Earning the ATP
Our Story Thus Far, and the Chapters Ahead
Recapping the year and looking ahead.
- By Laurie Watanabe
- Jan 01, 2010
Happy new year to all — those of you who are studying alongside or
following along as I study to take the (practice) ATP exam, and those
of you who oh-so-helpfully shout out to me in airports and at registration
desks at hotels: “Hey, Laurie, how’s the exam prep going? Shouldn’t you be
studying right now?”
So here’s the official update: My three-month bout with bronchitis at
the end of August taught me a bit about nebulizers, but I don’t expect
respiratory DME to be on the RESNA exam. So my illness wasn’t a
learning experience from the exam standpoint, and from a time standpoint,
it has put me several months behind where I expected to be.
For those of you just joining us — a year ago, RESNA’s Assistive
Technology Practitioner and Assistive Technology Supplier certifications
merged to become the current Assistive Technology Professional (ATP). I
don’t have the face-to-face, hands-on assistive technology hours and
experience to take the actual exam, but RESNA is fine with my taking the practice exam and sharing my results and experiences along the way.
I am trying to model my study parameters after what an RTS might
face if he/she tried to prepare for the exam. In other words, I’m
studying for the exam on top of my “day job,” not as part of it. My
prep, therefore, is largely taking place during evenings, weekends and
during occasional “dead times,” such as on planes while traveling to
conferences and shows.
What We’ve Covered (& Learned) Thus Far
For anyone whose new year’s resolutions included preparing to take this
exam, I’ve listed all the resources we’ve used so far. Many of them come
recommended by the mentors who’ve helped us along the way. When
possible, I’ve included information on pricing, too.
Next month, we’re returning to all-new info — and we’ll be tackling
professional ethics and public policy
Resources for the ATP Exam: Main Texts
Cook & Hussey’s Assistive Technology: Principles & Practice by Albert Cook & Janice Miller Polgar: $71.36, new*
Human Anatomy Coloring Book by Margaret Matt: $3.95, new*
Fundamentals in Assistive Technology edited by Michelle L. Lange: $80, new**
Anatomy
Anatomy Made Ridiculously Simple by Stephen Goldberg, M.D.: $27.95 new*
Medical terminology classes at local community college
Online: from no-cost (free-ed.net/sweethaven/MedTech/MedTerm/default.asp) to $400+ for an accredited course
including the cost of the textbook
In-Person: Contact community colleges or search online under “medical terminology class”
Visual aids, such as anatomical posters: anatomywarehouse.com, et al: $6-19.99 per poster
WebAnatomy, a free interactive quiz site: http://msjensen.cehd.umn.edu/WEBANATOMY/skeletons_skulls/default.html
Augmentative & Alternative Communications
Augmentative & Alternative Communication by David Beukelman and Pat Miranda: $52.47, new*
augcominc.com: An RERC grant is now enabling visitors to download all past issues of Augmentative Communication News and Alternatively Speaking
lburkhart.com: Linda J. Burkhart’s site provides links to all sorts of aug comm manufacturers, publications, resources and
organizations.
Automotive Access
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety, divided into segments for
consumers, prescribers, manufacturers & transporters. This comprehensive site on the WC19 standard explains what the
standard requires and features a list of wheelchairs & seating systems that have been successfully crash tested: rercwts.org/WC19.html.
The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED), whose members assess motor vehicle drivers and passengers
for adaptive automotive equipment. Check out the fact sheets, such as Driving & SCI, Driving & Stroke, and Driving& TBI. They describe the difficulties to look for during driver assessments: driver-ed.org.
* At retailers such as amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Borders ** At resna.org
This article originally appeared in the January 2010 issue of Mobility Management.
About the Author
Laurie Watanabe is the editor of Mobility Management. She can be reached at lwatanabe@1105media.com.