Guidance from ED and DOJ on Effective Communication for Students with Disabilities

This guidance, issued on November 12, 2014, by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, together with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, addresses the rights of public elementary and secondary students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities to effective communication.

The guidance, in the form of a letter to educators (available in Spanish), Frequently Asked Questions document, and a fact sheet on guidance for parents (also available in Spanish) is intended to help schools understand and comply with federal legal requirements on meeting the communication needs of students with disabilities.

Letter to Educators | http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-effective-communication-201411.pdf

En español | http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-effective-communication-201411-sp.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools | http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-faqs-effective-communication-201411.pdf

Meeting the Communication Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities (Fact Sheet) | http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-parent-201411.pdf

En español | http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-parent-201411-sp.pdf