The use of Bookshare, Learning Ally, and Talking Books audio books for kids is restricted to those who have a demonstrated learning disability, visual impairment, or physical disability that makes it difficult to take in a story using traditional print.
Reading Deficit--A reading deficit is determined by a student’s need for a reading accommodation due to an impairment in decoding, fluency, and/or comprehension that does not allow a student to keep up with content at the same level as students without an impairment. An IEP or 504 is not required.
Blind or Visually Impaired--Persons who are blind whose visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or whose wide diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees. A person with a visual impairment has a visual deficit with correction that prevents or inhibits him/her from reading standard printed material.
Other Physical Disability--Students who have a physical impairment that prevents them from reading standard print, such as those who are unable to hold a book, turn the pages of a book, etc. Students with Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, or Muscular Dystrophy are examples of individuals who may qualify under this category.