0.50 FTE - Orientation and Mobility Specialist - Permanent

Job Description

The Durham Catholic District School Board is located just east of Toronto and is renowned for providing comprehensive Catholic education to over 25,000 students in 38 elementary schools, 7 secondary schools, and 7 continuing and alternative education centers throughout Durham Region.

The Durham Catholic District School Board invites applications from qualified candidates interested in the following position:

Position:

Orientation and Mobility Specialist (Permanent - 0.50 FTE)

Location:

Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB)
Student Services (assigned school locations)
650 Rossland Road West
Oshawa, ON L1J 7C4

Hours of Work:

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Salary:

As per APSSP Collective Agreement ($51,646 - $97,887 annually)

Start Date:

December 1, 2025

Interested candidates are invited to apply through this posting on Apply to Education.

Compensation will be dependent on placement on the salary grid (as per applicable collective agreement), prorated by FTE. Placement is determined by level of education and years of relevant experience.

This posting is to fill an existing permanent vacancy.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Superintendent of Student Services, the Orientation and Mobility Specialist is responsible for instructing travel skills to children who are visually impaired, including the use of canes, dog guides, sophisticated electronic traveling aids, as well as the sighted guide technique. Orientation and Mobility Specialists instruct children how to move from one place to another safely and independently. The incumbent will also instruct children to orient themselves to their surroundings—they will provide the skills and knowledge base to determine one’s distance and direction relative to things observed, heard, or remembered in one’s surroundings and the ability to keep track of these spatial relationships as they change during locomotion.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide instruction (on a 1:1 basis) to students with a visual impairment, including those students with additional exceptionalities to navigate as is possible within the school and/or community setting. May include pre-cane/adapted cane skills, white cane skills, sighted guide, spatial and sensory skills.
• Provide instruction in the use of electronic travel aids.
• Consult with school personnel (i.e. Principals/Vice Principals, Teachers, Educational Assistants), parents, outside agencies, Blind/Low Vision Program colleagues concerning issues regarding accessibility needs to assist blind and visually impaired students.
• Document student progress and prepare related reports.
• Transpose instructional materials into braille, tactile format (raised line maps, diagrams), and enlarged print.
• Other duties as requested.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Master’s degree in Orientation and Mobility
• OR completion of post-graduate studies in Orientation & Mobility from one (1) of the below recognized programs:
• University of British Columbia (UBC) certificate in Orientation & Mobility
• Mohawk College Instructor for the Blind and Visually Impaired program
• University of Montreal diploma in Specialized Studies, O&M and Vision Rehabilitation
• Current certification by The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI) is an asset.

Experience:

• Two (2) years’ experience instructing visually impaired students to navigate independently, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Prior related experience working in a school setting with students across a range of ages is preferred.

Other Qualifications:

• Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Working knowledge and/or certification in braille.
• Able to communicate in a sensitive, courteous manner with students, parents, staff and the general public.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Understanding of and commitment to confidentiality.
• Must have valid driver’s license/insurance and consistent use of a vehicle.
• Criminal Background Check suitable to the Board is a condition of employment.