OTA Functional Technical Standards

Current Best Practice in the Field

Advances in technologies, recent case law and a growing cohort of health science professionals with disabilities in practice have challenged programs to rethink their technical standards.

Modern technologies such as high-frequency audio and visual output stethoscopes, standing wheelchairs and voice-to-text technologies allow individuals with disabilities to perform the same tasks asked of their peers with equal competence. By focusing on the final competency, not the method a student uses, programs measure the “what” and not the “how.”

Recent commentaries in the literature warn of the legal implications of maintaining organic technical standards, while others suggest that outdated and discriminatory technical standards that do not accurately reflect the technical skills needed in the twenty-first century may negatively affect learners.

Best practice, therefore, necessitates that schools revise their technical standards to align with functional technical standards that focus on students’ ability to perform with or without the use of accommodations or assistive technologies. The distinct difference in functional technical standards is the lack of a motor skills category that is replaced by language that represents what a clinician does versus how they do it.

Experts support the move to functional technical standards and recommend that explicit information about the school’s compliance with the ADA and the process for requesting accommodations be clearly articulated on the website and other program communications.

Programs should ensure, through technical standards, that applicants and matriculated students understand the process for requesting accommodations. It should be clear to the current and prospective students that the program encourages disclosure of disability and maintains a commitment to students with disabilities.

Information about the process may look different for different programs, but at a minimum, technical standards should contain three fundamental elements:

The Owens Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant program is committed to diversity and to attracting and educating students who will make the population of healthcare professionals representative of the national population. The Occupational Therapy Assistant program strives to produce highly skilled and compassionate occupational therapy assistants. The functional technical standards delineated below must be met with or without accommodation.

Functional Technical Standards

Category Functional Technical Standard
Observation Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should be able to obtain information from demonstrations in lecture, lab and clinical experiences. Students should be able to assess a patient and evaluate findings accurately. These skills require the use of vision, hearing and touch or the functional equivalent.
Communication Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should be able to communicate with patients in order to elicit information, to detect changes in mood and activity, and to establish a therapeutic relationship. Students should be able to communicate via English effectively and sensitively with patients and all members of the healthcare team both in person and in writing.
Motor Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should, after a reasonable period of time, develop the ability to conduct assessments and implement therapeutic interventions effectively. They should be capable of performing motor tasks necessary for delivering care to clients, including assisting with or guiding therapeutic activities and responding to emergencies when needed. These tasks require coordination of gross and fine motor skills, as well as balance and equilibrium.
Acquiring Fundamental Knowledge Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students must be able to learn through a variety of instructional methods, including but not limited to hands-on laboratory experiences, physical demonstrations, group and team-based collaborative activities, individual study, preparation and delivery of presentations, and the use of computer technology.
Information Literacy Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students must be able to access, evaluate, and use a variety of information resources such as library services, electronic catalogs and databases, in an efficient, ethical and legal manner.
Intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should be able to integrate detailed and complex information from both academic and clinical coursework while engaging in critical thinking and problem-solving. They are expected to demonstrate the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize and effectively communicate information. Additionally, students should understand three-dimensional and spatial relationships relevant to human anatomy and the environment.
Behavioral and social abilities Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should possess the ability to adapt effectively to fluctuations in emotional and physical stress levels to include the ability to maintain composure in moderate to high levels of stress in emergency situations.
Ethics and professionalism Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should uphold and demonstrate ethical and moral behaviors consistent with the role of an OTA in all interactions with clients, faculty, staff, peers and the public. Students are expected to understand the legal and ethical principles of occupational therapy practice and adhere to the laws and professional standards governing the profession.

Students who, after review of the functional technical standards, determine that they require accommodation to fully engage in the program, should contact the Disability Resource Center to confidentially discuss their accommodation needs. Given the clinical nature of the program, additional time may be needed to implement accommodations. Accommodations are never retroactive; therefore, timely requests are essential and encouraged.

Fulfillment of the functional technical standards for graduation does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to fulfill the technical requirements of any specific employment site.

Technical Standards and Functional Technical Standards of the OTA Program

Skill Technical Standard Functional Technical Standard
Communication Effectively communicate with individuals in all health care professions, clients, family members and care providers. Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should be able to obtain information from demonstrations in lecture, lab and clinical experiences. Students should be able to assess a patient and evaluate findings accurately. These skills require the use of vision, hearing and touch or the functional equivalent.
Motor (Previously Strength and Coordination)

Sufficient body strength to sustain work level on a full-time basis, while performing intermittent moderate to heavy work levels and the ability to assist a person to move to different positions and surfaces.

Exhibit effective tool use, dressing, personal hygiene, grooming, cooking and written communication skills.

 Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students should, after a reasonable period of time, develop the ability to conduct assessments and implement therapeutic interventions effectively. They should be capable of performing motor tasks necessary for delivering care to clients, including assisting with or guiding therapeutic activities and responding to emergencies when needed. These tasks require coordination of gross and fine motor skills, as well as balance and equilibrium.