1. What options are available for paying for AOTSS products, seminars, and services?
Send a check or money order to AOTSS with your registration form. You can also register via www.aotss.com via PayPal or VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, and DISCOVER with Paypal. Please fax your signed registration form if you are paying via the website with paypal.

2. How do I find out when there is a new location and date for a seminar?
The calendar section of this website is updated as new seminars are contracted. Also, the magazines, Advance for OT and Advance for PT, have some of the AOTSS seminars listed in their calendar sections. You can bring a seminar to your location by either arranging to be a site host or by bringing one of our speakers to an event at your location. See the seminar sections on this website for seminar brochures. Hosting or sponsorship agreements for seminars are also posted on this website.

3. How do I receive a brochure for a seminar or for the Internet-based training?
You can download informative brochures from www.aotss.com website in the seminar and Internet-based training sections of this website. Just click on the brochure hyperlink for the particular seminar in which you are interested. A registration form is included in the brochure if you choose to register by mail instead of online through PayPal. Links to sample agreements for bringing a seminar to your location, through seminar hosting or arranging for a speaker through sponsorship, are also available in those sections. At least 13 registrations are needed to hold a seminar at any location. Email us for more information.

4. Is continuing education credit available for the seminars and Internet-based training?
All training (on-site seminars, Internet-based training, and home study) is approved nationally for CE hours by the AOTA Approved Provider Program and the Maryland State licensing boards for OT, PT and SLP/Audiology and some are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education for MSDE credits for teachers. Various state licensing boards accept this approval and you can check with your state licensing board to make sure. The following states automatically accept AOTA Approved Provider Program (APP) participants: AL, AK, AR, DC, DE, IL, KY, MO, MT, NV, NH, OH, OR, OK, RI, SC, TX, TN, VT. AOTSS is also on the NBCOT Preferred Provider Registry for CE.

Accessibilty Consultation Internet/Home Study CE 10-15 hours for initial 60 days and unlimited ability to particpate and earn CE hours during Yearly Access with AOTSS ACN Membership for $100 per year (includes up to 8-10 hours of free CE) and $25-35 per hour for extra lessons and mentoring hours.

5. Is there a certification track for the Accessibility Consultating seminar and Internet-based training programs?
There are no official certifications for accessibility consultants but our trainings are recognized nationally by AOTA and state professional licensing boards for OT, PT and SLP, and we are a member of the NBCOT CE Provider Registry. The Internet-based training is accredited for college credits through Colorado State University. You can contact us for more information on how to apply for CSU college credits and the related costs. AOTA has recently created a specialty certification for Environmental Modifications Specialists. See www.aota.org for details. We can assist and mentor you through the specialty certification process.

6. What is the difference between the 2-Day Accessibility Consulting Seminar and the Internet-based training options?

The 2-day on-site seminar is an overview of universal design, functional and environmental assessment, disability-related issues and environmental barriers, technical assistance and funding info, and development of a consulting business.

Both Internet-based training options receive 60 days of access to the Members Only AOTSS Accessibility Consultants Network (ACN) section of this website, text-based lessons, an extensive course manual, videos, and a wide variety of media resources sent by mail to keep. You can also choose to continue your participation in the AOTSS Accessibility Consultants Network (ACN) for 12 more months. You can then take longer to complete your assignments for continuing education credit.

Internet-based Training Option #1 addresses all of the above in greater depth and with a more personal approach using mentoring and ongoing feedback, indepth topic-specific lessons for CE credit, discounts on the purchase of additional lessons and mentoring hours for CE learning, and connections with other participants in the AOTSS Accessibility Consultants Network (ACN) thru chatroom lectures and a discussion board. Also a home study (no Internet access) version of Option #1 only is also available.

Internet-based Training Option #2 does not include personal mentoring/consultation or feedback from instructors. It is for those who want just the learning materials and have some knowledge of accessibility consulting but do not want the personal guidance of the expert mentors.

Also, you can register for both the seminar and Internet-based training together COMBO-- the 2-Day Seminar plus the Option #1 Internet-based Mentoring/Training for a huge discount -- and you may take any 2-Day Seminar at any location or date sponsored by AOTSS, and start your Internet 60-day access at anytime.

Both the seminar and the Internet-based trainings are approved by AOTA APP for CE and the MD State Licensure Boards for OT and PT.

7. Can COTAs and PTAs provide Accessibility Consultation services?
Accessibility Consultants are not licensed professionals, at this time, and may also be medical or design/build licensed professionals in their respective fields. One of the most accomplished accessibility consultants on the East Coast is a COTA, who is also a licensed general contractor. Accessibility consulting is a service that anyone can perform, but it is recommended that clients check the training and references of the consultant they hire to insure that the quality of the services meets their needs. Therefore, if you are performing assessments from a non-medical frame of reference, and just happen to be a medical professional also, you may not need the supervision of an OT or PT, unless your state licensure requirements limit your scope of practice to only your role as an assistant. If you are billing a medical insurer or your client is submitting a claim for reimbursement for your services, then you may need the supervision of an OT or PT. You must check with your state licensing office, the insurance companies, and/or an attorney to be sure. This reply is NOT a substitute for seeking professional legal advice.

You can decide how you want to structure your services once you establish your goals as a consultant and develop a business plan. Make sure that you do not practice beyond your skills and training level and that you continuously update your knowledge with on-the-job experiences, reading, Internet research, and continuing education. Having a business mentor is also a way to help insure that you are staying safely within your scope of practice. AOTSS Accessibility Seminars and Internet-based Training Programs have a mentoring component that provides such guidance in particular areas of accessibility consulting.