42203 – Instructors of persons with disabilities
Lead statement
Instructors of persons with disabilities teach children and adults using a variety of techniques to facilitate communication, rehabilitation, social skills and increased independence.
Main duties
- Develop individualized education and intervention plans based on special needs of client to facilitate their readaptation and independence objectives
- Assess individuals in areas such as physical limitations, orientation and mobility skills, and cognitive, social and emotional barriers to establish client rehabilitation or adaptation goals
- Assist individuals with physical, intellectual, visual and hearing disabilities or multiple disorders to develop life skills and provide job training
- Instruct individuals with disabilities and their families in the use of rehabilitative techniques, prosthetic devices, wheelchairs and other equipment designed to maximize clients' independence and potential
- Instruct persons with a visual impairment in reading and writing braille and in the use of special equipment or supports such as human or animal guides, long canes and other adaptive mobility devices
- Instruct persons who are hard of hearing or deaf in lip-reading, finger spelling and sign language according to individual communication needs
- Instruct persons who are hard of hearing or deaf in the formation and development of sounds for speech using hearing aids, and other devices and techniques
- Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counsellors, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, to develop programs for clients' special needs
Employment requirements
- Completion of a college program in special education, rehabilitation, orientation and mobility, visual impairment, hearing impairment or intellectual disability is required.
- A bachelor's degree in special education or a related field such as social work or psychology may be required.
Example job titles
instructor of persons with disabilities · special education technician - persons with disabilities · instructor of persons who are hard of hearing · teacher of persons who are hard of hearing · teacher of persons who are hearing impaired · instructor of persons with a visual impairment · instructor of persons who are blind · instructor of persons with developmental disabilities · teacher for persons with intellectual disabilities · orientation and mobility instructor · sign language instructor · teacher of persons who are blind · teacher of persons with a visual impairment · teacher of persons who are deaf · instructor of persons with intellectual disabilities · teacher of persons with a mobility impairment · orientation and mobility teacher for persons who are blind · orientation and mobility teacher of persons with a visual impairment · rehabilitation teacher · rehabilitation teacher of persons with a visual impairment · rehabilitation teacher for persons who are blind · rehabilitation instructor for persons who are blind · rehabilitation instructor of persons with a visual impairment · orientation and mobility instructor for persons with a visual impairment · braille instructor · teacher of braille · braille teacher · sign language teacher · finger-spelling teacher · lip-reading teacher · special programs instructor for persons with disabilities · teacher for persons with autism · job coach for persons with disabilities · teacher of persons with developmental disabilities · instructor of persons with a mobility impairment · instructor of persons with special needs · instructor of persons who are deaf · lip-reading instructor · instructor of persons with a learning disability · deafblind intervenor
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $20.00 | $30.00 | $35.90 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $18.16 | $24.50 | $40.44 |
| Nova Scotia | $19.50 | $30.21 | $43.50 |
| New Brunswick | $16.43 | $21.60 | $29.59 |
| Quebec | $25.00 | $32.93 | $36.00 |
| Ontario | $19.23 | $27.50 | $35.90 |
| Saskatchewan | $19.85 | $26.43 | $39.62 |
| Alberta | $18.86 | $27.91 | $41.64 |
| British Columbia | $20.00 | $29.01 | $33.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.