{"schemaVersion":"1.0","exportedAt":"2026-05-15T12:38:01.764Z","occupation":{"soc":"29-1122.01","title":"Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists","group":"Healthcare Practitioners & Technical","sector":"62","jobZone":5,"jobZoneInferred":false},"framework":{"version":"v.26.05","description":"","contextCovered":"This framework covers the full scope of low vision therapy, orientation and mobility specialist practice, and vision rehabilitation therapy — from supervised clinical entry through organizational leadership — across community, medical, educational, and residential service environments serving individuals with visual impairments.","levels":{"emerging":{"label":"Emerging","statements":["Client functional assessments — conduct under clinical supervision using structured protocols to evaluate vision, orientation skills, and physical abilities in a supervised rehabilitation setting.","Long cane techniques — demonstrate foundational diagonal and two-point touch methods under direct supervisor observation during simulated indoor travel exercises.","Rehabilitation plans — assist in drafting individualized plans collaboratively with clients under supervisor guidance, incorporating assessment results and stated personal goals.","Sensory information training — introduce clients to tactile and auditory cue recognition under clinical direction in a structured low-vision therapy environment.","Assessment documentation — complete standardized forms and draft progress notes under review by a supervising therapist following each client evaluation session.","Mobility device options — identify and describe the functional characteristics of long canes, human guides, and electronic travel aids during supervised client education sessions.","Independent travel exercises — support simulated indoor travel scenarios under direct supervision to orient clients to basic route concepts in a clinical or campus setting.","Active listening and rapport — apply structured interviewing techniques under mentorship to gather client history and mobility-related concerns during intake appointments.","Assistive technology tools — utilize database and office suite software under guidance to record client data and retrieve relevant clinical resources in a rehabilitation agency.","Professional knowledge integration — apply graduate-level coursework in psychology, counseling, and orientation and mobility theory to interpret client needs under supervisory debrief."]},"developing":{"label":"Developing","statements":["Cane skills instruction — teach the full sequence of diagonal, two-point touch, and cane-with-guide techniques to clients with varying degrees of visual impairment across indoor and outdoor environments.","Mobility device recommendation — evaluate and recommend appropriate devices, including dog guides, electronic travel aids, and adaptive mobility devices, with reduced oversight based on individual client assessment findings.","Individualized rehabilitation planning — develop and adjust client-centered instructional plans collaboratively in response to reassessment data and evolving client goals within an outpatient or community rehabilitation program.","Multi-sensory cue training — train clients to integrate tactile, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic, and proprioceptive information into effective travel strategies across familiar community routes.","Independent travel instruction — facilitate structured real-world travel exercises in urban and suburban environments, progressively reducing support as clients demonstrate route-learning competence.","Clinical documentation — write thorough assessment summaries, progress reports, and follow-up outcome forms with minimal editorial revision, using agency-approved formats and electronic records systems.","Adaptive mobility device training — provide systematic instruction in the use of electronic travel aids and other AMDs, modifying teaching strategies based on client learning pace and sensory profile.","Problem-solving with clients — apply deductive reasoning to identify barriers to independent mobility and adjust intervention strategies within familiar clinical and community contexts.","Collaborative team communication — coordinate with ophthalmologists, occupational therapists, and social workers, conveying client progress clearly through written reports and team meetings.","Time and caseload management — prioritize and schedule assessment and training sessions efficiently across a caseload of clients with diverse visual and functional profiles in a community rehabilitation setting."]},"proficient":{"label":"Proficient","statements":["Comprehensive functional assessment — conduct autonomous, multi-domain evaluations of vision, cognition, social-emotional status, physical ability, and orientation skills for clients with complex or co-occurring conditions in diverse service environments.","Complex cane and travel skill instruction — teach advanced cane techniques, route planning, and self-protective strategies to clients navigating non-familiar, high-traffic, and environmentally challenging travel situations.","Technology-integrated mobility solutions — evaluate, recommend, and train clients in the full spectrum of adaptive mobility devices and electronic travel aids, including emerging systems, tailoring selection to individual functional profiles.","Non-routine rehabilitation planning — design individualized, evidence-based rehabilitation programs for clients with atypical presentations, adjusting goals and modalities dynamically as clinical evidence and client feedback evolve.","Advanced sensory training — develop and implement specialized curricula to maximize proprioceptive, kinesthetic, and remaining visual function for clients with progressive or complex visual conditions in community and independent living settings.","Outcome-oriented documentation — produce high-quality clinical reports, funding justification letters, and follow-up outcome analyses that meet regulatory and third-party payer standards without supervisory review.","Psychosocial support integration — apply counseling principles and social perceptiveness to address emotional adaptation, self-efficacy, and social participation barriers within a holistic vision rehabilitation framework.","Systems-level problem analysis — analyze environmental, organizational, and systemic factors affecting client access to rehabilitation services, and design solutions that address root causes across a service area.","Mentorship of emerging practitioners — supervise, coach, and formally evaluate practicum students and new staff in clinical settings, providing structured feedback grounded in occupational competency standards.","Interdisciplinary program leadership — lead cross-disciplinary case conferences, contribute to care pathway development, and represent vision rehabilitation expertise in hospital, school, or community agency planning processes."]},"advanced":{"label":"Advanced","statements":["Program design and strategic direction — architect organizational vision rehabilitation service models aligned with evidence-based practice, regulatory requirements, and community needs across regional or national program portfolios.","Workforce development — design and implement competency-based training curricula for orientation and mobility specialists and vision rehabilitation therapists, elevating professional standards across an agency or academic program.","Policy and advocacy leadership — represent the profession before legislative bodies, accreditation organizations, and funding agencies to advance access, reimbursement, and standards for vision rehabilitation services.","Research translation and knowledge generation — lead applied research or systematic program evaluations that produce publishable findings and directly inform clinical practice guidelines for the field.","Advanced outcomes measurement — develop and institutionalize data-driven quality assurance frameworks using analytical and process-mapping software to monitor client outcomes and drive continuous improvement at an organizational scale.","Executive-level interprofessional collaboration — build and sustain strategic partnerships with healthcare systems, educational institutions, and community organizations to integrate vision rehabilitation into broader continua of care.","Technology innovation and adoption — evaluate and champion the integration of emerging assistive technologies, electronic travel aids, and digital rehabilitation platforms into clinical service delivery at an enterprise level.","Organizational culture and ethics — establish and model professional, ethical, and empathic standards of practice, setting institutional norms that foster client-centered, equitable, and trauma-informed rehabilitation environments.","Complex resource allocation — oversee budget planning, grant acquisition, and staff deployment for multidisciplinary vision rehabilitation programs serving large, diverse populations with varied funding mechanisms.","Field-level thought leadership — deliver keynote scholarship, publish professional guidance, and chair national committees that shape the theoretical and practical direction of orientation, mobility, and vision rehabilitation practice."]}}},"sources":{"onet":"v30.2 (CC BY 4.0)","crosswalk":"https://skillscrosswalk.com","generator":"LER.me"},"attribution":"© EBSCOed"}