen using terminology and references appropriate to the assistive technology being used
Configuration:
- Configure and setup of computers and portable devices as needed, including, but not limited to: installation of software and drivers; email functionality; account setup; folder management; disabling and removing of unneeded and inaccessible third party software, and installation of antivirus software
- Install and customize various AT solutions needed to meet individuals' goals and objectives
- Install and remove computer components as needed such as hard drives, memory and sound cards
- Connect peripheral devices and access points via technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC
- Configure Operating Systems for compatibility with AT and other third party applications.
- Maintain and upgrade hardware and software solutions
- Configure systems and devices for remote training and instructional purposes as needed
- Troubleshoot basic hardware and software problems
Exploration:
- Review standard and access software tools at every available opportunity through public beta testing, free trials, and vendor online training
- Master access technologies that do not yet have training courses and manuals and develop use case and training materials for others
- Present and participate in conferences and educational events on ever-changing technology
- Develop network of tools to keep abreast of new developments in devices, software, services, and accessibility tools both within the visual impairment system and out in the general technology and user-group communities (i.e. follow access technology sources on social networks)
- Collaborate with software and hardware companies to promote accessibility
- Demonstrate accessibility features of main stream electronic applications and devices
- Demonstrate understanding of consumers' review of commonly-used assistive technology applications and devices
