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Assistive Technology refers to a wide range of devices, strategies, services, and practices that are created and applied to improve the functional performance or life satisfaction of any individual with a disability. This graduate certificate program is for teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, recreational therapists, rehabilitation counselors, physical therapists, engineers or any professional that may use knowledge or skills to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

Designed for the professional, this certificate program is taught through distance education. The core courses are taught on-line demanding interaction with assistive technology on campus over a few sessions grouped conveniently for the working professional or busy graduate student.

An interested student can be currently in a graduate program or may take the certificate program independent of a graduate program. Professionals can seek the certificate as a non-degree seeking student.

The Program

The certificate consists of:
3 core courses (12 credits)
1 elective (3 credits)

The first course (6701) is foundational content that will be the prerequisite to the other courses. This includes a broad exploration of assistive technology in today's highly technological world. SPED/OCCT 6702 is designed to provide specific assessment skills for the student so they can demonstrate the ability to plan, implement and evaluate assistive technology with specific populations. This course is taught through distance education. SPED/OCCT 6703 is designed for students to learn the skills of team collaboration and manage resources for acquiring assistive technology. The elective would be a specialized course that may be taught within a specialized department or across disciplines. There is a list of appropriate electives or others can be approved by the Certificate Coordinator.

Course Descriptions

6701. Assistive Technology Devices and Services (3) Same as SPED 6701 Admission to certification program or consent of instructor. Broad overview of assistive technology, including legal, educational, and discipline specific information. Provides basic information that prepares students for other certificate courses.

 

6702. Assessment, Planning, and Implementation of Assistive Technology (3) Same as SPED 6702 P: SPED 6701 or OCCT 6701. Explores assistive technology assessments and planning and implementation of assistive technology within student/client’s environment. Students attain skills in variety of technology using cross-disciplinary team approach.

 

6703. Collaborative Resource Management of Assistive Technology (3) Same as SPED 6703 P: OCCT 6701 or SPED 6701. Human, product, electronic, and funding resources to meet technology needs for individuals with disabilities examined within state and national networks. Practical collaborative skills practiced in cross-disciplinary team assignments.

Electives

EDTC 6035 Integrating Technology into the English/Language Arts, Social Studies, and Information Skills Curriculum
EDTC 6037 Integrating Technology into the Math, Science, and Healthful Living Curriculums
OCCT 6500, 6550 Managing Occupational Therapy Services
OCCT 6080 Environmental Contexts and Systems of Occupational Therapy
OCCT 6060 Directed Independent Study
SPED 6011 Integrating Technology into Special Education

And other courses deemed appropriate by the AT Certificate Program Coordinator

On-Line Presentation Via Blackboard

What is Blackboard?

Blackboard is a course management tool that can be used by professors to help supplement traditional face-to-face courses that allow them to post useful information pertaining to the course, such as, class notes, important documents, and announcements. Blackboard is also used for courses only offered online at ECU. It allows the professor to provide all materials and information used for the course to the students in a fast and easily understood manner.

Blackboard provides a "shell" or "framework" and it is up to the faculty member to add information. Therefore, each Blackboard course will be different from each other, depending on the course and instructor. However, the format is so structured that once you have experience with one course, you will be able to use the same information and skills with the next course.

From a student's perspective, Blackboard has many useful functions to choose from. Some of these choices can include:

• Announcements - here the professor can post important memos or reminders about class
• Staff Information - the professor's email and other helpful information is posted here for an easy way to contact your professor
• Course Documents - folders can be set up here and accessed by the students which contain important documents for class
• Course Information - Usually professors will post your syllabus and other general information about guidelines for the course
• Assignments - Folders can be set up here and accessed by the students that contain assignments for the course and the due dates for submission
• Communication Tools - contains email, a discussion page for you and your classmates, and the class roster
• Student Tools - allows the students to check grades, keep a personal calendar, set up a personal webpage, and send digital assignments directly to the professor using the Digital Drop Box.

Currently all ECU students are required to use their ECU email account within any Blackboard course that is being taken. The log on credentials are the same as for ECU email.

Faculty

Dr. Tara Jeffs is the director of the East Carolina University , Assistive Technology lab. She obtained her PhD with an emphasis in Assistive Technology from George Mason University . Her responsibilities include teacher preparation in special education technology and co-director of the Assistive Technology Certificate. Research interests include implementing assistive and emerging technologies in general and special education classrooms, integrating technology into teacher preparation, and universal design for learning.

Dr. Jeffs has written numerous articles and presented over 50 conference sessions that involve assistive technology. She currently serves as the secretary of the Technology and Media Division, Council for Exceptional Children

Dr. Leonard Trujillo received his PhD in Education Administration fromTexas A&M University. After retiring from the USAF he moved to Texas Women's University where he had extensive faculty and administration experience. He has numerous national and regional presentations in his area of research and development in assistive technology.  His professional interest and research is in assistive technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Assistive Technology Certificate?
• The first online program in North Carolina to prepare professionals to serve as leaders in their schools/clinics in Assistive Technology
•T raining in a wide range of devices, strategies, services, and practices to improve life styles of individuals with disabilities
• An interdisciplinary program with the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education and the Department of Occupational Therapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences

Who is the Assistive Technology Certificate for?
• Persons with undergraduate degrees who work with children or adults with disabilities
• Teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, recreational therapists, rehabilitation counselors, physical therapists, engineers, family members - to name just a few

What does the Assistive Technology Certificate prepare you for?
• Becoming school/clinic leaders in Assistive Technology
• Utilizing Assistive Technology to enhance a student and/or client's functional performance
• Employing a broad-based knowledge of assistive technology
• Assessing Assistive Technology needs for clients/students and planning implementation based upon assessment
• Working with a collaborative team to implement Assistive Technology
• Managing resources for acquiring of Assistive Technology

What are the advantages of this Assistive Technology Certificate?
• Program is totally on-line and accessible through the internet.
• Reasonable tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students (for rates:
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/options/cost/index.cfm)
• State-of-the-art Assistive Technology loaned for hands-on experience
• Interdisciplinary nature of the program encourages collaboration with professionals from a variety of disciplines

How do I apply?
• New students may apply using the ECU electronic application found at: http://www.ecu.edu/gradschool/  or by contacting the Graduate School at 252-328-6012.
• Students do not have to be enrolled in a degree program, but can apply as a non-degree seeking student.
• Currently enrolled students should contact their advisor or the Assistive Technology Certificate Coordinator at 252-328-4247 or jeffst@ecu.edu.  (Tara Jeffs).

What does the Assistive Technology Certificate include?
The Assistive Technology Certificate consists of 3 core courses (9 semester hours) and 1 approved elective course (3 semester hours).

• 6701. Assistive Technology Devices and Services (3) Same as SPED 6701 Admission to certification program or consent of instructor. Broad overview of assistive technology, including legal, educational, and discipline specific information. Provides basic information that prepares students for other certificate courses.

• 6702. Assessment, Planning, and Implementation of Assistive Technology (3) Same as SPED 6702 P: SPED 6701 or OCCT 6701. Explores assistive technology assessments and planning and implementation of assistive technology within student/client’s environment. Students attain skills in variety of technology using cross-disciplinary team approach.

• 6703. Collaborative Resource Management of Assistive Technology (3) Same as SPED 6703 P: OCCT 6701 or SPED 6701. Human, product, electronic, and funding resources to meet technology needs for individuals with disabilities examined within state and national networks. Practical collaborative skills practiced in cross-disciplinary team assignments.

The Assistive Technology Certificate Coordinator works with students to identify an elective course geared to individual interests.

Collaborative Effort and Goals

This is an interdisciplinary program with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education and the Department of Occupational Therapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences. The expectation will be that the program will facilitate interdisciplinary discussion and participation.

The overall objective of the program will be to prepare educational and/or health care professionals with knowledge and skills to utilize assistive technology for the enhancement of a student and/or client's functional performance. Specifically, candidates who successfully complete the certification will have:
• a broad-based knowledge of assistive technology
• the ability to assess assistive technology needs with clients/students and plan implementation based upon that assessment
• the ability to work with a collaborative team to implement assistive technology
• knowledge and skills to effectively manage resources for procurement of assistive technology.

How to Enroll

Admission:
• The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree in a related field.
• Enrollment may be on either a part-time or a full-time basis or as a non-degree seeking student.
• Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 to remain in the certificate program.

If a student completes the certificate and wants to apply the courses to a graduate program, it will be up to the corresponding program as to whether the credits will be accepted as graduate credits. No transfer credits from another institution will be counted toward the completion of a certificate program at East Carolina University.

Admission is through the graduate school application process for new students: http://www.ecu.edu/gradschool/ or contact the Graduate School at 252-328-6012. Already enrolled students should contact their advisor or the Certificate Coordinator at 252-328-1138.

The fees are structured for distance education and are very reasonably priced for residents of North Carolina and out-of-state students.