Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Kent Intermediate School District•Grand Rapids, MI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Orientation and Mobility Specialist provides special education services to enable students with visual impairments to travel safely, efficiently, and independently in their home, school, and community environments. The students range in age from birth through 26 years.

Requirements

Bachelor’s and/or master's degree in Orientation and Mobility from an Association for Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) accredited university or college.
Valid Orientation & Mobility Specialist Certificate (COMS) from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
Knowledge of Federal IDEA regulations and State special education law and compliance procedures.
Knowledge and expertise in the area of IEP process and procedures.
Ability to teach tactile maps.
Ability to teach techniques to train eccentric viewing and utilization of appropriate low vision devices necessary for orientation or travel.
Ability to assist students in understanding their impact of vision and how to make safe travel decisions.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, meet deadlines and schedules
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff and the general public.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exits.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional program.
Ability to plan and implement lessons based on assessment and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students to whom assigned.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community and function as a positive, contributing member of an educational team.
Ability to speak clearly and concisely in written and oral communication.

Responsibilities

Participate as a member of the multidisciplinary team for the purpose of meeting the orientation and mobility needs of children and students ages 0-26.
Perform orientation and mobility evaluations that focus on long- and short-term needs of the student for new referrals and re-evaluations.
Provide and document training of the remaining senses, including the functions of the auditory, tactual, olfactory and kinesthetic senses, in addition to visualization and/or special relationships, or optimum orientation within any environment.
Provide and document training in the use of basic human guide techniques, and/or the long cane, where applicable, both indoors and outdoors in familiar and unfamiliar environments.
Provide and document orientation and familiarization to school settings and surrounding grounds.
Provide and document training and experience of traveling in residential, home, business, downtown and/or rural areas, including use of public transportation.
Provide and document training in the optimum use of residual vision.
Provide and document teaching of concepts through the use of and incorporating other sensory modalities.
Provide training and assessment in the use of low vision, non-optical, electronic, and travel aids or devices.
Consult with experts in medical and other professional fields to determine capabilities, limitations, adaptations, and modifications necessary and appropriate to the educational placement and programming of the student.
Provide consultation and support services to parents, educators, classroom teachers, and other school personnel to assist in home and classroom modifications to ensure reinforcement of appropriate O&M skills to encourage the student to travel independently.
All other duties assigned