Membership
Eligibility Criteria for Learning Ally Memberships
Learning Ally is able to provide human-read audio textbooks and literature under a special provision of U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 121, Marrakesh exemption). To qualify for a Learning Ally membership, a person’s print or perceptual disability must be confirmed by a qualified educator or evaluator with experience diagnosing reading-related disabilities or a reading deficit. An IEP or 504 plan is not required for eligibility.
What is considered a reading deficit?
A student may be eligible if a disability makes it hard to keep up with grade-level content because it affects one or more of these areas:
Decoding and word recognition
Phonological and phonemic awareness, orthographic awareness.
Fluency and automaticity
Reading speed, accuracy, and effort needed to read connected text.
Comprehension and language
Oral language, syntax, semantics, vocabulary, verbal reasoning, working memory, long-term memory, attention.
Students who are blind or have low vision, have a physical disability that prevents them from reading standard print, or have an IEP/504 plan or diagnoses such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or multilingual learner status may also qualify when these challenges significantly affect access to print.
Who can determine eligibility?
Eligibility can be confirmed by an educator or other qualified professional who has experience identifying reading-related or print disabilities.
Qualified educators in schools may include
- General education teachers and tutors
- Reading specialists and literacy interventionists
- Special education, dyslexia, or resource teachers
- School psychologists and educational diagnosticians
- Child Study Team members
- Teachers of the visually impaired
- Speech-language pathologists
- Physical and occupational therapists
Qualified evaluators outside of schools may include
- Reading specialists and tutors
- Doctors of medicine or osteopathy
- Neurologists and psychiatrists
- Clinical psychologists
- Ophthalmologists and optometrists
- Registered nurses
- Speech-language, physical, and occupational therapists
- Professional staff of hospitals, clinics, or public/social service agencies
Ways to provide proof of eligibility
1. IEP or 504 Plan
Upload or send a copy of your child’s current IEP or 504 Plan that lists their disability or eligibility category and includes school representative information.
2. Clinician-diagnosed print disability (no IEP/504)
Ask a qualified clinician (such as a psychologist, therapist or educational diagnostician) to complete the Learning Ally eligibility form and submit it using the contact information below.
3. Verification from a family physician
Have your child’s physician complete the eligibility form to confirm a visual, perceptual, or physical disability that makes reading standard print difficult.
4. Existing Bookshare or NLS membership
If you already have an approved Bookshare or state NLS library membership, simply include your membership information with your Learning Ally application.
Submit documentation by email, fax, or mail
- Email: CustomerCare@LearningAlly.org
- Fax: 609-751-5263
- Mail: Learning Ally, 20 Roszel Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
Need help finding an evaluator?
If your child is not currently working with a specialist, you can use our directory to search for reading professionals in your area. These providers can evaluate your child’s reading needs and determine whether they qualify for Learning Ally and other interventions.
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