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Membership Applications and Other Forms

About the Term "Qualified Professionals"

In the application process, the applicant, or the applicant's school must submit a certification of the applicant's disability 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 your use of standard print.

Appropriate certifying experts may differ from disability to disability.

For example,

• In the case of blindness and visual impairments, an appropriate certifier might be a physician, ophthalmologist, or optometrist.
• In the case of a perceptual disability, a neurologist, learning disability specialist or psychologist with a background in learning disabilities may be the most qualified certifying professional.

The following professionals or individuals are not typically qualified to attest to the basis of a disability which limits the applicant's ability to effectively use standard print, unless they have a background in one of the above areas of expertise:

• Principals
• Vice-Principals
• Guidance Counselors
• General education teachers
• Librarians

If you have any questions about this as you complete the RFB&D Membership Application, please contact RFB&D's Member Services Department at 800-221-4792 or custserv@rfbd.org.