Associate ET Membership

The Associate ET Membership is the first step in the pathway of AET's Professional Membership track.

• Open to individuals who have met AET's basic professional academic requirements.
• Associate ET membership is an interim, required step toward ET/Professional membership.
• Dues are $225/year plus a one-time application processing fee of $35.
• As an Associate member, you must complete 10 hours (not units) of continuing education annually. Click here to find AET's continuing education guidelines.

Benefits of an Associate ET Membership

• Listing in the AET Referral Directory
• Link from the Referral Directory to your personal website or blog
• Discounts to AET events
• Professional networking and support
• The Educational Therapist Journal
• Access to local and virtual study groups
• Access to the Members’ Center on the AET website
• Free or discounted webinars

Requirements for an Associate ET Membership

• Complete academic requirements
• Submit Associate ET Application
• Provide current résumé
• Collect two reference letters
• Submit a copy of your transcripts
• Pay Application Fee and dues

View the PDF Application

NOTE: Your Application Form WILL NOT be processed unless the payment fields are filled out in the PDF. Please DO NOT submit your application with this section blank.

Academic Requirements

The following course descriptions are to assist you in determining which classes can be used to fulfill specific requirements.

Foundations of Educational Therapy - One course, 3 units

This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of educational therapists, including the history of the profession, models of practice, and collaboration with families and allied professionals. Courses must address the AET Code of Ethics and Standards for the Professional Practice of Educational Therapy and ethical decision-making models. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Principles of Educational Therapy
• Roles of the Educational Therapist

Introduction to Special Education - One course, 3 units

This course focuses on the characteristics of individuals identified as neurodivergent or as having learning differences, and may include academic and learning concerns, sensory and motor challenges, speech and language impairments, emotional and neurological conditions, twice-exceptionality and giftedness, and/or behavioral challenges. The course must also incorporate information regarding federal laws that pertain to individuals with special needs. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Introduction to Special Education
• Foundations of Special Education
• Introduction to Mild/Moderate/Extensive Support Needs
• Education of the Exceptional Child/Adolescent
• Teaching Neurodiverse Students

Child/Adolescent Development - One course, 3 units

This course focuses on the physical, cognitive, emotional, and psychological stages of human development. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Child Growth and Development
• Child (or Adolescent) Development
• Developmental Psychology
• Lifespan Development

Human Learning- One course, 3 units

This course focuses specifically on the learning process, meaning how humans learn. It can include the psychological and emotional aspects of learning as well as such things as information processing and social impacts. Various theorists’ perspectives, as well as current research, on learning theories are often covered in a course that meets this requirement. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Psychology of Human Learning
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychological Foundations of Learning
• Psychology of Cognition and Learning
• Applied Cognitive Development

Reading Instruction and Intervention - One course, 3 units

This course must specifically address how to use an evidence-based multi-sensory approach to teach phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding and fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners
• Literacy Intervention for Struggling Learners
• Instructional Strategies for Students with Reading Difficulties
• Elementary Reading Methods for the Exceptional Child

Curriculum, Methods, and Remediation Techniques for Individuals with Learning Differences - Two courses, 3 units each (one of these two courses may be met by 45 clock hours of training in one evidence-based program)

These courses focus on remediation techniques, intervention planning, and progress monitoring. Courses may also address adaptation of curriculum. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Curriculum & Instruction in Special Education
• Instructional Techniques in Special Education
• Methods of Teaching Diverse Learners
• Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms
• Reading (and Writing) Intervention
• Teaching Mathematics in Diverse Classrooms
• Technology in Special Education
• Teaching Multilingual Learners

Assessment of Individuals' Learning Differences - Two courses, 3 units each

These courses focus on the foundations of formal (standardized) and informal test development, administration, and interpretation. These courses are usually presented sequentially, beginning with a basic course, followed by a more advanced course. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Assessment in Special Education
• Assessing Diverse Learners
• Advanced Assessment
• Assessment and Evaluation of Learning
• Foundations in Educational Assessment
• Theories of Educational Assessment

Psychoeducational Intervention Techniques - One course, 3 units, OR may be met by a minimum of 45 certified clock hours of approved experience

This area is often met by an applicant’s culminating program practicum or through professional experience working with clients and their families in a 1:1 setting. If met through an Educational Therapy program, the final practicum evaluation with supervisor feedback should be provided. If met via professional experience, a paragraph describing this experience must be provided.

This requirement may also be fulfilled by a course or a combination of courses that includes application of individualized psychoeducational intervention techniques, case management, and collaboration with clients, families, teachers, and allied professionals. If met with coursework, documentation may be provided via transcripts and detailed course information. Some examples of suggested course titles include:

• Collaboration, Families and Case Management
• Techniques/Strategies in Educational Therapy
• Special Education and Teaching Internship
• Working with Families in Special Education
• Special Education Child and Family
• Advocacy in Special Education

For specific questions not answered here, contact the AET Membership Department at 414-908-4949 x 130 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..