Referral for Services for Students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deafblind, Blind or Visually Impaired
Forms:
School Age Students: Referral for Services
Preschool Students: Referral for Services
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Service Responsibility
The Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA) provides educational services, programs and opportunities for persons between the ages of 0 and 21 who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, blind or visually impaired. School boards are recognized as the direct educational service providers for all school-age children. When school boards require assistance in providing for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, blind or visually impaired, APSEA supports a service delivery system which assists in meeting the educational needs of these children.
Assessment and diagnosis precede decisions for level of service. Services are designed within the range of each child's capabilities.
Eligibilty for Services
Students eligible for services shall:
- be diagnosed legally blind or partially sighted by a medical practitioner or optometrist. Legally blind is defined as having a corrected visual acuity of 6/60 (20/200) or less in the better eye, or a visual field of no more than 20 degrees. Partially sighted is defined as having a corrected acuity of 6/24 (20/70) or less in the better eye.
- be diagnosed by an audiologist as having a hearing loss. The hearing loss must interfere with the development of language which results in an educational delay.
- be identified by the school district/unit for referral in consultation with the parent(s) /guardian(s).
Guidelines for Completion of the Referral Form
All information must be carefully completed in order to avoid unnecessary delays in processing the Referral.
Please Note:
Referrals from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island are to be handled as follows:
School Districts/Units to retain one copy and forward two copies to the Department of Education. Department of Education to retain one copy and forward one copy to the appropriate APSEA designate.
Referrals from Nova Scotia:
School Districts to retain one copy and forward two copies to the appropriate Director. The Director to retain one copy and forward one copy to the Department of Education.
School Districts/Units are to forward the completed Referral Form as follows:
New Brunswick (Anglophone)
Director, Student Services
Department of Education
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 5H1
New Brunswick (Francophone)
Directeur des Service auxétudiants
Ministère de l'Éducation
C.P. 6000, FREDERICTON (Nouveau-Brunswick)
E3B 5H1
Newfoundland & Labrador
Director Special Services Branch
Department of Education
P.O. Box 4750, St. John's, Newfoundland
AIC 5T7
Prince Edward Island
Director, Student Services,
Department of Education
P.O. Box 2000, Charlottetown, PE.I.
ClA 7N8
Nova Scotia
For children who are deaf or hard of hearing:
Director of Programs (DHH)
Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority
5940 South Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 1S6
For children who are blind or visually impaired:
Director of Programs (VI)
Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority
5940 South Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H IS6