Support

Who May Certify

The person appropriate to certify your disability depends on the nature of the disability. In brief, it must be a recognized professional whose primary profession puts them in a position to certify your physical limitation to reading standard print.

Please note: for people who already receive services from the NLS network of cooperating libraries, we can verify this directly with NLS and accept this as eligibility for full Bookshare.org membership. Find out about NLS membership verification.

Blindness
In the case of blindness or visual impairment (legal blindness), the most appropriate individual might be a medical doctor such as a family physician or ophthalmologist. In general, any licensed Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) who is familiar with your vision condition may provide certification. A Registered Nurse may also provide this certification. Some non-medical persons may be appropriate. For example, an optometrist or certified rehabilitation counselor may be able to provide verification of your disability. Similarly, a social worker with direct knowledge of your circumstances may provide certification. If you are a college or university student, your school's ADA coordinator may provide certification.

Learning Disabilities and Physical Disabilities
In the case of a learning disability or a physical disability, it may be more appropriate to obtain certification from a different type of professional. A Medical Doctor or Osteopath such as a Neurologist, Physiatrist or Psychiatrist may be most appropriate. A school Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, or a certified Learning Disability Specialist (a teacher with this type of certification is an example) may also be appropriate if he or she has expertise in your disability. Similarly, a social worker with direct knowledge of your circumstances or a federal or state agency that maintains registries for benefits purposes may provide certification. If you are a college or university student, your school's ADA coordinator may provide certification.

While we respect the role of many professionals and your relationships with them, some may not meet the legal requirement for providing certification of your disability. Some examples of professionals who may not provide certification are elementary or high school teachers, ministers, Chiropractors, Physical Therapists or home care providers.

If you are not certain about the appropriateness of a professional for certifying your disability, please email us with your question at support@bookshare.org.

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