Hi,

I just received some good news from Bookshare and thought I would pass it along. According to Bookshare, SLPs can sign the Proof of Disability form for our patients (even though we are not mentioned on the form). This makes it that much easier to get our patients set up with affordable, accessible reading materials.

By giving patients the "Bookshare Individual Agreement" and the "Bookshare Proof of Disability" forms at the eval (or emailing it to them soon after) they get started with this registration while they wait for their SGD to fund. Then they have it already and we can set that up at one of our first training.

Below is one of the written Bookshare info sheet I give people since by the end of the average eval patients and their families are not going to be retaining too much more verbally presented info.

Register for Bookshare® (A web-based digital library)

Bookshare offers people with disabilities unlimited book, newspaper and magazine downloads for about $50.00 per year. AlphaCore has a book reader and a downloader that work specifically with Bookshare. Your book reader lets you adjust font and use your alternative access method to select chapters, turn pages and scroll. This is an inexpensive, accessible and convenient alternative to a Kindle and other book readers. Download forms and register at Bookshare.org

Steps

1. Fill out the Bookshare “Agreement Form”.

2. Fill out the Bookshare “Written Proof of Disability Form”. Your speech therapist, physical therapist or doctor can sign it.

3. Register Online. After faxing the forms in, you will need to go to Bookshare.Org and sign up for membership. At the BookShare.org site look under the Membership Tab for ‘Membership Options’. Select ‘Individual Membership’ and sign up. Have your credit card handy, as you will need to pay the $25 set up fee and $50 annual fee.

Sincerely,

Amy Roman, MS, CCC-SLP
Augmentative Communication Specialist

Forbes Norris ALS Research Center
2324 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
P (415)518-0592
F (415)600-3778

--- On Tue, 7/3/12, Membership <xxxxxx@bookshare.org> wrote:

From: Membership <xxxxxx@bookshare.org>
Subject: Bookshare - 00090971 [ ref:_00D407KKe._50040KkLe6:ref ]
To: "xxxxxx@sbcglobal.net" <xxxxxx@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2012, 2:18 PM

Amy,

Thank you for contacting Bookshare.

Yes, SLPs may definitely sign off on our Proof of Disability form as long as they have a solid understanding of our eligibility requirements and feel confident making the determination of qualification for their patients.

Regards,

Erin McConnell
Membership Support Associate
Bookshare

www.bookshare.org

------------------------------
Your Original Inquiry:

Hi Bookshare,
I am presenting at the International Society for Augmentative Alternative Communication (ISAAC) conference at the end of the month. I am going to mention Bookshare as an important thing for speech therapists (AAC Specialists) to set up for our patients with ALS when they get speech generating devices since they often can't turn book pages. My question is, can speech language pathologists sign the Written Proof of Disability Form? I will be presenting to mainly SLPs and they are not mentioned specifically on your list of providers. Physical therapists are listed so it looks like a qualified allied health professional would be fine. I just want to present the correct information. Please let me know.
Thank you,
Amy Roman, CCC-SLP
Augmentative Communication Specialist
Forbes Norris ALS Research Center
415 518-0592

ref:_00D407KKe._50040KkLe6:ref