Working as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Orientation and mobility specialists are, in essence, highly specialized counselors. While rehabilitation counselors work exclusively alongside patients that are affected by physical, mental or emotional disability, orientation and mobility specialists take things at an even more specific level, working solely with patients that are either blind or visually impaired. The first orientation and mobility specialists were trained by the military following World War II to help veterans that were visually impaired or blinded during the war, though the profession has changed and advanced since then.

What they do:

The main goal of an orientation and mobility specialist is to teach and eventually equip their blind or visually impaired patients to live as normal a life as possible, within their limitations. Much of this training revolves around teaching these patients how to travel independently, whether they happen to be at their home, in their communities, or wherever else they may want to go. Orientation and mobility specialists train their clients by the use of senses other than vision. The senses of hearing and touching are typically the most useful for learning purposes, though smelling and tasting can be helpful at times as well.

There are many skills involved in this teaching. According to the American Medical Association, these include, but are not limited to: concept development, motor development, sensory development, human guide technique, upper and lower protective techniques, locating dropped objects, cane techniques, following directions, utilizing landmarks, compass directions, route planning, analysis and identification of intersections and traffic patterns, techniques for crossing streets, use of public transportation and instructional use of low vision devices. One other major responsibility for an orientation and mobility specialist is to teach their client how to read Braille.

Orientation and mobility specialists work across different ages with infants, children, adolescents and adults. They can also work in a number of different settings, including school districts, public and private rehabilitation agencies, hospitals, veterans' centers and other facilities that serve people with visual impairments. Many orientation and mobility specialists are self-employed, working as contractors for school districts, government agencies and other organizations.

What they need:

You can study orientation and mobility at many universities at the baccalaureate level, and some jobs in the field may only require a bachelor's degree. Many universities also offer the study of orientation and mobility at the master's level, and more and more of the jobs in the field are requiring that workers obtain a master's degree to be eligible for hire. The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) is the certifying organization for this field. Certification lasts five years and can be renewed indefinitely by continuing to meet education and work requirements. Training is also offered at some agencies as an extended learning program, though this training is not certified by the ACVREP.

What they earn:

The average salary for an orientation and mobility specialist is $63,600, according to CBsalary.com. The 25^th and 75^th percentiles of salaries fall between $47,541 and $99,578, respectively.