Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Diploma in Vision Habilitation/Rehabilitation (Level 7) with strands in
Daily Living, Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, and Technology and
Communication
Version
1
Qualification type
Diploma
Level
7
Credits
150
NZSCED
090511 Society and Culture > Human Welfare Studies and
Services > Community Client Care
Qualification developer
Careerforce
Next review
December 2019
Approval date
July 2015
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the vision
habilitation/rehabilitation sector with a specialised workforce
focussed on the application of technical knowledge and skills in
clinical and community settings.
This qualification is targeted at people seeking to further develop
their knowledge, skills and abilities in one or more of the vision
habilitation/rehabilitation fields.
Graduates of this qualification will lead and coordinate an
individualised quality service for people who have a vision
impairment, are blind, or are deafblind, to enable them to live
safe, productive and interdependent lives.
The qualification is stranded to recognise the particular specialist
knowledge and skills required for different roles in the vision
habilitation/rehabilitation sector.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Graduates will be able to:
- Teach individuals ways to manage the physical, sensory,
and psycho-social impact of vision impairment on aspects of
their life, using appropriate culturally responsive processes
and protocols.
- Design, lead and coordinate the writing and implementation
of a customised habilitation/ rehabilitation plan for a person
who has a vision impairment, is blind or is deafblind; and
monitor and evaluate results
- Identify the current and future capability of a person who has
a vision impairment, is blind or is deafblind; and through this
continuous assessment, plan and deliver a customised
specialist habilitation/rehabilitation programme.
- Manage own learning and performance in complex and
dynamic contexts/systems, using best practice methods,
resources and professional networks, in order to provide a
constantly improving customised outcome-focused service.
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Graduates of the Daily Living strand also will be able to:
- Provide an adaptive/developmental daily living service to
enable people who have a vision impairment, are blind, or
are deafblind, to reach their potential through the use of
compensatory skills to perform everyday activities.
Graduates of the Low Vision Therapy strand will also be able to:
- Provide a low vision person-centred therapy service to
enable people who have low vision to maximize their visual
skills and abilities.
Graduates of the Orientation and Mobility strand will also be able
to:
- Provide an orientation and mobility service to teach people
who have a vision impairment, are blind, or are deafblind, to
use their remaining senses to determine their position in
space and to plan and negotiate safe and efficient travel.
Graduates of the Technology and Communication strand will also
be able to:
- Provide an adaptive/developmental technology and
communication service to enable people who have a vision
impairment, are blind, or are deafblind to communicate, and
to access and manage information.
Education pathway
The qualification provides a pathway for people with a disabilityfocussed qualification at level 4, 5, or 6 to progress within the
health and disability qualifications framework; and for people
already holding other higher level qualifications in a Human
Service related field, seeking to focus on one of the vision
rehabilitation/habilitation specialisations.
Graduates may progress via an appropriate undergraduate
degree (i.e., Bachelor of Health Science with a major in
Rehabilitation) to a specialised educational or clinical
qualification such as the Postgraduate Diploma in Rehabilitation
or Master of Health Science (Rehabilitation); or complete another
specialisation in vision rehabilitation by undertaking training in an
additional strand of this diploma.
Employment pathway
Graduates may obtain employment as:
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Instructors
- Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Instructors
- Independent Living Skills Specialists (ADL & O&M)
- Rehabilitation Instructors (ADL & O&M)
- Vision Rehabilitation Needs Assessors (with ADL
responsibilities)
- Accessible Information Consultants
- Employment Consultants
- Vision Therapists
- Deafblind Coordinators (with ADL responsibilities)
- Pacific Services Coordinators (with ADL responsibilities)
- Adaptive Technology Consultants or Trainers
- Accessible Formats Producers
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Page 2 of 8
-
Braille Producers
Braille Proofreaders
Braille Awareness Consultants
Equipment Solutions Salespersons
This qualification may also be suitable, as an added specialty for
people working in the following occupations:
- Counselling
- Diversional Therapy
- Employment support
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Rehabilitation Therapy
- Needs Assessment and Service Coordination
- Nursing
- Social Work
- Teaching
- Vision Hearing Screening
- Sport and Recreation
- Guide Dog Instruction
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification will be awarded by Careerforce as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of
the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by a tertiary education
organisation (TEO) accredited under section 250 of the
Education Act 1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to
this qualification.
The certificate will display the title of the qualification, including
the strand(s) achieved, the logo of NZQA, and the name and/or
logo of the awarding organisation.
Evidence requirements for
assuring consistency
All TEOs either arranging training or delivering programmes that
lead to the award of this qualification are required to participate,
along with the qualification developer, in a scheduled consistency
process led by NZQA, in accordance with published national
guidelines.
This consistency process will involve reviewing evidence
associated with graduates’ achievement of outcomes,
establishing a periodic cycle for a review focus for the external
consistency review, agreeing acceptable standards and/or
benchmarks for qualification outcome achievement, and
identifying areas for improvement.
Evidence may include:
• Assessment information leading to the achievement of the
graduate outcomes.
• A portfolio of student work relating to the qualification.
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
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•
•
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Stakeholder feedback on outcome achievement which may
include feedback from graduates, end-users and/or next
users.
TEO moderation outcomes which may include
moderation/benchmarking across common programmes.
Relevant External Evaluation and Review (EER) data.
Evidence of compliance with the criteria of Consent and
Moderation Requirements document 0024 for unit standardbased programmes.
Minimum standard of
achievement and standards for
grade endorsements
Achievement of all common outcomes and the outcomes of at
least one strand. There are no grade endorsements for this
qualification
Other requirements for the
qualification (including regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
It is recommended that people undertaking this qualification
should hold a relevant tertiary qualification and/or have relevant
core skills, knowledge and experience that apply to the health
and disability workforce.
General conditions for the programme leading to the qualification
General conditions for
programme
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
There is an expectation that industry training programmes
leading to this qualification will be completed in a workplace.
For programmes of study that are offered by an education
provider, a formal arrangement must be in place whereby a
learner is able to demonstrate achievement of the outcomes in
an appropriate practical environment.
For all programmes the practical learning must be developed and
applied through work-placements under the supervision of a
relevant qualified specialist.
The achievement of practical outcomes must demonstrate the
integration of theory and practice.
Programmes must incorporate and integrate appropriate aspects
of an individual’s life span, so that communication, and
rehabilitation plans and programmes for persons with a vision
impairment, are relevant and appropriate given the person’s age,
development, culture, and circumstances.
It is envisaged that a learner can complete more than one strand
of this qualification. This could be achieved either through
concurrent training (via a programme of study designed to meet
the common outcomes of the graduate profile and the outcomes
of more than one strand), or via subsequent training (by
completing the outcomes of one or more additional strands after
completing an initial programme that covers the common
outcomes of the graduate profile and one of the strands).
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Conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
Teach individuals ways to
manage the physical, sensory,
and psycho-social impact of
vision impairment on aspects
of their life, using appropriate
culturally responsive
processes and protocols.
20 credits
Programmes leading to this qualification must include:
- an emphasis on person-centred approaches to managing the
effect of a single or dual sensory impairment on life-span
development, factors and transitions.
- identification of appropriate networks, resources and referrals
in order to accommodate cultural diversity and socio cultural
difference in learning
- the various stages and aspects of life that are affected by a
sensory impairment, which may include but are not limited to:
function, activity, belonging, participation, self-determination,
and wellbeing
- the demographics of vision impairment and deafblindness
- specific functional effects of vision impairment, eye disease,
and hearing impairment, as well as knowledge of other
impairments or health conditions in general, on life span
development
2
Design, lead and coordinate
the writing and implementation
of a customised habilitation/
rehabilitation plan for a person
who has a vision impairment,
is blind or is deafblind; and
monitor and evaluate results.
10 Credits
The customised plan must:
- be person-centred and led by the person with a vision
impairment, themselves
- be timely
- Be culturally responsive,
- Be collaborative measurable, and achievable
- Include relevant goals and objectives
- include involvement of family and community
- be monitored and evaluated
- be based on an understanding of contemporary teaching and
learning strategies in rehabilitation or habilitation.
Programmes leading to this qualification must include knowledge
of how to work in multidisciplinary, intraprofessional,
transdisciplinary, and interdisciplinary teams.
3
Identify the current and future
capability of a person who has
a vision impairment, is blind, or
is deafblind; and through this
continuous assessment, plan
and deliver a customised
specialist
habilitation/rehabilitation
programme.
15 credits
Programmes leading to this qualification must:
- include a focus on working with the person’s family/whānau or
significant others.
- use whole of life contexts; a collaborative and multidisciplinary
approach; and appropriate specialist assessment tools and
procedures.
- include an introduction to adaptive/ developmental
techniques, aids, and equipment in the field of vision
impairment. (i.e. techniques, aids and equipment in low vision
enhancement, orientation and mobility, daily living, technology
and communications)
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Page 5 of 8
4
Manage own learning and
performance in complex and
dynamic contexts/systems,
using best practice methods,
resources and professional
networks, in order to provide a
constantly improving
customised outcome-focused
service.
15 Credits
Programmes leading to this qualification must include but are not
limited to:
- application of reflective and ethical professional issues and
practice
- the risks and challenges when working with the population
served
- the history of, and current services to, people with a vision
impairment and who are deafblind; the social model of
disability; current human rights and disability policy/legislation
and related service systems.
- how to access current research in the field of vision
impairment
- advocacy to promote positive attitudes towards consumer /
stakeholder organisations and their founding principles
- application of cultural responsiveness in health and disability
contexts.
Daily Living strand
5
Provide an adaptive/
developmental daily living
service to enable people who
have a vision impairment, are
blind, or are deafblind, to reach
their potential through the use
of compensatory skills to
perform everyday activities.
90 Credits
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Programmes leading to this qualification must include:
- the theory of adaptive/developmental Daily Living,
- delivery of adaptive/developmental Daily Living instruction,
- application of knowledge to practice in a supervised
practicum.
- the use of compensatory skills and specialised equipment to
assist people to perform everyday activities.
Programmes leading to this qualification must also include
advanced content related to:
- selecting, evaluating, teaching, delivering and monitoring
programmes relating to adaptive/developmental personal care
and management, home care and management, glare
management at home, daily communication, and daily living
organisational systems and techniques.
- evaluation of and instruction in the safe use of aids and
equipment, and adaptive/developmental daily living aids and
appliances for (but not limited to): reading, writing, recording,
and listening.
- strategies for facilitation of home based and community
pursuits
- knowledge and application of accessible indoor environmental
design best practice, policy, and principles
- adaptive/developmental living considerations for special
populations within the blind, deafblind and low vision
community
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Low Vision Therapy strand
6
Provide low vision personcentred therapy service to
enable people who have low
vision to maximize their visual
skills and abilities.
90 Credits
Programmes must include:
- Low Vision Therapy theory, practice, and a supervised
practicum
- a focus on performing daily activities and engaging in
educational, vocational and community pursuits.
- the visual system (oculomotor system, eye, optic pathway,
and brain) and eye conditions and their functional implications
- the impact of disease, trauma and ageing/development on the
visual system
- components and practice in advanced functional vision
evaluations (including but not limited to functional visual
acuity, fields of view, contrast sensitivity, colour vision,
stereopsis, visual perception and visual motor skills) and
referrals (to be consistent with HPCA Act and AVCREP body
of knowledge and competencies)
- use of optical and non-optical equipment
- development and delivery of customised training programmes
using sight-enhancement techniques and teaching strategies
for everyday tasks (eg. eccentric viewing)
- low vision therapy considerations for special populations
within the low vision community.
Orientation and Mobility strand
7
Provide an orientation and
mobility service to teach
people who have a vision
impairment, are blind, or are
deafblind, to use their
remaining senses to determine
their position in space and to
plan and negotiate safe and
efficient travel.
90 Credits
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Programmes must include but are not limited to:
- the theory of Orientation and Mobility (O&M), practice, and
application of knowledge into practice.
- demonstrating knowledge of conceptual, motor, sensory, and
environmental requirements for safe and efficient orientation
and mobility in indoor and outdoor settings, using a personcentred assessment and instructional programme.
- assessing, teaching, and monitoring effective residual vision
use, glare management, and relevant visual and O&M aids
and equipment used when travelling in the home, educational,
vocational, and community settings.
- education of people who are blind, deafblind and who have
low vision by evaluating, teaching, and monitoring progress in
the use of safe and efficient indoor and outdoor orientation
and mobility strategies, techniques, skills, and aids.
- accessible indoor and outdoor environment analysis and
modifications specific to the indoor and outdoor orientation
and mobility of persons with a vision impairment or who are
blind or deafblind.
- techniques and procedures for evaluating, teaching, and
monitoring progress in the use of GPS devices, map making
and reading, and in the use of other orientation aids and
adaptive technology related to orientation and mobility.
- orientation and mobility considerations for special populations
within the Blind, Deafblind and Low vision community.
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Technology and Communication strand
8
Provide an adaptive/
developmental technology and
communication service to
enable people who have a
vision impairment, are blind, or
are deafblind, to communicate
and to access and manage
information.
90 Credits
Qualification Reference 2912
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015
Programmes must include:
- adaptive/developmental technology and communication
theory, practice and a supervised practicum
- education of people in accessibility options within mainstream
hardware and software, and within adaptive/developmental
technology hardware and software.
- understanding of braille and braille technology
- development and delivery of customised training programmes
to people with a vision impairment or who are blind or
deafblind, individually or in groups in the following areas
(including but not limited to):
- Tactual development
- Touch Typing
- Braille reading and writing
- Use of touch screen devices
- Effective listening skills for screen readers
- Use of accessible options within mainstream technology
- Use of adaptive/developmental technology hardware and
software.
- technology and communication considerations for special
populations within the Blind, Deafblind and Low vision
community.
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