Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
If you’re looking for CPD opportunities, remember to check the website for suggestions. Check out these pages for conferences and other CPD opportunities.
Are you hosting or attending an upcoming CPD event? Would you like to be able to earn points towards ACVREP recertification at the same time? Click here to find out how you can register your event.
The SPEVI Virtual Conference 2021 will be held online from 18-19 January 2021 with the theme Celebrating Change. The SPEVI 2021 Conference Program is now available. The conference is free for SPEVI members so it’s worth signing up! Click here to register and/or to join SPEVI.
The 2021 O&M Online International Symposium will be held 3-5 February 2021. To read more and register, click here.
OMAA Professional Development Committee Survey 2020
To cater for the professional development needs of OMAA members in 2021, the Professional Development Committee has released a survey. Your opinion is important to us so please take 5 minutes to complete the survey. We would like as many responses as possible! You can find the survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LG9BVNG
Job Vacancies
Have you looked at the Job Vacancies page on the OMAA website recently? You’ll find position vacancies listed for various agencies and locations across Australasia so remember to check it regularly.
Remote learning ideas and insights:
This year has meant we have all had to do far more remote learning and telepractice than any of us would ever have anticipated as we went in and out of COVID lockdowns. Below are some further suggestions for remote learning, including O&M lesson ideas.
- The Perkins School for the Blind Lesson Library is now live where you will find remote lessons for students who are vision impaired and blind. It is still under construction and new lessons are constantly being added. To read more, including how to add your own O&M session ideas to the Lesson Library, click here.
- More O&M remote learning and telepractice ideas can be found in this article.
- An interesting article from an orthoptist working on the NSW and Victorian border who outlines the insights she gained from providing services via telepractice.
From the Insight ophthalmic newsletter:
- A study conducted on behalf of Specsavers has found that more than half of Australians are unaware that the sun causes permanent eye damage. Click here to read more.
- The Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) has developed a short quiz for over 50s to determine if they have any risk factors for macular disease. The Check My Macula initiative and quiz was developed after a recent survey found 1 in 7 Australians over 50 has the early signs of Age-related Macular Degeneration but may not be aware.
Technology news:
- A new version of Victor Reader Trek software has been announced. You can learn about the exciting new features in Victor Reader Trek 2.1 via a live Zoom webinar on Tuesday 9th December at 11am AEST. Click here to register for this webinar.
- Microsoft Soundscape Version 3.1.0 changes include the ability to use Soundscape Street Preview to explore your neighbourhood or check out a new area, and share your current location with a friend. You can read more at the App Store.
- The People Detection Accessibility Feature for iPhone 12 Pro enables users to detect things such as empty seats and queues. This feature, which is part of the Magnifier app, can also help people with vision impairment and blindness with social distancing. Read more at the Cool Blind Tech site and in this article.
From the Access and Inclusion through Technology newsletter:
- An interesting article about autonomous vehicles and how they are assisting people with disabilities during COVID lockdown and in airports.
- A webinar on Augmented Reality and how it can help people with vision impairment.
- Great news for gamers! Increased accessibility for vision impaired users in the latest Xbox and the PS5.
How a blind CEO builds a strong team:
 A great article and clip about CEO Chan Yau, who is blind. He believes that ‘hiring people from differently-abled backgrounds allows co-workers to empathise and view challenges from a different perspective’.
International White Cane Day clip:
And finally, something to make you smile:Â A YouTube clip called Have cane, will travel. This song was written by long cane user Pete Vance to celebrate International White Cane Day which was celebrated on October 15.
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