- A description of ORS Criterion 6.1
- Helen meets Criterion 6.1 at 4 years 10 months – a brief profile
- A description of ORS Criterion 6.2
- John meets Criterion 6.2 at 4 years 11 months – a brief profile
- Students may meet other criteria instead
- Apply for ORS
A description of ORS Criterion 6.1
Students have a severe or profound hearing impairment and need regular input from a teacher with specialist skills in deaf education to access the curriculum.
Students who meet this criterion:
- have a severe (71 - 90 decibels) or profound sensori-neural hearing loss in both ears, and
- use hearing aids and/or a cochlear implant full time and usually use an FM system, and
- use spoken language as their primary means of communication and may use sign language and gestures, and
- require frequent oral interpreting of information in learning settings and need pre- and post-teaching of concepts.
Other students may meet this criterion and be included in the scheme because they have a sensori-neural hearing loss in both ears in the moderate-severe range with:
- a late diagnosis and/or
- poor management of hearing loss in their early childhood education and school years.
This criterion is not for students with a conductive-only hearing loss.
Helen has a severe sensori-neural hearing loss in both ears and uses her hearing aids full time. When she starts school she will have an FM radio aid.
Helen uses three- to four-word phrases only intelligible to people who know her well. She also uses key signs. She frequently needs instructions re-phrased, although she understands better at a face-to-face level.
A Resource Teacher of the Deaf has been teaching Helen some vocabulary and concepts. Helen participates happily at kindergarten but relies on imitating other children.
A description of ORS Criterion 6.2
Students have severe vision impairment and need regular input from a teacher with specialist skills in vision education to access the curriculum.
Students who meet this criterion may:
- have low vision in the severe range with visual acuity of 6/36 or beyond after best possible correction, or
- have a loss-restricting field of vision to 15-20 degrees, or
- be blind but unlikely to learn Braille.
A student who meets the criterion usually needs:
- specialist teaching of concepts
- specialist advice to class teachers to improve access to the curriculum
- a desk copy of any work presented from a distance
- enlarged print
- a range of assistive equipment
- orientation and mobility instruction for independence.
This criterion is not for students with visual perception difficulties alone.
John meets Criterion 6.2 at 4 years 11 months – a brief profile
John has severe visual impairment. His visual acuity is 6/36 after best possible correction and he has restricted vision in his right field of vision. He will need to have materials presented to him in enlarged print size N24-N32.
Kindergarten teachers are careful to place activities on a table where there is sufficient light and no glare for John. He sits near the front at mat time and the teacher presents materials to his left side. John has difficulty going into unfamiliar environments or when furniture at kindergarten or home is moved.
Students may meet other criteria instead
Students with hearing loss or visual impairment may meet other criteria instead. Check to see which you should apply under.
Criteria 2.1 and 2.2– very high hearing or vision needs are for students with hearing loss who are considered to have a very high level of need, requiring more intervention.
Criterion 2.3– very high vision impairment is for students with vision impairment who are considered to have a very high level of need, requiring more intervention.
Criterion 9.2 is for students who have moderate or moderate-severe hearing impairment, together with moderate to high learning needs and one other need.
Criterion 9.3 is for students who have moderate to severe vision impairment, together with delayed cognitive development and one other need.
Apply for ORS
Go to Apply for ORS [Link to page]for application forms.