Who Should Apply | Certificate Requirements | How to Apply

The Assistive Technology Certificate Program (ATCP) trains professionals to deliver state-of-the-art assistive technology clinical services to individuals with physical, cognitive, and/or sensory disabilities.

The Assistive Technology Certificate Program is a flexible packaging of four assistive technology courses taught at UIC. ATCP instructors are faculty members in the Department of Disability and Human Development and group leaders within the Assistive Technology Unit (ATU). ATU provides Assistive Technology services to approximately 500 individuals with disabilities in northeast Illinois each year.
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WHO SHOULD APPLY
All professionals serving individuals with assistive technology needs in the areas of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology, special education, engineering, or vocational rehabilitation can benefit from the Assistive Technology Certificate Program.

Classes may be taken individually or as part of the certificate program. It may also be applied to the Master of Science in Disability and Human Development program.

CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
ATCP is designed to take 15-18 months to complete depending on the student’s schedule.

Students in the certificate program take a sequence of four courses; two specific courses are required, and based on their areas of interest, students can choose the two additional elective courses from a group of four courses.

First Required Course
DHD 440: Introduction to Assistive Technology
Fall Semester, Taught Online Only
An examination of best clinical practices and state-of-the-art Assistive Technology devices, including the areas of Augmentative Communication, Cognitive Technologies, Computer Access, Environmental Control, Home Modification, Orthotics and Prosthetics, Seating and Wheeled Mobility, and Worksite Modification. Funding and Outcomes Measurement with respect to each area also included.

Elective Courses (choose two)
DHD 441: Adaptive Equipment Design and Fabrication
Summer Semester, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Design theories, idea generation, fabrication machines, hand tool techniques, and appropriate materials are covered related to custom design and custom fabrication of low-tech adaptive equipment. Students work in the ATU shop during practice sessions, and in completing an individual project based on actual consumer request.

DHD 444: Assistive Technology for Literacy, Learning, and Participation in Pre-K through High School
Summer Semester, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
This course includes weekly hands-on lab experience along with lectures and group projects. The emphasis is on learning how to use a variety of assistive technology software and techniques that can be used to make academic curriculum available for all learners. Literacy and writing software are covered extensively. Assessment techniques for diverse learners are presented.

DHD 552: Seating and Wheeled Mobility
Spring Semester, Wednesdays, 5:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m., Prerequisite: DHD 440
This course provides the student with detailed information on the issues of wheelchair seating, positioning and mobility for children and adults with physical disabilities. Emphasis is placed on evaluating for a consumer's need and identifying the appropriate technology to match those needs. Course content includes in depth information on assessment procedures and technology selection. The student will participate in significant hands-on experiences with the technology presented as a means to understand the capabilities and potential applications. Current research related to seating and wheeled mobility is included throughout the course. Funding sources and associated guidelines are also covered.

DHD 554: Augmentative Communication Assessment
Spring Semester, Thursdays, 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Prerequisite: DHD 440
This course covers a range of augmentative communication assessment strategies and evaluation materials utilizing case examples for discussion of specific approaches for different ages, disabilities, and settings. Special topics include vocabulary selection, communication display design, features of electronic communication aids, funding speech-generating devices, strategies for beginning communicators and partners, vision issues and the relationship between behavior and communication for individuals with complex communication needs. Students work with a wide range of speech-generating devices to conduct feature analyses of systems and to gain hands-on experience using a variety of access methods, rate enhancement techniques and vocabulary expansion tools.

Final Required Course
DHD 551: Computers, Communication and Controls
Fall Semester, Tuesdays, 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Prerequisite: DHD 440
Assistive technology course exploring different methods for evaluating controls used to operate computers, communication devices and powered wheelchairs. Instruction also addresses device features and integration factors.

Course logistics are subject to change. All the courses will be taught in the Disability, Health and Social Policy (DHSP) building, located at 1640 West Roosevelt Road, Chicago.