Professional Development for Orientation and Mobility Specialists

mindset for teachers orientation and mobility teacher resource Nov 25, 2025

Staying current in the field of visual impairment education requires consistent effort. Professional development for Orientation and Mobility Specialists serves as the foundation for maintaining certification and providing the highest quality instruction to students.

Many O&M specialists are itinerant teachers where they are the sole provider in a district. This isolation makes connecting with the broader community essential. We must actively seek out educational opportunities to learn new strategies and connect with peers.

As someone who has been hosting my own conference for Orientation and Mobility Specialists, which is the International Orientation and Mobility Online Symposium (IOMOS), I can say that I’ve got quite an experience when it comes to choosing a conference that would move the needle for me. So in this article, I’d like to give out a few insights as someone who has hosted and attended conferences throughout the years. What to look for in a conference, where to find professional development opportunities, and the pros and cons of attending in-person and online conferences.

Why do we need Professional Development?

At its core, professional development is essential for maintaining your credentials as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS). The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) requires recertification every five years. This process ensures that every O&M specialist remains competent in current methodologies.

Building Career Longevity and Expertise

Attending workshops and conferences does more than satisfy a point requirement. It allows you to refine your skills. You might have learned the basics of cane travel in university, but just like our students with visual impairments evolve, so does our profession. New research on cerebral visual impairment (CVI) or assistive technology emerges constantly. Participating in professional development opportunities ensures your skills grow alongside these industry changes.

Overcoming Itinerant Isolation

A major challenge for many O&M specialists is the lack of daily interaction with peers. You may be the only person in your building who understands what a long cane is or how to teach street crossing, or sometimes in your whole district. Professional development events provide a unique space to speak a common language with others who understand your daily reality. These interactions validate your experiences and offer solutions to specific instructional problems you face in the field.

Expanding Your Professional Network

Conferences put you in the same room as the leaders of our industry. You have the chance to speak with university professors, textbook authors, and researchers. These connections can lead to mentorship opportunities, collaborations or career advancements that are impossible to find when working in a silo.

Sources for O&M Professional Development

Finding quality training can be difficult if you do not know where to look. Based on current industry standards and the resources discussed by experts in the field, these are the five primary entities where you should look for membership and training.

1. Society of Exceptional Educators

The Society of Exceptional Educators offers a community-focused approach to professional growth. They provide options for both free and paid memberships. Their focus is on tangible strategies that you can use immediately with your students. They offer monthly meetups and weekly newsletters filled with tips. This is an excellent starting point for specialists who want consistent, digestible support throughout the school year.

Now I’ll be honest, despite being the founder of The Society of Exceptional Educators, I truly believe that our company holds a space that helps O&M Specialists thrive with new information. Our annual event for O&M Specialists, which is the International Orientation and Mobility Online Symposium, has had more than 500 O&M Specialists in attendance from all over the world. A lot of our presenters come from different parts of the world, and here I’ve realized how vast our profession is with different cultures, practices, and strategies.

2. Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind (AER)

AER is the major professional organization for our field in North America. The full name is the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. This organization covers all aspects of the profession and includes separate divisions for different specialties. They have large national conferences and smaller state chapters. Joining your local state chapter is often the best way to find accessible, local workshops and meet colleagues in your immediate geographic area.

3. Orientation and Mobility Specialist Association (OMSA)

OMSA is a specialized organization specifically for O&M professionals. One distinct feature of OMSA is its inclusivity regarding guide dog handlers. They welcome O&M specialists who are blind or low vision and guide dog users. They often host town halls which are sometimes free to attend. These events are excellent for staying updated on current advocacy issues within the profession.

4. National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

The National Federation of the Blind offers professional development rooted in the structured discovery method. This approach emphasizes non-visual techniques and problem-solving. If you work primarily with adults or want to deepen your understanding of the long white cane and blindness philosophy, the NFB is a valuable resource. They focus heavily on independence and the capabilities of blind individuals.

5. International Mobility Council

The International Mobility Council offers a global perspective on our field. They typically host a major conference every two years in different locations around the world. This is ideal for specialists who want to understand how orientation and mobility is taught in different cultures and countries. It provides a broader worldview that can enrich your local practice.

In-Person vs. Online O&M Conferences

The landscape of professional learning has changed. You now have the choice between traveling to a convention center or logging in from home. Both formats have distinct advantages depending on your current needs and lifestyle.

The Value of In-Person Attendance

Attending a conference in person offers total immersion. You leave your daily responsibilities behind and focus entirely on learning. The conversations that happen in the hallways or during lunch are often just as valuable as the sessions themselves. You can ask questions to presenters directly and build stronger relationships with colleagues.

The Flexibility of Online Learning

Online conferences provide accessibility. You do not have to deal with airports, hotels, or finding pet sitters. You can watch presentations from your home office. This format allows you to engage with the material without the physical exhaustion of travel. Chat features in virtual platforms often allow for lively discussions where you can connect with hundreds of other attendees instantly.

Making the Right Choice for Your Schedule

You must assess what you need at this moment in your career. If you are feeling burnt out and isolated, an in-person event might revitalize your passion. If you are juggling a busy family life or cannot take time off work, an online option ensures you still get your CEUs without the stress of traveling and still getting the chance to connect with other O&M Specialists.

Choosing the Right Professional Development Opportunity for You:

A common mistake is choosing PD opportunities solely to fill a quota for CEU credits. Now I know we’re all very busy and oftentimes would leave PD opportunities at the last minute. But in my opinion, you should view your professional development opportunities as a strategic tool to improve your teaching. So here’s a few things to consider when choosing the right PD for yourself:

Assessing Your Caseload Needs

Look at your current list of students. Identify the areas where you feel least confident. If you have a student with deafblindness, seek out specific training on tactile communication. If you are working with toddlers, look for early intervention mobility trainings. Choosing training based on your students ensures that the time you spend learning directly impacts your instruction the next day.

Avoiding the "Code Grabbing" Mentality

It is tempting to log into a webinar just to get the opening and closing codes for credit. However, it not only wastes your time, but also your value for money (especially if it's a paid conference). Active engagement helps you retain information. If you attend an online session, participate in the chat. Take notes. Treat the session with the same seriousness you would if you were sitting in the front row of a lecture hall.

Planning for Recertification Cycles

ACVREP recertification requires planning. You need 100 points every five years. Spreading this out is much easier than trying to cram all your hours into the final six months. Create a simple tracker for yourself. Aim to complete roughly 20 hours of professional development each year. This steady pace keeps your knowledge fresh and reduces the incoming stress of filling in your CEU credits.

Collaboration Between O&M Specialists and Teachers

Professional development doesn’t only apply to your own individual growth. It is also about learning how to work better with the rest of the educational team.

Part of your own professional development should involve learning how to communicate with Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs) and classroom teachers. Many workshops now cover consultation and trainings. These sessions teach you how to explain O&M concepts to non-experts. This is a vital skill for ensuring your students practice their mobility skills when you are not there.

Shared Learning Opportunities

Consider attending the TVI symposiums or general special education conferences. Understanding the challenges your colleagues face helps you work together more effectively. When you understand the academic pressures on a student, you can better schedule your pull-out sessions to minimize disruption.

My Advice to Orientation and Mobility Specialists

I think that that's one of the biggest flaws that we have, in general, is that we don't take the time out of our schedules. And you will hear me say these two things multiple times, like over and over and over again

Time is not had, it’s made.

If you want to get better at whatever career you are going into or you are doing, whether it's Orientation and Mobility or anything else, you've got to make time to get better at it. It's not just going to come to you.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There

So you are performing at the level that you're performing at because of the skills that you did before, but if you expect those skills that you did before to get you to a new level, that's literally the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you do the same things over and over again, but you expect to be better, it's not always going to work that way.

Yes, you need to put in your reps. You need to get better at things. But that's going to give you a 2x and we know that 10x is much easier than 2x so when you think about it, one thing I want you to really figure out is, how can I get more professional development in my day, in my week, in my year, and how can I make that investment on time work for me? Because we're all busy, and what you don't want to do is just let more and more time go by without you actually investing in yourself.

Final Thoughts

Prioritizing professional development for Orientation and Mobility Specialists is the single best investment you can make in your career. It prevents burnout. It connects you with a supportive community. Most importantly, it ensures you have the skills to help your students navigate the world safely and independently.

Take the time to review the five organizations listed above. Choose one conference or workshop to attend this year. Commit to the process of learning. Your future self and your students will thank you for it.

Frequently Asked Questions about Orientation and Mobility Training

How many CEUs does a COMS need for recertification?

A Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) needs to accrue 100 points every five years to maintain certification with ACVREP.

Where can I get free ACVREP CEUs?

You can find free CEU opportunities through organizations like the Society of Exceptional Educators, Perkins eLearning, and various state schools for the blind that offer public webinars.

What is the difference between OMSA and AER?

AER is a broad organization covering all blindness and visual impairment professionals including teachers and rehabilitation therapists. OMSA is specifically dedicated to the unique needs and interests of Orientation and Mobility Specialists.

Can I get CEUs from watching YouTube videos?

Generally, simply watching a video does not count for ACVREP credit unless it is part of a structured course that issues a certificate of attendance or is offered by a registered provider.

Is online professional development as good as in-person?

Online PD opportunities offer convenience and access to experts you might not otherwise see. As a busy mom and itinerant O&M Specialist, I’d like to say that it does, but only when you know how you can maximize the benefits of attending an online conference.

Related Events:

January 28-30, 2026 | The International Orientation and Mobility Online Symposium

topics covered: orientation and mobility, orientation and mobility training, orientation and mobility specialist, COMS, orientation and mobility professional development opportunities, professional development for teachers, students with visual impairments, visually impaired students, vision impairment, visual impairments, ACVREP, AER, NFB, OMSA, orientation and mobility certification, CEU