ORRS Guidelines

2006 revision of the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) Guidelines. The guidelines explain about the Schemes for students with the highest special education needs, the criteria for eligibility and the application process.

Criterion 2

Students need special assistance to engage in all face to face communications.

2.1 Students who rely totally on signing for communication.

Esther: 4 years 10 months - a brief profile

Esther has a profound hearing loss in both ears and uses New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) almost exclusively for communication at home, kindergarten, and in the community. Since her diagnosis at 18 months she has received specialist support from an Advisor on Deaf Children (AODC).

An Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf (ITOD) works with Esther at kindergarten supported by an Education Support Worker (ESW) who signs to her during all learning activities. When Esther is playing with her peers she uses gesture to communicate unless the ESW is available to interpret.

Using NZSL, Esther can follow two-part unrelated directions and sometimes asks who, where, and what questions. She is very interested in copying over letters and can write her name. She labels nine colours and can give the correct number of objects to five.

Esther meets Criterion 2.1.

Students who meet this criterion almost always have a profound hearing loss in both ears and use New Zealand Sign Language (or an equivalent signing system) in all settings i.e. at home, in the community, at school or early childhood centre.

They need specialist intervention from Advisors on Deaf Children, teachers of the deaf and support from paraprofessionals to assist with communication and access to the curriculum. They require extensive support from people skilled in using sign language and for additional teaching to understand new concepts.

These students use signing not just because they attend school within a signing environment (e.g. a Deaf Education Centre), but because signing is a necessity.

2.2 Students who rely totally on the help of a trained person for communication following a cochlear implant.

Students who meet this criterion require an intensive auditory skills programme to learn how to use the sounds they hear as a result of a cochlear implant. They need to develop listening and speech production skills in order to access the curriculum.

The specialists involved in this intensive programme may include a trained habilitationist, an Advisor on Deaf Children, and a Teacher of the Deaf.

Students are likely to require a less intensive level of specialist support and instruction over time. For this reason the verification decision will be Reviewable Very High.

2.3 Students who rely totally on Braille for reading and writing.

Natalie: 4 years 10 months - a brief profile

Natalie is blind. When she was two and a half she started pre-Braille sessions with the Resource Teacher Vision to become familiar with Braille and tactile materials. She is now able to recognise most of the Braille alphabet and can write words using her Perkins Brailler. Her new entrant teacher is familiar with the equipment Natalie will be using.

Natalie is assisted by the Resource Teacher Vision weekly and this will continue at school. The Orientation and Mobility Instructor is helping Natalie learn safe travel routes around her new school.