We conduct a wide variety of training activities centered around our mission of improving employment and independent living outcomes for people who are blind or have low vision.
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Foundations in Blindness and Low Vision Rehabilitation: Essentials for Blindness Professionals
This free, three-part training equips new vocational rehabilitation counselors and case coordinators with essential knowledge and skills to promote independence and employment for individuals who are blind or low vision. Participants will develop an understanding of eye conditions, their functional impacts, how to read an eye report, and assessment considerations to promote independence and employment. The sessions emphasize practical approaches, disability awareness, and collaboration with specialized service providers. If you are a new vocational rehabilitation counselor, please join us each fall, September through November, for this free new staff training!
Registration will open each August. This training is available for up to 4.5 CRC credit hours! For more information or questions about registration, email our Training and Outreach Coordinator, Stephanie Welch-Grenier, at swelchgrenier@colled.msstate.edu.
Blindness Experience Training
The Blindness Experience Training aims to help participants understand how people who are blind or have low vision (B/LV) remove barriers and work to achieve their goals, recognize and reduce negative perceptions about B/LV, the importance of training and advocacy, and the importance of supporting success through providing individualized services.
The training also provides multiple experiential learning activities for participants, including hands-on braille introduction, an overview of orientation and mobility, practice with human guide technique, interactive activities using assistive devices to complete daily living tasks, and demonstration of assistive technology. Additionally, participants will be exposed to the wide variety of lived experiences of people who are B/LV.
The NRTC can customize this training for individual agencies and periodically offers the training at our campus at Mississippi State University. To learn more about The Blindness Experience Training, please visit our page below.
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Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Putting Your Best Foot Forward is a job search skills training program for transition-age youth with visual impairments. It includes about 40 hours of content and covers topics such as preparing for an interview, disability disclosure, resume development, online job searches, and improving self-presentation. The program is designed to be implemented by two trainers with 10-15 youth. To become a Putting Your Best Foot Forward trainer and gain full access to the program materials, you must complete a free, two-day trainer workshop.
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Putting Your Best Foot Forward Waiting List
Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center
The NRTC is home to the Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center (OIB-TAC). The OIB-TAC supports state agencies that provide services to older individuals who are blind or have low vision by providing various training and technical assistance activities. This project is funded by two grants (#H177Z200001) and (#H177Z150003) from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the U.S. Department of Education. Click here for more information about OIB-TAC's three major projects. Click here for more information about OIB-TAC's three major projects.
Online Short Courses
The NRTC offers a wide selection of free online courses for rehabilitation professionals. Topics vary, from introductory courses like “Basics of Blindness and Low Vision” to more in-depth topics like “Employer Attitudes toward Persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired." There is no fee for CRCC, ACVREP, or NBPCB credits. For more information and to access our courses, visit www.ntac.blind.msstate.edu/courses/.
Business Enterprise Program Training
The National Online Training Curriculum for Randolph-Sheppard (R-S) Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Staff course is designed to help orient new BEP staff members to the Randolph-Sheppard Program. This course is composed of 16 individual modules, each covering an important aspect of the R-S program. An overall certificate of completion may be requested when a student successfully completes and passes all module quizzes with a score of 80% or better. There is no fee associated with taking and completing individual modules or the entire course.
State and Regional Training Programs
NRTC staff can design training sessions to fit the needs of individual programs or organizations. Popular topics include:
- Adjustment to Vision Impairment or Blindness
- Ethics
- Functional Implications of Low Vision
- Sensitivity Training
- Job Readiness Activities for Transition-Age Youth
- Data Collection and Case Documentation
Click here for more training topic ideas. To talk with our training staff, contact nrtc@colled.msstate.edu or 662-325-2001.