- The CATIS Body of Knowledge is organized into exactly 4 domains: Assessment, Instruction, Configuration, and Exploration.
- ACVREP administers CATIS; eligibility runs through 3 distinct pathways plus a 350-hour supervised internship with 280 direct-service hours.
- Total initial fees are $755 ($140 eligibility review, $490 examination, $125 initial certification), with one retake built into the exam fee.
- Rescheduling triggers a fresh 30-calendar-day waiting period, so domain review timing matters for scheduling decisions.
Overview of the CATIS Body of Knowledge
The Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for Individuals with Visual Impairments (CATIS) credential is administered by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), with registration and scheduling coordinated through ACVREP and Webassessor. The current official Body of Knowledge that defines the examination organizes everything a candidate must know into 4 domains: Assessment, Instruction, Configuration, and Exploration. These four domains are not arbitrary categories - they map directly onto the actual workflow of a specialist who evaluates a client's functional vision and technology needs, teaches use of assistive devices, sets up and customizes hardware and software, and helps clients and employers understand what tools exist and how they fit real-world tasks.
If you're just starting to plan your preparation, it helps to first understand CATIS eligibility requirements and how the domains fit into the broader certification process before diving into domain-level study. This guide breaks down each domain individually, then shows how they connect to the exam-day experience and the registration process itself.
Domain 1: Assessment
Assessment is the starting point of nearly every service a CATIS provides. Before recommending or configuring any device, a specialist must accurately determine what a client can see, how they use residual vision, what their functional goals are, and what environmental or task-based barriers exist. This domain tests whether a candidate can conduct and interpret the kind of evaluation that leads to sound assistive technology decisions.
Assessment
Candidates must understand how to gather information about a client's visual functioning, technology history, learning style, and environment in order to recommend appropriate tools and instructional approaches.
- Interpreting functional vision information as it relates to technology use (not clinical diagnosis)
- Identifying a client's current technology skills, prior device exposure, and comfort level
- Recognizing environmental and task demands that affect device selection
- Documenting assessment findings in a way that supports individualized planning
Expect exam items in this domain to present a short client scenario and ask you to identify the most appropriate next assessment step, or to interpret assessment information correctly before a technology recommendation is made. This is less about memorizing terminology and more about applying a consistent evaluation process.
Domain 2: Instruction
Once needs are identified, the CATIS role shifts to teaching. Instruction covers how a specialist structures lessons, sequences skill-building, adapts teaching methods to different learners, and measures whether instruction is working. This domain draws heavily on principles of adult and child learning as applied specifically to assistive technology for visual impairment.
Instruction
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to plan, deliver, and adjust technology instruction for learners with a wide range of ages, vision levels, and prior experience.
- Sequencing lessons from foundational skills to independent task completion
- Selecting instructional strategies suited to different learning styles and disabilities
- Monitoring progress and adjusting instruction when a technique isn't working
- Applying appropriate pacing for clients who are new to a device versus those transitioning between devices
This domain frequently overlaps with Assessment on the exam - a scenario may open with assessment information and then ask an instruction-focused question about how to teach based on those findings. Recognizing that overlap is one reason the CATIS study guide recommends studying Assessment and Instruction close together rather than in isolation.
Key Takeaway
Don't study Instruction as a stand-alone topic. Nearly every Instruction question is anchored to an assessment scenario, so practice moving from "what did the assessment reveal" to "what should instruction look like next."
Domain 3: Configuration
Configuration is the most technically hands-on domain. It covers the practical setup, customization, and troubleshooting of assistive technology hardware and software - screen readers, magnification software, braille displays, accessible operating system settings, and related tools used by individuals with visual impairments.
Configuration
Candidates must know how to set up and adjust assistive technology so it matches an individual client's needs, device environment, and level of independence.
- Adjusting settings on screen readers, magnifiers, and related software to match visual and functional needs
- Configuring device compatibility across operating systems and peripherals
- Troubleshooting common setup problems that block effective use
- Balancing default settings against individualized customization for specific tasks
Because assistive technology changes over time, Configuration questions tend to test conceptual understanding of why a setting matters rather than requiring memorization of a specific software version's menu structure. Candidates who have direct hands-on experience configuring AT for real clients - which is also built into the required 350-hour supervised internship - generally find this domain more intuitive than candidates studying it purely from reading material.
Domain 4: Exploration
Exploration is the domain most candidates underestimate. It covers staying current with the assistive technology landscape - knowing what tools and options exist, how to evaluate new or unfamiliar technology, and how to help clients and employers understand available choices. This domain acknowledges that assistive technology for visual impairment evolves quickly, and a certified specialist has to keep exploring rather than relying only on tools learned during training.
Exploration
Candidates must show they can research, evaluate, and introduce new assistive technology options rather than relying solely on tools they were originally trained on.
- Evaluating new devices or software for fit against a client's existing setup
- Comparing options across cost, learning curve, and compatibility
- Identifying credible sources of updated assistive technology information
- Communicating technology options clearly to clients, families, and employers
Because Exploration questions often describe a scenario involving a newer or less common tool, candidates who only memorize a fixed list of "approved" devices can struggle here. The better approach is understanding the evaluation framework - cost, compatibility, learning curve, client goals - that applies regardless of which specific product appears in the question.
How the Four Domains Interact in Real Practice
On the job, these domains rarely operate independently, and the exam reflects that. A typical scenario-based item might describe a client's assessment findings, then ask what instructional approach fits, which naturally implies a certain device configuration, and may test whether the candidate recognizes an emerging technology option worth exploring. Understanding this workflow - assess, instruct, configure, explore, and often loop back to assess again - is more valuable than memorizing each domain as a sealed-off topic.
| Domain | Core Focus | Typical Question Style |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Evaluating vision function, needs, and environment | Scenario: identify correct next assessment step |
| Instruction | Teaching AT skills and adjusting for the learner | Scenario: select best instructional strategy given assessment data |
| Configuration | Setting up and troubleshooting AT devices/software | Scenario: pick correct setup or fix for a described problem |
| Exploration | Researching and evaluating new AT options | Scenario: compare tools or identify a credible resource |
For a deeper look at how these question styles combine into overall exam difficulty, see how hard the CATIS exam really is and what the available data shows in the CATIS pass rate analysis.
Sequencing Your Study Around the Domains
Because Assessment and Instruction are so closely linked, and Configuration and Exploration both depend on practical familiarity with current AT tools, a domain-aware study order tends to work better than studying strictly in the order the Body of Knowledge lists them. Generic study techniques like spaced repetition or timed review blocks are useful, but only when they're applied against these specific domains rather than generic exam content.
Assessment
- Review functional vision assessment concepts as they relate to AT decisions
- Practice scenario questions that end in an assessment-based decision
Instruction
- Study lesson sequencing and learner-adaptation strategies
- Pair each Instruction concept with an Assessment scenario for context
Configuration
- Review hands-on setup and troubleshooting for common AT categories
- Use internship or work experience to reinforce weaker configuration areas
Exploration
- Practice the evaluation framework: cost, compatibility, learning curve, goals
- Do a full mixed-domain review pass before scheduling the exam
For a more detailed, non-domain-specific preparation timeline and resource list, the CATIS study guide walks through full first-attempt strategy, and the CATIS cheat sheet is useful for a fast final review across all 4 domains.
How Domain Knowledge Connects to Registration and Eligibility
Domain mastery doesn't exist in a vacuum - it has to align with ACVREP's registration and eligibility mechanics. Candidates apply through one of 3 eligibility pathways: a university preparation route in assistive technology for blindness/visual impairment, an education-plus-technical-training-plus-documented-experience route, or a comprehensive postsecondary technical program meeting ACVREP requirements. Category 2 requirements vary depending on educational background, and Category 3 requires a program of at least 1 year plus 1,500 direct-work-experience hours within the most recent 3 years; the supervised internship hours can count toward that experience total.
Regardless of pathway, all candidates must complete the 350-hour CATIS-supervised internship, including 280 hours of direct service, with any offsite supervision arrangement approved by ACVREP before the internship begins. Application materials include pathway-specific education records, clinical-competency documentation, core-domain checklists, and employment verification - notice that "core-domain checklists" directly reference the same 4 domains covered on the exam.
Scheduling also matters for domain-based study planning: exam scheduling requires a 30-calendar-day waiting period, and rescheduling restarts that waiting period. That means candidates should be domain-ready before locking in a date rather than planning to "cram configuration" in the final week - see the CATIS exam dates and scheduling guide for how this affects planning. Once certified, maintaining the credential runs on a 2-year renewal cycle requiring 40 recertification points, including at least 10 points of assistive-technology-specific continuing education, plus a $158 renewal fee; one contact hour equals 1 point and one CEU equals 10 points.
To see how domain mastery translates into hiring outcomes, browse CATIS job opportunities and read the broader ROI analysis of CATIS certification. If you're still deciding whether to pursue the credential at all, start with what CATIS certification actually involves before committing to a study plan built around these 4 domains.
Once you've reviewed each domain, reinforcing recall with realistic scenario practice on our CATIS practice test platform is one of the most direct ways to confirm you can apply Assessment, Instruction, Configuration, and Exploration concepts under exam-like conditions rather than just recognizing them on a study sheet. Repeating mixed-domain practice sets on the main practice site also helps surface which domain needs another review pass before you commit to a testing date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The current official Body of Knowledge organizes the CATIS exam into 4 domains: Assessment, Instruction, Configuration, and Exploration.
Assessment is a strong starting point because Instruction, Configuration, and even Exploration decisions are typically framed around assessment findings in scenario-based questions.
No. Configuration focuses on conceptual setup and troubleshooting principles for assistive technology rather than memorizing menu steps for one specific software version.
Yes. The required 350-hour CATIS-supervised internship, including 280 hours of direct service, gives direct practice with Assessment, Instruction, and Configuration tasks that map to the exam domains.
Rescheduling restarts the 30-calendar-day waiting period, so it's worth confirming domain readiness, especially in Configuration and Exploration, before locking in your original date.