From an occupational therapy educator perspective, completion of the most recent NBCOT OTR and COTA practice analysis studies and implementation of the new ACOTE Accreditation Standards (effective July 31, 2013) for OT and OTA education are timely reminders of the forces influencing curricular development.  While distinct missions drive both entities, it is the occupational therapy educational community who strive to meet both the ACOTE accreditation standards and successfully prepare their students to take the NBCOT certification examinations.  Recently, NBCOT completed two reports comparing the results of the OTR and COTA practice analysis studies - NBCOT Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements for the OTR and COTA - with the ACOTE Accreditation Standards for an Educational Program for the OT and OTA.  The reviews showed there are close links between the NBCOT and ACOTE documents.  The result of these reviews suggest that if an OT or OTA program has met the ACOTE standards, it can be assumed the program has also provided adequate learning opportunities to generally cover the areas contained in the NBCOT Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements for the OTR and COTA.

Click the following links to view the 2013 Matrix Study Reports:

OTR Matrix Study

COTA Matrix Study