No, I have never heard about RESNA.  Howwever, I would like to find out more
about them.  Is there a phone number or email address that I can get to
contact them?



-----Original Message-----
From:   VICUG-L: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List  On Behalf Of Lynn
Zelvin
Sent:   Wednesday, March 18, 1998 7:45 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: act: ACCESSING TECHNOLOGY THROUGH AWARENESS IN INDIANA

Hi,
I want to call attention to one paragraph in this write-up of what seems
to be the development of an assistive technology curicullum
While I think we need to be on top of these attempts by universities to
make sure blindness and low vision are covered properly and that
blindness skills are properly respected, I am particularly worried about
the attempt of RESNA to set itself up as the certifying body for
assistive tech  competency.  They have claimed their exam is just this
little value added thing, but if you read, you will see that they seem to
be considering themselves a certifying body and others are now referring
to this without an explanation of the problems involved.

For those who are not aware, RESNA (the Rehab Engineering Society of
North America) is a professional organization, somewhat similar to some
areas of assistive tech as AER is to blindness professions.  However,
they were awarded the federal contract to provide technical assistance to
the state tech act projects which makes it seem sometimes as if they
govern the tech act projects or represent them, which they do not and
individual projects would find this somewhat offensive.

Here are some problems with their exam that is supposed to test basic
assistive technology competency (referred to in the paragraph at the end
of this post):

1.  The idea of an exam to test general skills, implies that this general
knowledge is somehow more important to certify than the specific skills
that are not well represented by such an exam, specifically the knowledge
that goes into doing a good job of evaluating needs for blindness and low
vision technology or teaching its use. as well as other forms of
specific knowledge, such as that of the person working with Augmentative
and Alternative /Communication users.

2. There are many more blind people working with blindness-related
assistive technology than there seem to be disabled people working, for
example, as occupational therapists.  When it comes to other
disabilities, the input of consumers comes primarily from the independent
living centers.  In some cases, the consumers are not well  represented
in any way in the AT fields.  So I think we in particular need to pay
attention to the risk to the jobs of many of us who work in the field.
The entire process of preparing for an exam that tests this sort of
generalist knowledge is not usually particularly accessible to non-print
readers.  This begins with any necessary study materials, access to
catalogs and product documentation for non-blindness-related products,
access to so-called hands-on workshops, and in particular access to the
information materials, study materials, application, and necessary
accommodations to take this particular exam.  I could go into more detail
at another time about my own experience trying to go through this.

Well, because I am so long-winded, I will leave it at two points, but I
would welcome some discussion about how to deal with the implications of
this generalist approach to assistive tech or to the resna exam process in
particular.  I am interested to hear if there are any blind people out
there who have taken and/or passed the RESNA exam, or even how many have
even heard of it.

Lynn



>    On July 1, 1996, consortium members conducted a telephone conference
>    with Jean Minkle, RESNA Consultant. The conference gave consortium
>    members the opportunity to ask direct questions about the RESNA
>    credentialing process of Assistive Technology Practitioners and
>    Suppliers. Ms. Minkle explained that the overall purpose of the
>    credentialing process is to improve the quality of assistive
>    technology services and additionally improve the potential of people
>    with disabilities through technology. The credentialing exam offers
>    professionals involved in assistive technology service delivery the
>    mechanism to demonstrate their competence needed to provide safe and
>    effective services to people with disabilities. The value-added
>    credential communicates to consumers that the provider has met the
>    criteria for a foundation level of knowledge. The charter
>    credentialing exam was administered at the annual Closing the Gap
>    Conference in October 1996. The consortium agreed to make
>    recommendations that would complement the RESNA guidelines.