O&M: Isn't a two year AA degree enough?

Its your favorite OT again (see article in volume 2). Although my article seemed to be well-loved by our readers, I thought I would follow-up with a few questions for my "expert" friends in the field.

Can you seriously believe that O&M is a four year or graduate degree? Does it really take that long to learn how to teach O&M? Was I wrong in my last article - can it really be rocket science?

What does O&M really involve? Sure, it is a very valuable service. Why can’t it be a two year degree? As stated last time, some of the best O&M people I have worked with have been agency trained. The training may have lasted many hours, many months, but certainly they did not require a bachelor’s degree or masters.

A two year degree would still allow sufficient time for a student to learn a great deal about vision, assessment, documentation, and other skills they need. They would have time for a supervised practicum and internship.

Some training programs provide a person for dual certification, such as in rehabilitation teaching. That, surely, must require a four year degree. However, is that realistic? If a person wanted to become a full-time O&M specialist, why couldn't they opt for a two year degree at their local junior college?

Have groups such as AER created a cottage industry out of the schools that provide training, combined with AER’s "certification"? Do certified O&M instructors provide better training than agency-trained staff? Not in my experience.