By Cheryl DeConde Johnson, Susan Dillmuth-Miller, Sarah Florence, Kym Meyer, and Rachel Parkington
This article is a part of the January/February 2021, Volume 33, Number 1, Audiology Today issue.
Most d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing students need audiological support as part of their school special-education services. To meet this need, audiologists in clinical practice are encouraged to support their student patients. To assist, this article offers guidance regarding the audiologist’s potential contributions to the individualized education program (IEP) and the experiences of non-school-based audiologists.
Overview of IEP Requirements for Audiology Services
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) contains procedural requirements for assessment, eligibility determination, and the development of services and supports for student IEPs.
These services, including audiological assessment, are provided to children at no charge under the IDEA requirement for a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). However, non-school-based audiologists frequently perform audiological assessments that are billed to insurance or Medicaid. Participation in the remaining steps of the IEP process can be challenging unless audiologists understand special-education eligiblity procedures and the way they contribute to supporting their patients’ needs.
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