Assistive technology training is necessary for people with disabilities and professionals who teach and help them. This includes learning how to use software and devices, as well as counseling and assessment. Technicians also need training in text-to-speech programs. Certification exams may be required for employment in a school or non-profit setting.
Different types of assistive technology training are geared towards people with disabilities and the professionals who teach and help them. Many assistive technology software programs have learning curves, and most new users need a certain period of orientation before they feel comfortable navigating them. Technicians and educators also need specific assistive technology training to successfully provide this type of guidance. A college-level assistive technology specialist typically completes a suite of courses in both the use of software and teaching techniques for the field of special education. Entry-level jobs in assistive technology often involve on-the-job instruction in using specialized software to make printed text accessible to people with visual or learning disabilities.
Assistive technology instructors are often asked to complete comprehensive courses on how different software programs and assistive devices operate. They also study exactly how people with disabilities can benefit from this technology. Some special education degree programs offer concentrations in assistive technology, and much of the focus of these programs is on effective communication techniques for teaching the use of software and devices. In addition to this type of assistive technology training, instructors may also need to pass a series of certification exams to qualify for employment in a school setting or non-profit assistive technology center.
Specialists in educational disabilities often undergo assistive technology training, with an emphasis on counseling and counseling rather than teaching. Unlike instructors, disability specialists typically do not teach individuals or groups how to use the software. Rather, they administer assessment exams to determine which specific types of assistive technology would best help different individuals with disabilities. Many specialists complete advanced courses in areas such as psychological counseling, disability research, and special education methods. Generally, they are also required to complete assistive technology software training sessions in order to gain working knowledge of these programs.
Some higher education institutions offer recorded textbooks for students with limited vision or with certain learning difficulties. While a variety of pre-recorded textbooks can be ordered from a variety of vendors, many college textbooks are only available in traditional print and need to be converted to audio on the spot. Technicians operating text-to-speech programs are responsible for this task in schools where demand is generally high. They often undergo limited assistive technology training in the use of scanning, uploading and converting book pages to audio files. The software used for this work typically combines optical character recognition with a speech synthesizer to make this process possible.
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