Overview
Benefits
Registering
Renewing
Disability Certification
Overview
Q: How do I get an RFB&D membership?
A: RFB&D offers different types of memberships. The first step to joining is to register online or complete an application and have it signed by an education professional.
As part of the application process, you or your school must submit a certification of the disability for the student or students that will be using RFB&D. It needs to be completed by a qualified professional in the field of disability services, special education, medicine or psychology. The certifier must be a recognized expert who attests to the physical basis of the visual, perceptual or other physical disability that limits the student's use of standard print.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: How much does membership cost?
A: Visit our RFB&D Membership page for details.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Why is my account on hold?
A: There are several reasons why your account may be on hold. To find out why your account is on hold, contact our member services department at 800-221-4792.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: What is RFB&D's cancellation policy?
A: Individuals: New Individual members may cancel their membership for a full refund within 30 days of your membership's start date. Otherwise, you forfeit your membership fees.
Institutions: Institutional members may cancel their membership for a full refund within 60 days of registration or renewal.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Benefits
Q: What are the benefits of RFB&D membership for teachers?
A: At RFB&D, we are very aware of the daily requirements placed on educators-from teaching to paperwork to meetings. Sometimes extra projects, such as creating audio versions of textbooks, have to be put aside. Since many students are audio learners, this can be a limiting factor in their information retention and comprehension levels. However, instead of having to wait for the extra time to make recordings, RFB&D has done it for you! Below are some benefits of our audiobooks:
- You will save time and resources. RFB&D complements the existing curriculum in all subject areas and has thousands of the most popular classroom titles available.
- You won't have to record textbooks yourself anymore!
- RFB&D's online catalog offers easy access to order RFB&D audiobooks. You can also search by subject or keyword to locate titles for your students by grade level or by fun topics they are interested in to encourage reading.
- RFB&D helps with classroom management. Teachers can use audiobooks as a support tool for students to continue working independently on assignments. It helps to minimize the amount of one-on-one instructional time a teacher may have spent in the past reading textbooks to students.
- RFB&D helps to decrease behavioral problems because students who previously could not participate in assignments due to learning disabilities can now participate. Students are more engaged with the text.
- RFB&D has adapted commonly used graphic organizers for use with audio textbooks.
- Graphic organizers are visual representations of the concept.
- Graphic organizers promote active listening and learning.
- RFB&D has developed reference guides to help you and your students become adept at using RFB&D's audiobooks with CD players and CD software or in a downloadable format.
- Free comprehensive educator support website at Learning Through Listening.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: What are the benefits of RFB&D membership for students?
A: All too often, students with learning disabilities have negative classroom experiences. The information is presented too quickly, the students cannot decode the vocabulary or the sheer volume of reading may be overwhelming. RFB&D's audiobooks can be a lifesaver that teachers or parents can throw to your students before they sink into the depths of academic failure. Aside from providing access to the general education curriculum, audiobooks provide a number of other educational benefits:
- RFB&D's audiobooks complement and reinforce what is being taught by allowing students to "read to learn," even when they are learning to read.
- RFB&D increases independence because students can work on assignments with the support of audiobooks.
- Students become active participants in the reading process as they take notes, underline and monitor their listening comprehension.
- RFB&D raises self-esteem because students are able to meet higher academic goals which lead to greater levels of academic success; students indicate increased confidence in their reading skills and academic participation.
- Audiobooks provide a multimodal approach to reading.
- Audiobooks assist with word attack and decoding skills as students listen to the text being deciphered.
- Audiobooks help students manage the demands of reading by allowing them to learn auditorily.
- Audiobooks put the pleasure back in reading.
- Students with print disabilities can be included in the general education curriculum.
- Students can listen to the text in the author's own language.
- Free comprehensive educator support website at Learning Through Listening.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: What are the benefits of RFB&D vs. other audiobook producers or commercial CDs?
A:
- RFB&D's AudioPlus® books are navigable because they are recorded in a special format known as DAISY (Digital Accessible Information SYstem). Users are able to jump from page to page, chapter to chapter or level to level; place bookmarks; adjust the tone of the reader; and adjust the speed of the reader.
- RFB&D's textbooks and books usually fit on one CD or one small set of downloadable files because of the special way that they are recorded.
- RFB&D's books are read by volunteers. Human voice is important because it allows students to hear proper voice inflection, pronunciation and prosody. Teachers have provided feedback that this is especially important for literature books and textbooks.
- RFB&D provides the entire textbook or book, not portions of the book as many commercial publishers do. This allows schools to meet the legal requirements in the accommodation section of a student's individualized education plan (IEP), which dictates the student must have textbooks in an auditory format.
- It is currently at the discretion of the publisher to provide text in an audio format. Therefore, schools cannot consistently rely on their textbook publishers to provide audio formats.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Why do I need RFB&D when I already have a reading program?
A:
- RFB&D complements the existing curriculum and can supplement all subject areas, not just the reading component. RFB&D can provide novels, nonfiction, math books, history books, science books, etc.
- RFB&D complements the independent reading, vocabulary development, comprehension and language development of all programs listed above.
- RFB&D provides access to authentic literature (i.e. The Catcher in the Rye), which many skill-based reading programs lack. Many skill-based reading programs use high-interest, low-level reading passages that are written to specifically address the skill that is being taught.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Registering
Q: How can I register for an RFB&D membership?
A: You can register for RFB&D membership on our website, or by completing and mailing application forms.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Can I change my membership level (upgrade/downgrade) online? (Institutions only)
A: At this time, please call Member Services at 800-221-4792 for information regarding changing your membership level.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Can I adjust my membership period online?
A: At this time, you cannot adjust your membership period online. For further information regarding your membership, please contact the Member Services department at 800-221-4792.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Can I place a book order outside the US?
A: RFB&D individual members may contact Member Services at 800-221-4792 to place orders for books in cassette format from titles in our digital library for delivery outside the US. Currently, digital books cannot be delivered to non-US addresses with the exception of addresses of US citizens living temporarily abroad. RFB&D does not currently provide school or institutional memberships for foreign based institutions.
In Summary:
Institutions located outside the US:
- May not join RFB&D or borrow audiobooks
Exceptions: US embassies or US military addresses in foreign countries, and addresses from US territories
Individuals residing outside the US:
- Eligible non-US citizens may join and borrow RFB&D's Classic Cassettes
- US citizens studying abroad and living temporarily outside of the US may order titles from the complete RFB&D library
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Renewing
Q: Can I renew my membership online?
A: Individual members may renew their memberships online by following the instructions that will automatically be sent to them as their membership year comes to a close.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Can I look online to see when my membership expires?
A: In order to find out when your membership expires, you must call Member Services at 800-221-4792. This feature is currently under consideration for a future enhancement to the website.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Disability Certification
Q: How does one obtain certification?
A: A qualified professional in the field of disability services, special education, medicine or psychology must attest to the physical basis of the visual, perceptual or other physical disability that limits the applicant's use of standard print.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: Who is a Certifier?
A: Appropriate certifying experts may differ from disability to disability. Our Certification page lists examples of professionals who are qualified to certify an RFB&D applicant. It is in no way a comprehensive list. If you have any questions about who is a qualified certifying professional, please call RFB&D's Member Services department at 800-221-4792.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: What is the Student Certification form and why do I need to provide this information? (Institutions)
A: By the end of your School's (or Institution's) membership year, before the next year's membership renewal can be processed, a Student Certification Form (PDF format) must be completed and submitted to RFB&D. The form lists each student served along with a signature by a competent authority in the field of disability services, special education, medicine or psychology. The certifier must be a competent authority who attests to the physical basis of the visual, perceptual or other physical disability that limits the students use of standard print.
All members and students receiving services from a member Institution must prove eligibility for Copyright protected audiobooks. In order to qualify as an authorized agency under the Copyright Amendment of 1996, RFB&D must limit our memberships to persons with disabilities that prevent them from reading standard print. An amendment in 1997 gave RFB&D the right to record any book without first seeking permission as long as there is proof of disability.
back to the top | back to FAQs page
Q: What is a print disability?
A: A print disability can be a learning disability, a visual impairment or a physical disability. Although the manners in which the disability occurs are very different, they all share one characteristic: individuals diagnosed with a print disability cannot access print in the standard way.
back to the top | back to FAQs page