Introducing the New Assistive Technology
Credential and Project VITALL University Training
Program
Stacy M. Kelly, Ed.D., TVI, COMS, CATIS
Associate Professor, Visual Disabilities Program, Northern
Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
skelly@niu.edu
There is a well-established demand for experts who are highly trained in
assistive technology (AT) and working in the field of visual impairments
(Edwards & Lewis, 1998; Kapperman, Sticken, & Heinze, 2002; Kelly, 2008,
2009, 2011; Zhou, Parker, Smith, & Griffin-Shirley, 2011b; Zhou, Smith,
Parker, & Griffin-Shirley, 2011a; Zhou et al., 2012). There is now an official
specialty area in assistive technology for professionals who work with
individuals who are blind or visually impaired. On May 1, 2016 the Academy
for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals
(ACVREP) launched this new assistive technology credential. The Certified
Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for People with Visual
Impairments (CATIS) credential is now available after more than two and half
decades of discussions about such an essential certification (ACVREP,
2016). The CATIS certification has created a much needed national standard
in the area of assistive technology instruction for people who are visually
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