ATP Exam Eligibility Requirements

ATP Eligibility Requirements

Education/AT Training

*Candidates without a degree in Special Education or a Rehab Science must complete either 10, 20, or 30 hours of Assistive Technology-related training, as indicated in the table above. At least half of the hours must be fulfilled by Continuing Education Units (CEUs) awarded from recognized CEU providers, such as IACET-accredited organizations, professional associations (e.g. RESNA, APTA, ASHA, AOTA, etc.), academic institutions (e.g., University of Pittsburgh, etc.), or state licensing boards which preview courses for CEU approval.  The balance of the hours may be fulfilled by other educational Continuing Education Credits (CECs) or documented education contact hours.

Rehab Science, for the purposes of the program, is defined as one of the following: medicine, nursing, low vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, vocational rehabilitation, engineering (biomedical, clinical, or rehabilitation), prosthetics & orthotics, recreation therapy, and rehabilitation technology (rehabilitation technology defined as an Associate degree curriculum for technicians focusing upon application of technologies to the needs of people with disabilities).

Work Experience

The work experience must consist of Assistive Technology services that are provided direct service to consumers and others related to or working with consumers. It may include, but is not limited to, the following activities:

1. Evaluations, assessments, and other direct-to-consumer/student services (needs assessment, physical / functional / sensory assessments, educational assessments, site assessments, simulations and product trials)
2. Fitting, adjustment and readjustment services (fine tuning of equipment to meet the consumer/student’s needs and reflect changes in the consumer/student’s status)
3. Implementation and training for consumers/caregivers or students/support personnel (training in use of AT or strategies to maximize function and interface with the environment(s) of use, instruction in use and/or maintenance)
4. Product development that involves direct consumer participation

The following services may not be applied towards the work experience requirement:

• Customer service, scheduling, information gathering and/or paperwork processing of assistive technology orders
• Billing, collections and/or claims processing of assistive technology products/services
• Professional development, didactic teaching or instructing providers/teachers on topics of assistive technology, which does not include consumer/student contact
• Research and/or development, which does not include consumer/student contact
• Telecommunication relay services

Only paid work may be applied towards the work experience requirement, unless otherwise noted.**

**Anyone completing a certificate or degree in AT from an academic program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) as recommended by the Committee on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Education (CoA RATE) is eligible to reduce the required work experience for ATP eligibility in two ways.

Each course credit hour that is part of the accredited program will reduce the work experience required to sit for the ATP exam by 15 hrs.

1. Each field work hour earned during the accredited program will reduce the work experience required to sit for the ATP exam by one hour.
   • Only field work experience that meets the same criteria as work experience for those outside of an accredited program will be eligible for this 1:1 reduction. (see direct consumer related services definition below)
   • Observation hours do not meet the criteria to reduce work experience needed to sit for the ATP exam.

Note: For anyone to achieve the ATP certification they must have a MINIMUM of 300 field work hours that meet the same direct consumer related services criteria as work experience for those outside of an accredited program.  Course credit hours cannot be used exclusively to fulfill the work experience required for certification.

Note: Work experience hours and course credit hours cannot be earned simultaneously from a CAAHEP accredited program.  If a student earns course credit while doing field work that meets the direct consumer related services criteria, those hours would be counted towards item #2 type of reduction, not item #1, and there would be no reduction in hours for the course credit itself.

Note: Applicants who have completed a CAAHEP accredited AT program must submit documentation detailing the course work and field work completed during the CAAHEP accredited AT program. The RESNA Certification Manager, in collaboration with the Professional Standards Board will make a determination of the work experience reduction for that applicant based on a review of the CAAHEP accredited program and the submitted applicant documentation. Contact Certification@resna.org with any questions.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS:

Rehab Science, for the purposes of the program, is defined as one of the following: medicine, nursing, low vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, vocational rehabilitation, engineering (biomedical, clinical, or rehabilitation), prosthetics & orthotics, recreation therapy, and rehabilitation technology (rehabilitation technology defined as an Associate degree curriculum for technicians focusing upon application of technologies to the needs of people with disabilities).

A CAAHEP Accredited program is defined as a Rehab Science or special education program accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Education (CoA-RATE). A list of accredited programs can be found here.

1 FTE = full-time employment, typically 35-40 hours per week; .50 FTE (half-time) = 17.5-20 hours per week; .25 FTE = 9-10 hours per week. Work outside a CAAHEP accredited AT certificate or degree program must be remunerated (does not include pre-professional training) and the total time required must have been gained within the most recent 6 years.

Direct consumer related services in Assistive Technology is defined as those services that are provided direct service to consumers and others related to or working with consumers. It may include, but is not limited to, the following*:

1. Evaluations, assessments, and other direct-to-consumer/student services (needs assessment, physical/functional/sensory assessments, educational assessments, site assessments, simulations and product trials)
2. Fitting, adjustment and readjustment services (fine tuning of equipment to meet the consumer/student’s needs and reflect changes in the consumer/student’s status)
3. Implementation and training for consumers/caregivers or students/support personnel (training in use of AT or strategies to maximize function and interface with the environment(s) of use, instruction in use and/or maintenance)
4. Product development that involves direct consumer participation

* The following services related to assistive technology would not be applicable for inclusion in the total work experience hours. This list is not all inclusive. The applicant may appeal an adverse decision on work verification to the Professional Standards Board.

1. Customer service, scheduling, information gathering and/or paperwork processing of assistive technology orders
2. Billing, collections and/or claims processing of assistive technology products/services
3. Professional development, didactic teaching or instructing providers/teachers on topics of assistive technology, which does not include consumer/student contact
4. Research and/or development, which does not include consumer/student contact
5. Telecommunication relay services