OSEP DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER on Meeting the Communication Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities (November 12, 2014)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Division Office for Civil Rights Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services November 12, 2014 Dear Colleague: Students with disabilities, like all students, must be provided the opportunity to fully participate in our public schools. A critical aspect of participation is communication with others. We have enclosed a document, entitled “Frequently Asked Questions on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools ” (FAQs ), which explains the responsibility of public schools to ensure that communication with students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities is as effective as communication with all other students. Three Federal laws – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Title II), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) – address the obligations of all public schools to meet the communication needs of students with disabilities, but do so in different ways. In particular, the IDEA requires that schools make available a free appropriate public education (FAPE), consisting of special education and related services, to all eligible children with disabilities (including those with disabilities that result in communication needs). Title II requires schools to ensure that students with disabilities receive communication that is as effective as communication with others through the provision of appropriate auxiliary aids and services. 1 Public schools must apply both the IDEA analysis and the Title II effective communication analysis in determining how to meet the communication needs of an IDEA ‐eligible student with a hearing, vision, or speech disability. In many circumstances, an individualized education program under the IDEA will also meet the requirements of Title II. However, as a recent Federal court decision highlighted, the Title II effective communication requirement differs 1 Because compliance with the IDEA can satisfy Section 504’s requirement to provide FAPE to a student with a disability for the vast majority of students covered by the FAQs, and because, in general, a violation of Section 504 is a violation of Title II, the focus of the FAQs is on the IDEA and the specific Title II regulatory requirements for effective communication.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Page 2 – Dear Colleague Letter: Effective Communication from the requirements in the IDEA. 2 In some instances, in order to comply with Title II, a school may have to provide the student with auxiliary aids or services that are not required under the IDEA. In other instances, the communication services provided under the IDEA will meet the requirements of both laws for an individual student. The FAQs address the interplay of these IDEA and Title II requirements. Our hope is that the FAQs are helpful to schools, parents, and others in explaining students’ rights and schools’ obligations to address the communication needs of students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities. Thank you for your continued efforts to ensure that all students, including students with disabilities, have access to equal opportunities at school. Sincerely, /s/ /s/ /s/ Vanita Gupta Michael K. Yudin Catherine E. Lhamon Acting Assistant Attorney General Acting Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary Civil Rights Division Office of Special Education and Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Justice Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department U.S. Department of Education of Education Attachment as stated 2 The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed the IDEA and Title II effective communication obligations in K.M. v. Tustin Unified School District , 725 F.3d 1088 (9 th Cir. 2013), cert. denied, 134 S. Ct. 1493 (2014), available at http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2013/08/07/11 ‐ 56259%20web%20revised.pdf . The United States government filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief in this case when it was before the Ninth Circuit; that brief can be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/abou t/app/briefs/kmtustinbr.pdf.

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Meeting the Communication Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities What do Federal laws require of a public school to meet the communication needs of students with hearing, vi sion, or speech disabilities?  Under the Individuals with Disabilities Edu cation Act (IDEA), schools must provide a student with a disability a free appropria te public education (FAPE) designed to provide meaningful educational benef it through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).  Under Title II of the Americans with Disa bilities Act, schools must, without charge, ensure that communication with students with disabilities is as effective as communication with students without disabilities, giving primary consideration to students and parents in determ ining which auxiliary aids and services are necessary to provide such effective communication. Will the aids and services required be the same under both Federal laws?  It depends on the individual needs of the particular student.  Sometimes the special education and related services provided to a student as part of FAPE under the IDEA will also meet the Title II requirements. In other instances, in order to meet the Title II requirements, a sc hool might have to provide a student with aids or services that are not required by FAPE.  Some services related to communication, like teaching a child to read Braille or understand sign langua ge, are not required by Title II’s effective communication requirement but may be required by FAPE. Does the school have to give a student the aid or service the parents request?  Under Title II, the school must provide the ai d or service requested unless the school can prove that a different auxiliary aid or service is as effective in meeting the student’s communication needs (in which case the school must provide that alternative), or the school can prove that the aid or service would result in a fundamental alteration or in undue financ ial and administrative burdens (in which case the school must take other steps to ensure that the student can participate).  Schools are not required to provide aids or services greater than what is needed to ensure effective communication, or to comply with requests about details of the aid or service (such as particular brands or models ) that are not relevant to its effectiveness. Page 1 of 2   What types of aids or services could be required for students?  There are no categorical rules. A school mu st assess the needs of each individual.  For a student who is deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing, some examples are: exchange of written materials, interprete rs, note takers, real-time computer-aided transcription services (for example, CA RT), assistive listening systems, accessible electronic and information technolog y, and open and closed captioning.  For a student who is blind, deaf-blind, or has low vision, some examples are: qualified readers, taped texts, audio recordings, Braille materials and refreshable Braille displays, accessible e-book readers, screen reader software, magnification software, optical readers, secondary auditory pr ograms (SAP), and large print materials.  For a student with a speech disability, some examples are: a word or letter board, writing materials, spelling to communicate , a qualified sign language interpreter, a portable device that writes and/or produces speech, and telecommunications services.   Where can I get more information about the rights of students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities?  The U.S. Department of Education’s Offi ce for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Servi ces, along with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), have issued a Dear Colleague Letter and a Frequently Asked Questions document explaining what federal law requi res of schools to meet the communication needs of students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities. What can a parent do if the school won’t give a child what the parent thinks is needed?  Arrange to meet with the IEP or 504 team or the school’s Title II or 504 Coordinator.  Consider using the school district’s pu blished disability grievance procedures.  Under the IDEA, a parent challenging the pr ovision of FAPE may request mediation, may file a complaint with the State educational agency, or may request an impartial administrative hearing by filin g a due process complaint.  Under Title II, a parent may choose to file a lawsuit in court. Parents of an IDEA- eligible student generally must exhaust the administrative hearing procedures of the IDEA, which means obtaining a final d ecision under the IDEA’s impartial due process hearing procedures, before filing a lawsuit seeking a remedy that is also available under the IDEA.  OCR and DOJ both investigate complaints of disability discrimination at schools. o To learn how to file a complaint wi th OCR, call 800-421-3481 (TDD: 800-877-8339), email ocr@ed.gov , or go to www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintintro.html. o To learn how to file a complaint with DOJ, call 800-514-0301 (TTY: 800-514-0383), email ADA.complaint@usdoj.gov, or go to www.ada.gov/fact_on_complaint.htm . Page2 of 2

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Division Office for Civil Rights Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Frequently Asked Questions on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools Introduction Students with disabilities, like all students, must have the opportunity to fully participate in our public schools. A critical aspect of participation is communication with others. Three Federal laws – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1 Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Title II), 2 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) 3 – address the obligations of public schools, including charter schools, to meet the communication needs of students with disabilities, but do so in different ways. 4 Public schools must comply with all three laws, and while compliance with one will often result in compliance with all, sometimes it will not. This document focuses on the different approaches used by the IDEA on the one hand, and Title II on the other, to determine what a school must do for a student with a hearing, vision, or 1 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 ‐1482. Throughout this guidance, references to the IDEA are to Part B of the IDEA. 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 ‐1419; 34 C.F.R. pt. 300. The term “hearing, vision, or speech disabilities” is used throughout this document to reference disabilities for the purposes of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and encompasses eligible disability categories in IDEA (e.g., deafness, hearing impairment, deaf‐blindness, visual impairment including blindness, speech or language impairment). For additional clarification of IDEA terminology and requirements related to addressing the communication needs of students with disabilities, see Appendix B below. For general information regarding IDEA requirements, please refer to http://idea.ed.gov /. 2 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131 ‐12134; 28 C.F.R. pt. 35. For general information about the ADA, please see www.ada.gov. 3 29 U.S.C. § 794; 34 C.F.R. pt. 104. As noted below, this document focuses on the IDEA and the specific Title II regulatory requirements for effective communication, rather than on Section 504. In general, a violation of Section 504 is a violation of Title II. Additionally, the vast majority of students covered by this guidance will be IDEA ‐eligible, and for these students, the Section 504 analysis concerning a free appropriate public education will align with the IDEA. 4 While this document does not specifically address children with disabilities in preschools, the Title II provisions discussed in this document apply equally to children with disabilities attending public preschools. In addition, to the extent consistent with State law or practice, or order of any court, respecting the provision of public education to children of those ages, the IDEA requires school districts to make a free appropriate public education available to eligible children aged three through five, inclusive. 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(1); 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.101 ‐300.102. See also , 20 U.S.C. § 1419 (preschool grants). Issued November 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Page 9 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication computer with written text and may be most comfortable and proficient communicating with a sign language interpreter. The public school must honor the choice of the student with the disability (or appropriate family member) unless the public school can prove that an alternative auxiliary aid or service provides communication that is as effective as that provided to students without disabilities. If the school district can show that the alternative auxiliary aid or service is as effective and affords the person with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the service, program, or activity, then the district may provide the alternative. 4. What factors should a public school district consider in determining what auxiliary aids or services are necessary to afford qualified students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, the public school’s services, programs, or activities? Answer . The determination of what auxiliary aids or services will provide effective communication must be made on a case ‐by ‐case basis, considering the communication used by the student, the nature, length, and complexity of the communication involved, and the context in which the communication is taking place. 28 When determining the appropriate method of communication, schools must make an individualized determination and cannot assume, for example, that simply because a student is deaf, the student is fluent in ASL. In addition to giving primary consideration to the particular auxiliary aid or service requested by the student with a disability, the public school should also consider, for example, the number of people involved in the communication, the expected or actual length of time of the interaction(s), and the content and context of the communication. For example, will the communication with a deaf student be fairly simple so that handwritten or typed notes would suffice; or is the information being exchanged important, somewhat complex, technical, extensive, or emotionally charged, in which case, a qualified interpreter may be necessary. The Title II regulations’ requirements apply to all of a student’s school‐related communications, not just those with teachers or school personnel. Therefore, given the ongoing exchanges students experience with teachers, students, coaches, and school officials, any student who requires a sign language interpreter in order to receive effective communication in an academic 28 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(b)(2).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Page 10 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication class would likely need interpreter services throughout the day and may also need them to participate in school ‐sponsored extracurricular activities. 29 For a deaf or hard of hearing student, a sign language interpreter or CART may be appropriate where student comments and discussions are part of the class experience for all students, i.e., to enable the student to understand comments and discussions from classmates that all students are exposed to, in addition to what is being said by the teacher, and to enable the student to express himself or herself in a manner that permits the teacher and classmates to fully understand and respond to the student. Likewise, a student with cerebral palsy who is nonverbal may need a computer that produces text or speech in order to communicate with the teacher and his or her classmates. For a blind student, that student’s textbooks and handouts must be accessible for that student, and all written information used in the classroom should also be read aloud or presented in other accessible formats. In determining which auxiliary aid or service to provide, school districts should be mindful that communications evolve depending on the circumstances. We strongly encourage schools to reassess the effectiveness of communication regularly as a situation changes. For example, what may begin as a simple request by a student to check out a book from the school library, where an exchange of written notes would be sufficient, can evolve into a more complex communication concerning assistance in completing a research paper, where an exchange of written notes might not be sufficient to ensure effective communication. For more information on school districts’ continuing obligation to assess the effectiveness of auxiliary aids and services, see Q&A 13. 29 Under the IDEA, school districts must also take steps, including the provision of supplementary aids and services, to provide nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities in the manner necessary to afford every child with a disability an equal opportunity for participation in those services and activities. 34 C.F.R. § 300.107(a). A student’s IEP must address the special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and supports for school personnel to be provided to enable the student to, among other things, participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities. 34 C.F.R. § 300.320(a)(4)(ii).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 11 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication 5. What does it mean for auxiliary aids and services to be provided in “accessible formats, in a timely manner, and in such a way as to protect the privacy and independence” of a student with a disability? Answer . The Title II regulations require that when a public school is providing auxiliary aids and services that are necessary to ensure effective communication, they must be provided in “accessible formats, in a timely manner, and in such a way as to protect the privacy and independence” of a student with a disability. 30 This regulatory provision has several requirements.  First, the auxiliary aid or service provided must permit the person with the disability to access the information. For example, if a blind student is not able to read Braille, then provision of written material in Braille would not be accessible for that student. If homework assignments are available on‐line, then the on‐line program used by the school must be accessible to students who are blind. Similarly, for a student with limited speech who does not yet read, a computer that writes words would not be accessible for that student. Instead, a device that uses pictures to communicate words, thoughts, and questions may be appropriate.  Second, the auxiliary aid or service must be provided in a timely manner. That means that once the student has indicated a need for an auxiliary aid or service or requested a particular auxiliary aid or service, the public school district must provide it (or the alternative, as discussed above) as soon as possible. If the student is waiting for the auxiliary aid or service (as opposed to requesting and arranging for it in advance), DOJ and ED strongly advise that the public school keep that student (and parent) informed of when the auxiliary aid or service will be provided. This requirement is separate from the provision of special education and related services under the IDEA. For example, where the student or his or her parent(s) requests auxiliary aids and services for the student under Title II, the appropriate aids and services must be provided as soon as possible, even if the IDEA’s evaluation and IEP processes are still pending.  Third, the auxiliary aid or service must be provided in a way that protects the privacy and independence of the student with the disability. For example, for someone who is deaf and uses ASL, if other people in the environment understand ASL, then conversations that involve sensitive information must be conducted privately. Additionally, auxiliary aids and services must be provided in a manner that does not unnecessarily disclose the nature and extent of an individual’s disability. For example, if a student who is hard of hearing needs 30 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(b)(2).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Page 12 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication assistance with taking notes, a teacher should not call out for volunteers in the front of the whole class. Auxiliary aids and services also must be provided in a way that protects the independence of the student. For example, if a blind student requested an accessible electronic book (e‐book) reader to complete in‐class reading, instead of using a reading aide, the school district should provide the e‐book reader because it would allow the student to go through the material independently, at his own pace, and with the ability to revisit passages as needed. 6. What happens if the public school district thinks that providing a particular auxiliary aid or service would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity, or an undue financial and administrative burden? Answer . A school district must provide a particular auxiliary aid or service that is otherwise required unless the district can prove that such an auxiliary aid or service would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. The head of the school district or his or her designee (i.e., another school official with authority to make budgetary and spending decisions) must make the determination that a particular auxiliary aid or service would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens after considering all resources available for use by the school district in the funding and operation of the service, program, or activity. 31 Such a determination must be accompanied by the decision maker’s written statement of the reasons for concluding that a requested auxiliary aid or service would cause such alteration or burdens. 32 In those circumstances, the school district has the burden of proving that providing the requested auxiliary aid or service would result in such alteration or burdens. 33 Compliance with the effective communication requirement would, in most cases, not result in undue financial and administrative burdens. While there is nothing in the ADA that would prevent the head of the school district from delegating this authority to an appropriate member of the child’s IEP team, that designee must have authority to make budgetary and spending decisions and must have the knowledge necessary to consider all resources available to the school district for use in the funding and operation of the service, program, or activity. 31 28 C.F.R. § 35.164. 32 Id . 33 Id.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Page 13 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication In situations where the school district decides not to provide a particular aid or service and can prove that doing so would result in a fundamental alteration or undue burdens, the district must take other steps that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, the individual with a hearing, vision, or speech disability can participate in, and receive the benefits or services provided by, the school district’s program or activity. 34 Generally, this would involve the provision of an auxiliary aid or service that would not result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden. 7. Under what circumstances is a public school required to provide auxiliary aids and services to persons with a hearing, vision, or speech disability who are not students, such as parents, other relatives, and members of the public, who seek to participate in or benefit from a district’s services, programs, or activities? Answer . Title II’s effective communication obligations are not limited just to students — schools are obligated to provide effective communication to all individuals who seek to participate in or benefit from a school district’s services, programs, or activities such as student registration, parent‐teacher conferences, meetings, ceremonies, performances, open houses, and field trips. All of the same Title II requirements and considerations discussed in the context of students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities apply to other individuals with disabilities who are covered by this requirement. 8. May a public school require an individual with a hearing, vision, or speech disability to bring another person to interpret or facilitate communication, or to rely on a person who accompanies an individual with such a disability? Answer . The Title II regulations expressly prohibit a public school from requiring an individual with a disability to bring another person to interpret for him or her. 35 Assuming the provision of an interpreter or other auxiliary aid or service is required, a school is prohibited from relying upon a person who accompanies a child or adult with a hearing, vision, or speech disability to interpret or facilitate communication except in two distinct circumstances. 36 First, in an emergency involving an imminent threat to the safety or welfare of an individual or the public where there is no interpreter available, the school may ask either a minor child or an adult to interpret or facilitate communication. 37 In no other circumstances may a school rely on a minor 34 Id . 35 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(c)(1). 36 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(c)(2). 37 28 C.F.R. §§ 35.160(c)(2)(i), (c)(3)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Page 14 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication child to interpret or facilitate communication. 38 Second, where the individual with the hearing, vision, or speech disability specifically makes the request, an accompanying adult may interpret or facilitate communication if the accompanying adult voluntarily agrees to provide the assistance and the school’s reliance on the accompanying adult is appropriate under the circumstances. 39 9. Can public schools charge for the provision of auxiliary aids or services? Answer . No. Public schools cannot charge for the auxiliary aids or services that they provide to meet the effective communications provision in the Title II regulations. DOJ and ED strongly advise school districts that they inform students with disabilities and their parents that the district can and will provide auxiliary aids and services, and that there will be no cost for such aids or services. Interplay Between Title II and the IDEA 10. How do the IDEA FAPE and the Title II effective communication requirements differ with regard to the obligation to provide communication for students with disabilities attending public elementary and secondary schools? Answer . The Title II regulations explicitly require that a district take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with persons with disabilities are “as effective as” communications with other persons. They further require that a district provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford a person with a disability an “equal opportunity” to participate in and enjoy the benefits of the district’s services, programs, or activities. Under the IDEA, FAPE must be individually designed to provide meaningful educational benefit to the child. 40 The IDEA does not require that a district compare the effectiveness of communications with a student with a disability to the effectiveness of communications with students without 38 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(c)(3). A school is prohibited from relying on a minor child to interpret or facilitate communication in situations in which an interpreter or similar auxiliary aid is required. It would not be a violation of the prohibition applicable to the use of a minor child to interpret or facilitate communication if the situation does not require that the school provide an interpreter or similar auxiliary aid or service. For example, it would not be a violation if a child, accompanying her deaf parent, assisted her parent in requesting a copy of the school newsletter. 39 28 C.F.R. § 35.160(c)(2)(ii). For more information on the use of companions as interpreters, see U.S. Department of Justice, Technical Assistance on Effective Communication , at http://www.ada.gov/effective ‐comm.htm . 40 Bd. of Educ. v. Rowley , 458 U.S. 176, 201 (1982); Deal v. Hamilton Cnty. Bd. of Educ ., 392 F.3d 840, 862 (6th Cir. 2004), cert denied , 546 U.S. 936 (2005).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Page 15 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication disabilities, although there is nothing in the IDEA that precludes districts from doing so as part of FAPE. 41 For a student with a disability who is covered under both laws ‐‐such as all IDEA‐ eligible students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities  ‐‐the school district must ensure that both sets of legal obligations are met, and that none of the student’s rights under either law are diminished or ignored. For many students, the special education and related services that they receive under the IDEA will also ensure that communication with those students is as effective as communication with other persons. In other instances, the services, devices, technologies and methods for providing effective communication that are provided to a particular student as “auxiliary aids and services” under Title II may not necessarily be the same as those determined under the IDEA. Further, if the special education and related services provided under the IDEA are not sufficient to ensure that communication with the student is as effective as communication with other persons, the Title II obligations have not been met. Thus, depending on the circumstances, the services and aids that a student receives under the IDEA may be the same as or greater than the services and aids that would be provided under Title II; in other circumstances, a student may receive more services and aids under Title II than those provided under the IDEA. A student with a disability does not, and cannot be asked to, give up his or her rights under Title II in exchange for, or because he or she already receives, special education and related services under the IDEA. That is, the provision of FAPE under the IDEA does not limit a student’s right to effective communication under Title II. 11. Must a student be eligible under the IDEA in order to be provided auxiliary aids and services needed to ensure effective communication under Title II? (In other words, must a student with a disability have an IEP to access effective auxiliary aids and services?) Answer . No. Title II does not require IDEA eligibility. While many students who have communication needs based on a hearing, vision, or speech disability are eligible under the IDEA and have IEPs, these are not prerequisites for receiving auxiliary aids and services needed to ensure effective communication under Title II. 41 Rowley , 458 U.S. at 198‐ 200.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Page 16 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Implementation 12. How does a parent request auxiliary aids and services for a child under Title II? Can the request be made as part of the IEP process or must it be made through a separate process? Answer . Title II does not designate a particular responsible person for a parent or student to contact about, or a specific process for individuals to follow, with regard to obtaining services under Title II. The school district can determine whom the parent should contact with requests for auxiliary aids and services and other ADA issues. Title II requires school districts to provide notice about Title II and its applicability to the school districts’ services, programs, or activities. 42 The school district or public school should make sure that the identity and contact information of the designated school official is made publicly available in accessible formats. A best practice is for a district to proactively notify parents and students about the right to effective communication under Title II and identify the designated school official who accepts requests for Title II auxiliary aids and services. In order to carry out a school district’s responsibility to ensure effective communication, district staff, such as teachers and administrative staff, who might reasonably be contacted by parents or students with requests for auxiliary aids or services, need to be knowledgeable about how to handle this type of request. For example, the district’s process might ensure that staff refers parents to the designated school official. As another example, the district’s process might call for the teacher or other staff member to communicate the parent’s request directly to the designated school official and to notify the parent that the request has been so communicated. In addition, a school district’s Section 504 or ADA Coordinator 43 (discussed in further detail below) could be the designated school official or facilitate the process. If a child has an IEP, neither the IDEA nor Title II require that the child’s IEP Team address a parent’s Title II request for his or her child; however, a school district may choose to delegate this responsibility to the child’s IEP Team. Please refer to Q&A 15 for additional information regarding the role of the IEP Team. As discussed below, a parent does not need to make a specific request under Title II before a school considers its responsibilities to provide auxiliary aids and services. 42 28 C.F.R. § 35.106. 43 A school district that employs 15 or more persons must designate at least one person to coordinate its compliance with Section 504. 34 C.F.R. § 104.7(a). A school district that employs 50 or more persons must designate at least one employee to coordinate its compliance with Title II. 28 C.F.R. § 35.107(a). Nothing prohibits the ADA Coordinator from being the same person as the Section 504 Coordinator.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Page 17 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication 13. For children who are already receiving special education and related services under the IDEA, do parents have to make specific requests for different or additional auxiliary aids and services to trigger the Title II obligations for effective communication? Also, once the decision is made to provide a particular auxiliary aid or service to a student with a hearing, vision, or speech disability, does the school district have any obligation under either Title II or the IDEA to revisit that decision? If so, when? Answer . Parents do not have to make a specific request for different or additional auxiliary aids. When the school district knows that a student needs assistance with communication because, for example, he or she has a hearing, vision, or speech disability, the school district also has an affirmative obligation to provide effective communication under Title II, whether or not a parent requests specific auxiliary aids and services under Title II. This obligation is in addition to the requirement that the school district make FAPE available if the student is eligible under the IDEA. As a best practice, schools should consult with the parent or guardian (and students, as appropriate) at the first opportunity regarding what auxiliary aids or services are appropriate and update information about these preferences at least every year or whenever the parent or guardian requests a change. Nothing prevents the parent, guardian, or student from specifically requesting a particular auxiliary aid or service if not so consulted. Also, under the IDEA, each school district must ensure that the IEP Team reviews and, if appropriate, revises the child's IEP periodically, but not less than annually. 44 In general, a reevaluation under the IDEA must occur at least once every three years. 45 Under Title II, the public school has a continuing obligation to assess the auxiliary aids and services it is providing to students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities to ensure that these students are receiving effective communication. For information on what parents can do if they disagree with a school district’s decision on what Title II’s effective communication provisions require for their child, please refer to Q&A 18. 44 34 C.F.R. § 300.324(b). 45 34 C.F.R. § 300.303(b).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Page 18 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication 14. Who in a school district participates in the determinations about the provision of auxiliary aids and services under Title II? Does the ultimate decision maker differ depending upon whether the student is covered by the IDEA, Title II, or both? Answer . The Title II regulations do not designate a particular responsible person or group of people to make the determinations about the provision of auxiliary aids and services under Title II. The Title II regulations do require that most school districts (those that employ 50 or more persons) select at least one employee to coordinate implementation and compliance with the district’s responsibilities under Title II. 46 Such an employee is generally referred to as the ADA Coordinator. A school district may give the ADA Coordinator the responsibility of making decisions about the auxiliary aids and services required under Title II, and may choose to have the ADA Coordinator participate in Title II effective communication decisions and in IEP reviews. The Title II regulations also address who should make determinations concerning whether a particular auxiliary aid or service would create a fundamental alteration or undue burden. Please refer to Q&A 6 for additional information. If a student is IDEA‐ eligible, a school district can also decide that a parent’s request under Title II for a child will be addressed by the IEP team. See Q&A 15. 15. Under what circumstances may the IEP Team make decisions about the provision of auxiliary aids and services required under Title II? Answer . Under the IDEA, the school must ensure that the child’s educational program, as part of FAPE, is based on the individual needs of the child and is reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive meaningful educational benefit. If a school district designates the IEP Team as having the responsibility of making decisions about the auxiliary aids and services required under Title II, then the IEP Team may make this decision. However, the IEP Team needs to be aware that the decision regarding the auxiliary aids and services needed to ensure effective communication as required under Title II poses a different question than the FAPE determination under the IDEA and must be made using the Title II legal standards. For additional information on the Title II requirements, please refer to Q&A’s 1 through 9. 46 28 C.F.R. § 35.107(a). Smaller school districts may have only a Section 504 Coordinator, 34 C.F.R. § 104.7(a), who can serve the same functions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Page 19 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication 16. Is the IDEA evaluation process different than the analysis used when considering an individual’s request for a particular auxiliary aid or service under Title II? Answer . Under the IDEA, each school district must conduct a full and individual initial evaluation before the initial provision of special education and related services to a child with a disability. The evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child, including information provided by the parent that may assist in determining whether the child is a child with a disability and needs special education and related services. Evaluations also must be provided and administered in a student’s native language or other mode of communication. 47 If a school district has already completed a child’s evaluation under the IDEA, it may rely on information obtained from that evaluation when determining the need for effective communication under Title II. However, the school district must analyze the child’s needs and how to meet those needs based on the Title II standard, and this includes giving primary consideration to a request for a specific auxiliary aid or service. A school district may not ignore information obtained through the IDEA evaluation procedures, but may implement its own procedures to determine whether a child needs a particular auxiliary aid or service to ensure effective communication under Title II. Similarly, as explained above in Q&A 5, a school district must provide the auxiliary aids or services in a timely manner and cannot wait for the IEP process to run its course before providing necessary auxiliary aids and services under Title II. The IDEA does not prohibit a school district from providing the needed auxiliary aids and services under Title II while the IDEA evaluation is pending. In this situation, the school district must first address the child’s needs for auxiliary aids and services based on the Title II standard while proceeding with the IDEA evaluation process, meaning the school district must provide those aids and services that ensure communication with the child is as effective as communication with students without disabilities and give primary consideration to the parent’s or child’s request for specific auxiliary aids and services, if any. Once the IDEA evaluation is complete, the school district may need to reassess whether the child needs different auxiliary aids or services to ensure effective communication under Title II if the results of the IDEA evaluation provide additional information regarding the child’s needs or the effectiveness of the auxiliary aids and services being used. 47 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.301,300.304.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Page 20 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication 17. May a school district determine that, under Title II, all children with a hearing, vision, or speech disability will receive the same auxiliary aid or service as others with that kind of disability? Answer . No. As stated earlier, when a school district decides what auxiliary aids or services to provide, that decision is made on an individualized, case‐by ‐case basis. Because students with disabilities experience varying levels and types of limitations from hearing, vision, or speech disabilities, and because school districts must give primary consideration to the requests of the individual, these determinations must be made on an individual basis. For examples of appropriate auxiliary aids and services in individual cases, see Q&A 4. 18. What dispute resolution mechanisms are available if a parent believes that a school district has improperly denied or limited his or her child’s access to a particular auxiliary aid or service under Title II or has not made FAPE available under the IDEA? Answer . Under the IDEA, a parent challenging the provision of FAPE may request mediation, may file a complaint with the State educational agency, or may request an impartial administrative hearing by filing a due process complaint and participating in the prescribed resolution process. 48 The administrative hearing procedures vary by state and may include one or two levels of administrative review. An administrative hearing decision may be appealed to a State or Federal court empowered to hear such cases. In general, IDEA’s administrative hearing procedures must be utilized before seeking relief in State or Federal court. More information about IDEA’s dispute resolution procedures is available at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/mem osdcltrs/acccombinedosersdisputeresolutio nqafinalmemo‐ 7‐23 ‐13.pdf . Regardless of whether or not the student also is eligible under the IDEA, a parent of a student with a disability can file a Title II complaint regarding the denial or limitation of a particular auxiliary aid or service with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights or with the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, 49 or file a Title II grievance with the school district if the school district has such a procedure. 50 48 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.506, 300.507. 49 Information on how to file a complaint with ED’s Office for Civil Rights is on ED’s website at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm . Information on how to file a complaint with DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is on DOJ’s website at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/ . 50 A school district that employs 50 or more persons must adopt and publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action that would be prohibited by Title II. 28 C.F.R. § 35.107(b). A school district that employs 15 or more persons must adopt grievance procedures that incorporate (footnote continued on following page)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Page 21 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication A parent may also choose to file a civil action alleging a violation of Title II in Federal court. However, parents and guardians should be aware that the IDEA requires that, before filing a Federal case under other laws, such as Title II of the ADA, seeking a remedy that is also available under the IDEA, the parent or guardian generally must exhaust the administrative hearing procedures of the IDEA, which means obtaining a final decision under the IDEA’s impartial due process hearing procedures. 51 Funding 19. Under what circumstances may a school district use IDEA funds to pay for auxiliary aids or services for IDEA ‐eligible students to ensure effective communication as required by Title II? Answer . The IDEA provides that grant funds must be used only in accordance with the applicable provisions of the IDEA and to pay the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities. 52 Therefore, IDEA funds may be used only to pay for auxiliary aids and services under Title II that also are required to be provided under the IDEA, such as assistive technology or interpreter services that are included in the student’s IEP. If a child receives auxiliary aids and services under Title II that are not included in the child’s IEP, IDEA funds may not be used to pay for those services. appropriate due process standards and that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Section 504. 34 C.F.R. § 104.7(b). 51 20 U.S.C. § 1415( l). Several Federal courts have applied this provision to specific facts in determining whether administrative exhaustion under the IDEA is required prior to filing a Federal case seeking relief under other Federal laws, including Title II of the ADA. See, e.g. , Honig v. Doe , 484 U.S. 305, 327 (1988); J.B. ex rel. Bailey v. Avilla R‐XIII Sch. Dist., 721 F.3d 588, 594 (8th Cir. 2013); Payne v. Peninsula Sch. Dist., 653 F.3d 863, 871‐878 (9th Cir. 2011) (en banc), cert. denied , 132 S. Ct. 1540 (2012), overruled on other grounds by Albino v. Baca , 747 F.3d 1162, 1171 (9th Cir. 2014 ); McCormick v. Waukegan Sch. Dist., 374 F.3d 564 (10th Cir. 2004). Although other Federal circuits have issued decisions on IDEA exhaustion, for a discussion of the Federal government's view of exhaustion, generally, see United States' Brief as Amicus Curiae in Payne v. Peninsula Sch. District (9th Cir. 2011), available at http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/app/briefs/paynebr.pdf . 52 34 C.F.R. § 300.202(a). In using IDEA funds for these purposes, an LEA must comply with the excess costs requirement in 34 C.F.R. § 300.202(b). (For more information please refer to App. A. to 34 C.F.R. Part 300.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 22 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Resources 20. Where can a school district or parent get more information about these issues? Answer . For information about Section 504 or Title II, school districts and parents can contact the OCR office for the state in which the school is located. Contact information for the OCR office that serves each state is available at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov /CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm . Districts and parents can also call OCR’s customer service line at 800 ‐421 ‐3481 (voice) or 800 ‐877 ‐8339 (TDD) to obtain this contact information. In addition, for information about Title II requirements for effective communication, school districts and parents can call DOJ’s toll‐free ADA Information Line, 800‐514 ‐0301 (voice) or 800 ‐514 ‐0383 (TTY), or consult DOJ’s ADA website, http://www.ada.gov . For information about the IDEA requirements for children with disabilities and communication needs, school districts and parents can contact OSEP at (202) 245‐7459 or consult OSEP’s website at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offi ces/list/osers/osep/index.html. In addition, a list of OSEP’s State contacts can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/monitor/state ‐contact‐ list.html. Below are links to several relevant Federal documents.  U.S. Department of Justice. (2014). Technical Assistance Document on Effective Communication. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.ada.gov/effective ‐ comm.htm  U.S. Department of Education. (2013). Office of Special Education Programs Memorandum 13‐ 08‐‐July 23, 2013 ‐Dispute Resolution Procedures under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/acccombinedosersdisputeresol utionqafinalmemo‐ 7‐23‐ 13.pdf  U.S. Department of Education. (2013). Dear Colleague Letter from the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Director of Special Education Programs ‐June, 19, 2013 ‐Braille instruction. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/brailledcl ‐6 ‐19‐ 13.pdf  U.S. Department of Justice. (2012). K.M. v. Tustin Unified School District , 725 F.3d 1088 (9 th Cir. 2013) amicus brief. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/app/briefs/kmtustinbr.pdf                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page 23 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication  U.S. Department of Education. (2011). Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs (IEP's), Evaluations, and Reevaluations . Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/ %2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C3%2C  U.S. Department of Education. (2011) Questions and Answers on Accessible Technologies. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/ offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl‐ ebook ‐faq‐ 201105.html  U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice. (2010). Dear Colleague Letter from the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, and the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice – Emerging Technologies in Education ‐June 29, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/office s/list/ocr/letters/colleague‐20100629.html                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 24 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Appendix A Case Studies Illustrating the Proper Application of the IDEA Analysis and the Title II Effective Communication Analysis Case Study #1: Auxiliary aids and services under Title II are different from special education and related services under the IDEA. Tommy is a thirteen ‐year ‐old student with significant hearing loss. He has a cochlear implant, and also relies on lip‐ reading and social cues to communicate with others. He has been evaluated under the IDEA and determined eligible for special education services. When addressing the communication needs of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, the IEP Team must consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode. The IEP Team also must consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services. For the past three years, Tommy’s IEP Team, which includes Tommy’s parents, agreed that Tommy would use FM technology, which consists of a microphone held by the teacher and a receiver that transmits to Tommy’s implant. During this time period, Tommy has maintained above average grades, completed grade level work, and interacted appropriately with his peers. Recently, however, Tommy expressed concern that he cannot hear other classmates during class discussions and often must “fake it.” He also stated that the FM system transmitted static and background noises and interfered with his ability to focus. Based on these concerns Tommy’s mother requested that he receive communication access real‐time translation (CART) services, which is an immediate transcription of spoken words to verbatim text on a computer screen. FAPE determination under the IDEA : After Tommy expressed his concerns about the FM system and requested CART services, Tommy’s IEP Team timely reconvened. Under the IDEA, the IEP Team must determine the special education and related services necessary to provide FAPE and ensure those services are reasonably calculated to enable Tommy to receive meaningful educational benefit. Included in this analysis is whether CART services are necessary for Tommy to receive FAPE. Based on Tommy’s above average grades, his grade ‐ level work and teachers’ reports on Tommy’s interactions in class with his peers, the IEP Team determined that transcription services (e.g., CART) were not necessary for Tommy to receive FAPE. The IEP Team did, however, recommend that Tommy receive an updated FM system and preferential seating in classrooms, and that teachers repeat student’s comments, use closed ‐ captioning videos, and provide Tommy with course notes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page 25 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Effective Communication determination under Title II: Because Tommy is a student with a hearing disability already identified under the IDEA, the school district also has an affirmative obligation under Title II to ensure that he receives effective communication. Under Title II, the school district must take appropriate steps to ensure that communication with Tommy is as effective as communication with students without disabilities. The school district also must provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services, where necessary, to afford Tommy an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, the school program. In determining what auxiliary aids and services are appropriate for Tommy, the school must give primary consideration to the requests made by Tommy and his parents. Tommy’s school district has delegated the responsibility of determining the appropriate auxiliary aids and services needed to ensure effective communication to the ADA Coordinator. As soon as Tommy made his request, his teacher alerted the ADA coordinator about Tommy’s request for CART services. In this case, Tommy cannot hear many of the students in the classroom, and by not hearing a student’s question or comment, he does not always understand a teacher’s response. The ADA coordinator timely determined that because Tommy cannot fully hear or understand all that is said in the classroom, he is not receiving effective communication. The Coordinator gives primary consideration to Tommy’s request for CART services and agrees that CART services would provide Tommy with effective communication. Because the CART services would not result in a fundamental alteration or in undue financial and administrative burdens, Tommy will receive CART services as an auxiliary service under Title II and not as a related service under the IDEA. Case Study #2: The appropriate auxiliary aids and services under Title II are the same as special education and related services required under the IDEA. Julie is a student with a visual impairment. She has been evaluated under the IDEA and determined eligible for special education and related services. Through the second grade, as part of her IEP and placement, Julie has been receiving Braille instruction, and the school district provided materials in Braille. In the summer before third grade, Julie began using an accessible e‐book reader. Her parents, therefore, have requested that prior to the new school year Julie’s IEP be revised to include an accessible e‐book reader in addition to Braille instruction. FAPE determination under the IDEA : Prior to the new school year, Julie’s IEP Team convenes to discuss her IEP for the upcoming school year. The IEP Team agrees that because Julie now uses an accessible e‐book reader she should use the e‐book reader in addition to Braille materials. All agree that these services are reasonably calculated to enable Julie to receive meaningful educational benefit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 26 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Effective communication determination under Title II: Because Julie is a student with a visual impairment already identified under the IDEA, the school district also has an affirmative obligation under Title II to ensure that she receives effective communication. In Julie’s school district, the district delegated the responsibility of determining effective communication to the public school district representative who participates in the school’s IEP Team meetings. Shortly after becoming aware that Julie’s parents requested an accessible e‐book reader, the IEP Team discusses whether any additional appropriate auxiliary aids and services are necessary to provide Julie with effective communication under Title II. Julie’s parents make no specific request for additional services beyond the accessible e‐book reader. After considering how to ensure Julie receives communication that is as effective as communication with students without disabilities, the team, including the school district representative delegated to make effective communication decisions, determines that the use of an accessible e‐book reader in addition to Braille materials will provide effective communication under Title II. As discussed above, the use of the e‐book reader in addition to Braille materials also ensures the provision of FAPE under the IDEA. Julie, therefore, will not receive additional auxiliary aids and services under Title II because the IEP meets both the IDEA and Title II standards to meet her communication needs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Page 27 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication Appendix B Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Communication Needs Under Part B, evaluations of all children suspected of having a disability are subject to the IDEA evaluation and eligibility requirements. 53 The purpose of the Part B evaluation is to determine whether the child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs. 54 The school district must provide the parents prior written notice describing any evaluation procedures the agency proposes to conduct. 55 In conducting the evaluation, the school district must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child, including information provided by the parent that may assist in determining whether the child is a child with a disability and the child’s educational needs. 56 No single measure or assessment may be used as the sole criterion for determining whether a child is a child with a disability and an appropriate educational program for the child. 57 Assessments or other evaluation materials must be provided and administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication and in the form most likely to yield accurate information on what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. 58 For an individual with deafness or blindness, or for an individual with no written language, the mode of communication is that normally used by the individual (such as sign language, Braille, or oral communication). 59 Once a child is determined eligible to receive special education and related services under the IDEA, a school must provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to the child with a disability through a properly developed individualized education program (IEP). An IEP is a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with Part B of the IDEA. Under the IDEA, the child’s IEP must be reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive meaningful educational benefit. 53 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.304, 300.305, 300.306. 54 34 C.F.R. § 300.15. 55 34 C.F.R. § 300.304(a). 56 34 C.F.R. § 300.304(b)(1). 57 34 C.F.R. § 300.304(b)(2). 58 34 C.F.R. § 300.304(c)(1)(ii). For additional information regarding a school district’s responsibilities regarding IDEA evaluation procedures, see “Questions and Answers on Individual Education Programs (IEPs), Evaluations and Reevaluations, September 2011.” http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2 Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C3%2C. 59 34 C.F.R. § 300.29(b).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Page 28 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication A child’s IEP must include a statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. The IEP also must include:  a statement of measurable annual goals;  a description of how the child’s progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured; and  a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services provided to the child and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will enable the child to:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 29 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication disabilities, including children with communication needs, the IEP Team also must consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services as part of the determination of special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services that are needed to enable the child to receive meaningful educational benefit. Special education means specially designed instruction, i.e., adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction: (1) to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and (2) to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum. Special education may include instruction in the use and mastery of sign language or Braille. The term “related services” means such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. They include services such as speech ‐language pathology and audiology services, oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services [interpreters], and transcription services, such as communication access real‐time translation (CART), C‐Print, and TypeWell for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and mobility and orientation training for students with low vision or blindness. Supplementary aids and services are aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes, other education‐ related settings, and extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate. 62 Such aids and services may include large print materials or Braille materials. Under the IDEA, an assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. 63 For a person with a speech ‐related disability, a common example of an assistive technology device is a communication board. For a person with a vision disability, examples of assistive technology devices include refreshable Braille displays and accessible e‐book readers. Likewise, an assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. Assistive to participate more fully in family and community life. See Office of Special Education Programs Dear Colleague Letter on Braille, June 19, 2013 at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/index.html. 62 34 C.F.R. § 300.42. 63 34 C.F.R. § 300.5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Page 30 – Frequently Asked Questions: Effective Communication technology services include the evaluation of the needs of a child with disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment; purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices; and selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices. Assistive technology services also include coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices and training or technical assistance for the child, the child’s family, and any professionals, employers, or other individuals who provide services to or are otherwise involved in the major life functions of the child. 64 If a child’s IEP Team determines related services or supplementary aids and services are required as part of FAPE, the school district also must determine whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services. Public schools cannot charge students and parents for the special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services, including assistive technology devices and services, that are part of a student’s IEP and provided under the IDEA. 64 34 C.F.R. § 300.6.