Advanced Occupational Certificate: Orientation and Mobility Practitioner

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as an Orientation and Mobility O&M Practitioner. An Orientation and Mobility Practitioner assesses, plans, designs, develops, implements, and evaluates individualised O&M programmes for persons with visual impairments to enhance their lives in terms of orientation, mobility, and activities of daily living.

Typical graduate attributes of an Orientation and Mobility Practitioner are the following, but not limited to deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth, analytical and critical thinking, intuitive, adaptive, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Conduct assessments of persons with visual impairments to determine their capability levels and needs.
• Design and develop O&M individual training programmes.
• Implement and evaluate O&M individual training programmes.
• Establish and maintain networks with stakeholders, including other professionals.
• Advocate with and on behalf of persons with visual impairments for their rights and needs to be met.

Rationale

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) services have increasingly become critical in society. There is a substantial demand for qualified practitioners to meet the needs of the blind or visually impaired persons or those with other disabilities of all ages in South African society locally, regionally and nationally. Currently, the number of blind or visually impaired individuals outweighs the number of qualified O&M personnel available, hence, there is a need for the qualification to address a critical shortage of qualified O&M Practitioners to teach the blind or visually impaired individuals. The registered qualification (SAQA ID: 67373, National Diploma: Orientation and Mobility Practice, NQF Level 5, 240 Credits) does not meet the needs of the industry fully; hence there was an expressed need by the industry to replace this qualification to address the relevant knowledge and competencies required for Orientation and Mobility Practitioners to effectively function in the occupation.

This qualification is aimed at those who want to work in an O&M professional setting to assist those who are blind or visually impaired individuals to travel with confidence and attain their goal of becoming safe, efficient, and independent travellers. This qualification will equip learners with the knowledge and skills to deliver quality services to individuals with vision impairments, significantly enhancing their quality of life and enabling them to attain systematic orientation to safe movement within their home, school, and community environments.

Qualified O&M Practitioners will, amongst others, demonstrate professional competency to assess, instruct, and collaborate with other service providers or professionals and advocate with and on behalf of individuals with visual impairments.

Qualified learners may gain employment opportunities in non-profit organisations, government institutions, institutions of learning, rehabilitation agencies, and healthcare settings, such as hospitals (private or public) as consultants or independent contractors. No licensing or membership requirements to practice applies to this qualification.

This entry-level qualification in the O&M field will provide a learning pathway and progression to an Audiologist and O&M Specialist/Optometrist occupation.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

- RPL for Access to Training/Exemption

Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills programme if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme.

Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider, which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access based on the NQF level descriptors.

For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

• RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) or Final Integrated Supervised Assessment (FISA):

Learners, who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved.

For a Skills Programme, the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP) must ensure all modular competency requirements are met prior to the FISA and keep record of such evidence.

Upon successful completion of the EISA/FISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification, part-qualification or skills programme. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part-qualification is approved by the QCTO.

Entry Requirements

• An NQF Level 4 qualification.

This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 321123-000-00-KM-01: Professionalism and Practice Methods for Orientation and Mobility, NQF Level 5, 10 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-KM-02: Physical, Physiological and Medical Aspects of Visual Impairment; NQF Level 6, 12 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-KM-03: Psycho-Social Aspects of Visual Impairment, NQF Level 6, 4 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-KM-04: Human Growth and Development over the Lifespan, NQF Level 6, 6 Credits.
• 321123-000-00--KM-05: Skills of Daily Living (SDL) Theory, NQF Level 6, 8 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-KM-06: Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Theories, NQF Level 6, 20 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-KM-07: Instructional Methods, Strategies, and Assessment, NQF Level 7, 15 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 75

Practical Skill Modules

• 321123--000-00-PM-01, Conduct Assessments of Clients with Visual Impairments to determine their Capability Levels and Needs, NQF Level 6, 8 Credits.
• 321123--000-00-PM-02, Design and Develop O&M Individual Training Programmes, NQF Level 7, 4 Credits.
• 321123--000-00-PM-03, Implement and Evaluate O&M Individual Training Programmes, NQF Level 6, 52 Credits.
• 321123--000-00-PM-04, Establish and Maintain Networks with Stakeholders, Including other Professionals, NQF Level 5, 10 Credits.
• 321123--000-00-PM-05, Advocate with and on Behalf of Persons with Visual Impairments for their Rights and Needs to be Met, NQF Level 6, 6 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 80

Work Experience Modules

• 321123-000-00-WM-01, Assessment Processes for Assessing Persons with Visual Impairments, NQF Level 6, 32 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-WM-02, O&M Individual Training Programme Design and Development Processes, NQF Level 7, 8 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-WM-03 O&M Individual Training Programme Implementation Processes, NQF Level 6, 72 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-WM-04 Stakeholder Networking and Collaboration Processes, NQF Level 5, 4 Credits.
• 321123-000-00-WM-05 Advocacy Processes for the Rights of Persons with Visual Impairments, NQF Level 6, 4 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 120

1. Conduct assessments of persons with visual impairments to determine their capability levels and needs.
2. Design and develop O&M individual training programmes.
3. Implement and evaluate O&M individual training programmes.
4. Review and establish networks with stakeholders, including other professionals.
5. Advocate with and on behalf of persons with visual impairments for their rights and needs to be met.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO 1: Conduct assessments of persons with visual impairments to determine their capability levels and needs.

• Conduct intake interviews with clients, and compile case histories with reference to biographical information, medical and visual impairment history.
• Use assessment checklists correctly to assess adults with visual impairments to determine their current skills and their needs in terms of O&M, functional vision, and SDL skills.
• Use assessment checklists correctly to assess children with visual impairments to determine their current skills and needs in terms of concept and sensory development, mobility, orientation, functional vision, and SDL skills.
• Provide emotional support, education, advocacy, and/or referral needs during the assessments.
• Assess clients' environments in terms of colour, contrast, lighting, safety, hygiene, and organisation to identify possible needs for modifications, and compile a report and a map to inform O&M interventions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Design and develop O&M individual training programmes.

• Analyse assessment results, and formulate, prioritise and sequence individualised goals and activities to develop an individualised training programme.
• Plan interventions to address the emotional support, education, advocacy, and/or referral needs profiled during the assessments.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO 3: Implement and evaluate O&M individual training programmes.

• Provide emotional support and education regarding visual impairment to persons with visual impairments.
• Prepare lesson plans, including lesson objectives and sequenced lesson steps/activities.
• Evaluate and use appropriate training aids, assistive devices, maps, models, and other resources required for lessons correctly.
• Assess training environment to ensure lesson effectiveness and safety.
• Evaluate client's progress and own training skills in terms of their effectiveness, and compile lesson evaluation reports with recommendations.
• Train persons with visual impairments to effectively use the human guide, non-cane, and cane techniques.
• Train persons with visual impairments to use their senses to orientate & re-orientate themselves.
• Plan routes in a variety of environments, including street crossings, and train persons with visual impairments to travel those routes independently and safely.
• Train persons with visual impairments in skills of daily living to enable them to conduct daily activities independently, safely, and effectively.
• Train persons with low vision to use appropriate visual skills to enable them to utilise their vision optimally.
• Develop a variety of activities to stimulate and correct child development in the various domains.
• Explain and select tactile learning strategies for training children.
• Identify appropriate training activities, aids, resources, and strategies for managing group dynamics for training small groups and pairs.
• Analyse individual training programmes to determine the achievement of goals and objectives, assistive devices used, and recommendations for further intervention in order to prepare Individual Training Programme Evaluation reports.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Review and establish networks with stakeholders, including other professionals.

• Analyse and profile stakeholders in different workplace contexts and propose appropriate methods for interacting with those stakeholders.
• Implement referral processes, including identifying client needs, matching appropriate referral resources to those needs, communicating with clients and other stakeholders, evaluating the referrals, and recommending follow-up where required.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

ELO 5: Advocate with and on behalf of persons with visual impairments for their rights and needs to be met.

• Plan and implement awareness events on O&M services, visual impairment, and rights of persons with visual impairments to convey clear messages.
• Assess client circumstances and identify and categorise relevant role-players as beneficiaries, allies, opponents, and targets for the advocacy intervention.
• Plan, implement and evaluate advocacy interventions using appropriate advocacy strategies such as negotiation, lobbying, and/or protest.
• Identify and teach persons with visual impairments who would benefit from being able to advocate for themselves their rights and empowered to use advocacy to claim those rights assertively.

Integrated Assessment

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities are used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment.

Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weakness, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained.

Formative assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided.

Summative Assessment

Integrated summative assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification, part-qualification, or occupational skills programme, such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed.

An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final summative assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification, part-qualification or skills programme.

The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. An SoR, using the template provided by the Quality Partner, is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications and part-qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component, was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA.

External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) - a national assessment

The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certificating a learner.

For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating:

The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical and Work Experience modules.

OR

The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge and Application Components.