AT Service Provider Certifications |
In the field of Assistive Technolgoy there are three nationally recognized certification programs. These three certifications are all conferred by RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. Information on the requirements and the testing for the Certification Program of RESNA is found here. Exam schedules and information packets are available on this page.
The three certifications are as follows:
- Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) Certifies providers who perform clinical assessment of consumers with disabilities, assist in selection of appropriate assistive technology for the consumer's needs, and provide training in the use of AT devices.
- Assistive Technology Supplier (ATS) Certifies providers who are vendors of rehabilitation equipment and AT devices and services.
- Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist (RET) Certifies providers who design, modify, cusomize and fabricate AT.
In addition to these three certifications there are other Certificates in AT that are not nationally recongized credentials.
The Center on Disabilities at California State University Northridge offers a 100 hour training program that results in the ATACP, the Assistive Technology Applications Certificate Program. The typical program is 60 hours online, 32 hours live at regional training locations and an 8 hour project. There is no exam.
For more information, go to the CSUN ATACP information site.
There are a number of universities around the country that offer a Certificate in Assistive Technology that usually is offered as an adjunct requirement in a Masters or PhD. program in Biomedical Engineering. I was able to take four graduate courses offered by Louisiana Tech University at Ruston, LA. This taining was provided by staff from the Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CyBERS). The training involved online and on-site instruction. The result of these courses was a Certificate in Assistive Technology. At present this training is not available at CyBERS.
Here are some representative examples of some University based Assistive Technology Certification Programs.
California State University Dominquez Hills
http://www.csudh.edu/at/
Coppin State University
http://www.coppin.edu/rehabcn/tech.asp
East Carolina University
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ot/certificate.cfm
George Mason University
http://it.gse.gmu.edu/degrees/atc/
Northern Arizona University
http://www.nau.edu/ihd/atcertprog.shtml
University of Buffalo
http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/rs/at/curriculum.php
University of Illinois at Chicago
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/idhd/text%20version/atutxt.htm