December 2015 - NOMC - lists.nbpcb.org

Position Announcement - Rehabilitation Teacher - Jefferson City, MO
by Michael.A.StJulien＠dss.mo.gov 17 Dec '15

17 Dec '15

Good Evening, Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind is recruiting for the position of Rehabilitation Teacher in our Mid-Missouri District Office. Please see the attachment for further details. If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact the Mid-Missouri District Supervisor, Jim Brinkmann, at 573-751-3434. Thank You. Michael St.Julien Assistant Deputy Director Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind 573-751-4989 (Office) 573-680-4074 (Cell) 573-751-4984 (Fax) michael.a.stjulien at dss.mo.gov "This communication is being transmitted by the Department of Social Services (DSS), and is confidential, privileged, and intended only for the use of the recipient named above. If you are not the intended recipient, unauthorized disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents is strictly prohibited. If you have received this in error, please notify the sender and destroy the material received."

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FW: corrected job description
by ebell＠pdrib.com 09 Dec '15

09 Dec '15

R-3188 Orientation Mobility Instructor - Structured Discovery Program Revised and Re-Advertised R- 3188 Position ID #502301 Posting Date: December 3, 2015 AIDB is sensitive to the needs of individuals who are Blind or Visually Impaired and/or Deaf or Hard of Hearing and for qualified applicants and employees will make reasonable accommodations. POSITION TITLE: Orientation and Mobility Instructor - Structured Discovery Program (260 Days) Office of Field Services, Birmingham Regional Center REPORTS TO: AIDB Birmingham Regional Center Director POSITION REQUIREMENTS: list of 13 items . Must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Orientation and Mobility or closely-related field. . Must be certified or certifiable (within six months of the date of hire) in Orientation and Mobility by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) who has established rigorous standards for certifying competent professionals who teach Orientation and Mobility skills using Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) methods and principles. . The successful applicant will have either earned the designation of National Orientation and Mobility Certificant (NOMC) within the NBPCB and/or hold certification in Orientation and Mobility from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) within six months of the date of hire. . Must have demonstrated knowledge of the Structured Discovery philosophy and means by which Orientation and Mobility is integrated as a core programmatic component. . Must demonstrate competency in BRAILLE by scoring 80% on the AIDB Braille Skills Assessment within the first twelve (12) months of employment. . Must illustrate the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff; consumers and their families; program graduates; peer Orientation and Mobility Specialists; advisory and consumer groups; and agencies such as the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services along with contemporary Structured Discovery Programs. . Demonstrated maturity, self-motivation, and the ability to exercise sound judgment. . Must illustrate outstanding oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. . Must possess an understanding of cultures and needs of persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, low vision or deafblind, ensuring all actions and decisions demonstrate a respect for and value of persons with sensory loss. . Required extensive vicinity and occasional overnight travel. . Must submit a resume. . Must submit a writing sample of no more than one page. . The successful applicant must submit to a criminal history background information check including, but not limited to FBI and ABI record repositories. Upon offer of employment, the applicant must present a non-refundable fee of $49.65 and appear for scheduled finger printing appointment. list end PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: list of 2 items . Conduct Orientation and Mobility evaluations, focusing on the Structured Discovery student's needs grounded in nonvisual instruction; cognitive problem solving; and concerted strategies for clarifying attitudes and raising expectations surrounding blindness. . Based on said assessment and continued evaluation, provide individualized Orientation and Mobility instruction and consultation for Structured Discovery Program participants. list end list of 2 items . Prepare lesson plans inclusive of sequential and meaningful instruction geared to the student's needs; Individualized Employment Plan and/or Personal Futures Plan; functioning and motivational levels. . Prepare and use equipment and materials for the development of Orientation and Mobility skills, following the Structured Discovery curricula and philosophy. list end list of 1 items . Document Structured Discovery participant progress daily. list end list of 13 items . Instruct Structured Discovery students in the development of skills and knowledge which will enable them to travel independently based on assessed needs and the participants' evaluation, Individualized Employment Plan and/or Personal Futures Plan. . Assist Structured Discovery participants in travelling to various community locations as necessary to provide meaningful instruction in realistic learning environments until participants achieve the skills to arrange for their own transportation. . Present in-service training to AIDB Birmingham Regional Center and Structured Discovery staff on appropriate Orientation and Mobility techniques as needed. . Participate in the Structured Discovery Strategic Planning process to provide a continuum of services aligning with AIDB's efforts to design innovative instructional programs to meet the unique and changing education and rehabilitation needs of students, consumers and families. . Actively seek ways to educate through effective marketing and positive public relations to enhance and expand the Structured Discovery Program. . Participate in state and national meetings, workshops, presentations, conferences and consumer groups, sharing information learned and best practice methodology to internal/external audiences. . Observe the Code of Ethics of the Orientation and Mobility profession. . Keep abreast of current research and Orientation and Mobility teaching strategies. . Review and update the Structured Discovery Orientation and Mobility curriculum as necessary. . Protect confidentiality of student information while maintaining required records and reports inclusive of data entry into the Gentry Referral Information Net (GRIN). . Demonstrate professionalism in behavior and dress that serves as a role model, setting a good example for Structured Discovery participants and aligning with the AIDB criteria. . Attend departmental, inner-agency and campus-wide faculty/committee meetings as assigned. . Perform other duties as assigned. list end SALARY: $35,404 - $53,696 Scale MS Rank M6812 (BS-Class B Certification) $37,082 - $56,201 Scale MS Rank MS12 (MS- Class A Certification) (260 Days) Direct deposit is required. This is an exempt position, and is not subject to overtime or compensatory provisions of the FairLabor Standards Act. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Open Until Filled This position is funded by a grant award, funded by revenue generated, necessary for compliance or provides direct service delivery. Click Here if you would like more instructions on how to apply for this job. Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 (Fax) Skype: edwardbell2010 ebell at latech.edu <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> <http://www.pdrib.com> www.pdrib.com ************************************************************** "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould From: Melissa Williamson [mailto:Williamson.Melissa at aidb.state.al.us] Sent: Wednesday, December 9, 2015 9:28 AM To: Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> Subject: corrected job description Eddy, To my chagrin, our Human Resources posted the incorrect version of the travel instructor job. It was revised, but the revision was not posted. More shame on me assuming it was correct not checking. The correct version is attached. Melissa L. Williamson, Coordinator, Structured Discovery, Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind

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FW: [OrientationAndMobility] Needs Survey for an O&M Product in Development at APH
by Jane.Lansaw＠dars.state.tx.us 07 Dec '15

07 Dec '15

Here's a survey from APH. They want to develop a computer simulation for O&M. I bet you can all guess how I answered their survey questions. Come on gang, let's skew their data. From: OrientationAndMobility [mailto:orientationandmobility-bounces at lists.blindcanadians.ca] On Behalf Of Terrie Terlau Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 10:34 AM To: oandm at lists.aerbvi.org; Orientation and Mobility Subject: [OrientationAndMobility] Needs Survey for an O&M Product in Development at APH Hello everyone, We at APH would very much appreciate your assistance by completing a brief survey about an O&M product in development here. Your responses to the survey will show us how much need there is for this product and will guide us in the form this [product might take. It should take you no more than 5 minutes to complete the survey. I am pasting below the entry from the December APH News which describes the survey and gives the link for completing it. We really need your input. Thank you very much for your help. Also, if anyone does not receive the APH News (a link once a month in an email to you), please email me and I will make sure your email address is added to the News list,. The link for the December APH News is: http://www.aph.org/news The article about this survey is below. Input Needed for O&M Tool We are requesting your input about the development of an instructional tool to help instructors teach students how to evaluate intersections with no traffic controls. We need input from everyone: Ex Officio Trustees, supervisors, COMS, NOMCs, instructors who are not certified, and anyone else in the field. The survey is short. Please click on the link below to complete the survey. We very much appreciate your help. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/APHOM If you have questions, please contact Terrie Terlau, tterlau at aph.org<mailto:tterlau at aph.org> Thank you again. Terrie Mary T. Terlau, Ph.D., Adult Life Project Leader Research Department American Printing House for the Blind 1839 Frankfort Avenue Louisville, KY 40206 Direct: 502.899.2381 Toll-free: 800.223/1839 Ext. 381 Fax: 502.899.2269 E-mail: tterlau at aph.org<mailto:tterlau at aph.org>

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Team-Teaching with Traditional Instructors
by PRESIDENT＠alumni.ecu.edu 06 Dec '15

06 Dec '15

Dear Colleagues, I am a new NOMC on the job market, and I have been communicating with a number of prospective employers in search of the right opportunity. I have encountered one position opening with some interesting details and am writing to ask for some opinions. The position in question is at a state-run training center which has a total of 3 O & M positions, one of which is currently vacant. The overall agency director expresses support for Structured Discovery Cane Travel, but the manager of the center tells me that I am going to have to teach O & M in other ways for a considerable amount of time. The manager and O & M supervisor believe that SDCT only works for some students, so all instructors must be flexible. I asked them to describe a student for whom Structured Discovery Cane Travel was not appropriate; I'm sure you all would have shared in my entertainment at their dumbfounded response. They informed me that I would have to share my students with the other O & M instructors, who are seasoned veteran traditional instructors. I would have to adapt my teaching style for continuity with those of the other instructors so that the students could "benefit" from all of us. On any given day, one of the other instructors could be working with one of my students. I have a hard time imagining that I would be able to make a lot of progress with my students if my colleagues were undoing that progress each time they worked with them. One positive way to look at it may be that I would have a chance to impact every student, but how much would my message of empowerment actually be received? I could imagine that students might listen to me because I would be the blind O & M instructor, but I don't know how well I could impact their lives if I were the black sheep instructor. How do you all look at this opportunity? Thank you, Justin Salisbury Justin Salisbury, NOMC Graduate Student Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu> Twitter: @SalisburyJustin "None can be free as long as any are enslaved" Dr. Kenneth Jernigan

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Teaching Cane Travel Abroad
by deja.powell＠gmail.com 01 Dec '15

01 Dec '15

Hello Colleagues, Hope you are all doing well, I'm freezing here in Utah, but not for long... I am leaving on a humanitarian trip to Barbados (in the Caribbean) later this week, where I will be teaching cane travel to a group of blind adults for a week (I know, it's a hard life). I wanted to get some advice from those of you who have traveled abroad, or even to an unfamiliar ares, where you were asked to teach cane travel. I will only have one day to prep myself to teach and am hoping some of you could give me some general advice on how to teach in an area you have not had any time getting to adjust to. I'll be thinking of you all while I'm soaking in the sun and the beach in December. You're welcome! Thanks, Deja Powell Deja M. Powell, MA, NOMC PhD Student, Capella University <http://www.capella.edu> Cane Travel Instructor, Utah Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired <http://www.usor.utah.gov/division-of-services-for-the-blind-and-visually-im…> Co-Director, Club SILVER (Southern Utah) Cell: 801.891.3430 Work: 801-323-4343 Email: deja.powell at gmail.com Blog: slateandstylish.blogspot.com *"You can never be Overdressed or Overeducated." -Oscar Wilde*

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