Rehabilitation teachers may work with deaf people.
A rehabilitation teacher supports visually impaired adults in the form of a rehabilitation program that aims to maximize the patient’s ability to live independently. The purpose of a rehabilitation teacher may be the education and training of someone who has recently become visually impaired, or the ongoing support of someone who is visually impaired. This healthcare career can be very demanding, but also very rewarding, as the ability to provide people with the tools to live independently can be very rewarding.
A rehabilitation teacher supports visually impaired adults in the form of a rehabilitation program that aims to maximize the patient’s ability to live independently.
To become a rehabilitation teacher, someone must complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree in rehabilitation of the blind or visually impaired and be certified by a professional organization that accredits rehabilitation teachers. Some professional organizations will accept individuals as candidates for certification if they have completed a course in special education or related fields and have had one year of clinical training as rehabilitation teachers.
When a rehabilitation teacher introduces himself to a client, he or she assesses the client to determine the level of visual impairment involved and talks with the client about his or her goals and challenges. For example, someone with a recent visual impairment might be concerned about holding down a job or being able to drive a car, while someone with ongoing visual impairment might want to learn more about adaptive technology that can help them deal with the world more confidently. .
Once the rehab teacher understands the client’s problems and needs, he or she can develop a problem to help the client. The program may include teaching adaptive skills, introducing the client to helpful technology, and helping the client request assistance, such as a guide dog or adaptive devices that are available free of charge to the visually impaired. There is a strong focus on promoting patient independence and confidence, rather than just teaching coping skills.
Rehabilitation teachers often work with blind and visually impaired adults. In addition to dealing with visual impairments, they may also encounter issues such as developmental disabilities, deafness, and other disabilities that can complicate a client’s circumstances. Being able to work with all types of people and adapt to complex situations is a critical skill for a rehab teacher, as they can go from a client with psychological distress due to early blindness to a client with profound developmental disabilities in one go. late, and each requires a very different approach.