Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Technology and Communications Skills Instructor will work with clients, who range in age from 14 – 90, teaching them a wide variety of nonvisual skills related to accessible means for personal computer use, smartphone use, note taking techniques, Braille, and paper/digital record keeping skills. This individual will keep daily notes on each client and stay current on approaches for accessing print. Also, they will evaluate clients’ progress, make recommendations for the client, present at department meetings and conferences and perform other related duties.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technology Skills Instructor teaches a wide-variety of topics including but not limited to:

• Touch typing of alphabet, numbers and special keys.
• Document creation, navigation and editing.
• Windows based assistive software, including NVDA, JAWS, ZoomText, Fusion, Narrator, and Windows Magnifier.
• Mac OS based assistive software, including VoiceOver and Zoom.
• ChromeBook assistive software, including text to speech (TTS) and display enhancements, optical character recognition.
• Microsoft Office apps: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and One Drive
• Google Suite App: Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and Calendar
• iWork apps: Finder, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Notes, Calendar, and Mail
• Web browsers: Chrome, Edge, FireFox, and Safari.

Braille:

• Provides instruction for reading and writing uncontracted and/or contracted literary braille.
• The fundamentals of the Unified English Braille code.
• Access to and instruction in various refreshable braille devices.

Recordkeeping:

• Methods of note-taking, including digital voice recording devices, cellular telephone recording apps, computer-based word processing, and braille note taking.
• Labeling choices using a variety of tactile and audio methods.
• Identifying alternatives for accessing print information (e.g. optical character recognition programs, magnification, electronic newspapers, audio books and magazines, braille, etc.).
• Use of handwriting guides for signatures, check-writing, addressing envelopes and full-page guides for personal letters and lists
• Methods for time management and appointment tracking (e.g. Calendar apps, accessible timers and alarms, recorded schedules, etc.).
• Finance management (e.g. accessible banking websites and apps, raised line checks, talking ATMS, automatic bill payments, and telephone banking).
• Blindness resources information, including addresses, websites and telephone numbers related to record keeping.

Cellphone/Tablets:

• Mobile apps, including for communications, audio recording, typed note taking, optical character recognition (OCR), sighted assistance, schedule management, banking, shopping, rideshare, public transit tracking, news, books, audio described media, and other topics as needed.

Additional tasks in all above instructional areas may include:

• Vocational applications of skills
• Resume writing and job search using websites

Additionally:

• Keep daily notes on students’ progress
• Produce interim and final reports reflecting progress throughout the program.
• Attend weekly case management meetings for full group discussion of student progress.
• Present on student progress and recommendations at evaluation and final meetings with student, staff, and VR counselor.
• Track supplies and identify needs for updating equipment.
• Recommend department training needs.
• Present at student and staff meetings on specific skill topics.
• Pending census, maintain a full weekly class schedule with a mix of 1-1 and group classes that average 23 classes per week.
• Speak in public settings like (e.g. graduations, to potential donors  and prospective consumers).
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

BENEFITS

We offer a generous benefits package to include health and dental coverage, vision, Flexible Spending Account, 3 weeks accrued vacation, personal day, 12 accrued sick days, 11 holidays and a retirement program (403b) with up to a 3% employer match.