VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
department or other entity that approves continuing education units (CEUs)
specific to a profession (i.e. speech pathologists, orientation and mobility
specialists, etc.). One state reported obtaining successful accreditation of RID
(Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) CEUs for specific OHOA modules through a
sponsoring agency. However, there is not yet national approval for all OHOA
modules. Other states reported that they are in the process of obtaining CEU credit
approval from RID, yet it is unclear as to which modules for which they are
seeking sponsorship.
Summary of Additional and Anecdotal Information
Several SDBPs that are utilizing the OHOA modules also added a practicum
experience based on their own SDBP-designed needs assessment. It is reported that
aspiring interveners have experienced challenges with the portfolio portion of the
intervener certifying process. SDBPs reported that efforts focused on additional
supervision and direct support to aspiring interveners will lead to completion of the
portfolio process and, thus, certification through the NICE Process. However,
SDBPs have reported that completion of a portfolio and becoming certified does
not always guarantee a pay increase. Successfully completing the intervener
portfolio is a massive undertaking, and some interveners complete it in one year or
more, while others have completed a portion and then stopped, because of the
extreme effort, commitment level, and lack of long-term financial gain.
