Orientation & Mobility Specialists
Orientation & Mobility Specialists
What Do Orientation and Mobility Specialists Do?
An Orientation and Mobility Specialist supports individuals with disabilities, birth to 26 years, who are blind or visually impaired by teaching them how to travel safely and independently in their school and community.
They provide hands-on instruction in skills such as cane use, spatial awareness, street crossing, and navigating public spaces.
These professionals work closely with families, special educators, and Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired to ensure students can fully access their learning environment.
By building confidence and independence, Orientation and Mobility Specialists help students move through the world with greater safety and opportunity.
An Orientation and Mobility Specialist helps individuals with disabilities, Birth to 26 years, who are blind or visually impaired travel safely and independently. They teach cane use, spatial awareness, street crossing, and navigating school and community spaces.
Explore Careers as a Orientation and Mobility Specialist and Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired in Michigan
If you’re interested in helping to advance students with disabilities and building a meaningful career in education, becoming a Orientation and Mobility Specialist or Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired may be a strong fit. Both professions work closely together.
OPTIMISE connects individuals with information, resources, and pathways to explore special education careers across Michigan.
Skills and Qualities of an Effective Special Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Orientation & Mobility Specialists help individuals with visual impairments gain confidence and independence by helping them with their movements in hallways, neighborhoods, bus stops, and community environments.
You’ll help individuals by:
- teaching long cane techniques
- street crossing and traffic analysis
- spatial and environmental awareness
- public transportation training
- route planning and community navigation
- travel safety assessment
You’re a great fit if you:
- enjoy teaching practical, real-life skills
- are confident coaching others in safety situations
- are comfortable working outside in all seasons
- have strong situational awareness
- are quick to notice environmental details (traffic sounds, surface changes, obstacles)
- are physically active and mobile
Teachers of the blind and visually impaired
Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired help individuals with visual impairments learn curriculum and learning materials.
You’ll help individuals through:
- braille instruction
- tactile graphics and adapted materials
- eye reporting and vision assessments
- using assistive and adaptive technology
- academic accommodations and IEP development
- expanded core curriculum instruction
You’re a great fit if you:
- enjoy teaching reading and math
- like detailed, structure instruction
- are comfortable learning systems like braille
- have strong communication skills
- enjoy adapting materials to meet student needs
- like assistive technology
- interest in curriculum and IEP planning
Education and Training Requirements for Orientation & Mobility Specialist
- Completed a bachelor’s degree (in education or a related field)
- Complete an ACVREP (Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals) program
- Complete supervised fieldwork
- Apply for and Pass the Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) Certification Exam
Education and Training Requirements for Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Have a Michigan Teaching Certificate with a Special Education Endorsement
- Complete 30+ semester hours or equivalent of visually impaired competencies
- Pass the MTTC Visually Impaired test (127) for the Visual Impairment (SK) endorsement
Orientation and Mobility Specialist Degree Programs
Click a orange pin to pursue an advanced career
MDE-LIO Visual Impairment Consortium for Teacher Preparation
The Michigan Department of Education has partnered with out-of-state universities with teacher preparation programs for teachers of children who are Blind/Visually Impaired and Western Michigan University to deliver online programs that will permit certified teachers to obtain an additional endorsement on their Michigan teaching certificate in Visual Impairment.
Financial Resources to Pursue a Orientation & Mobility Specialist Degree
Michigan Scholarships & Grants
Michigan Reconnect Program
Michigan Reconnect is a scholarship program that pays you to attend your in-district community college tuition free or pays up to the in-district rate if you attend a community college where you’re considered out-of-district. Applicants must be 25 years old to apply.
Michigan Promise Zones
Amount: up to $800
High School Graduate Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Amount: $2,000 – $5,500
Federal Scholarships & Grants
File Your FAFSA
Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.You must apply for aid every year.
Federal Student Aid Estimator
The Federal Student Aid Estimator provides an estimate of how much federal student aid the student may be eligible to receive. These estimates are based on the Student Aid Index (SAI), an index to determine federal student aid eligibility.
Subsidized/Un-Subsidized Loans
Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school.
Pell Grant
A federal grant for undergraduate students with financial need.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness*
Amount: up to $17,500
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)*
If you’re employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, you might be eligible for the PSLF Program. The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans
*Borrowers can’t receive credit toward TLF and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for the same period of service. That means, if you seek and receive TLF, the five-year period of service that supported your eligibility will NOT count toward PSLF. We recommend that you consider whether you’re interested in PSLF before deciding to pursue TLF, because we can’t make changes once you receive forgiveness.
Graduate or Professional Direct PLUS Loan
Direct PLUS loans can help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible graduate or professional students through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need, administered directly by financial aid office at each participating school, not all schools participate
Federal Work-Study
part-time employment while enrolled in school, available to undergrad, grad, and professional students with financial need, available to full and part-time students, administered by participating schools, emphasizes employment in civic education and work related to course of study or civic education, on or off campus