It is the question almost all parents ask when considering a teleconsultation assessment. The process seems practical, quick, accessible — but will the school, the MDPH or the school doctor really accept a report produced remotely? Does it have the same value as an office assessment?
The answer is yes — and this article explains exactly why, and how to use this report for each administrative procedure.
What gives a speech therapy assessment its value
A speech therapy assessment derives its legal and administrative value from a single criterion: it must be carried out by a state-certified speech therapist holding the Certificat de Capacité d’Orthophoniste (CCO). This qualification is the same whether the speech therapist practises in a traditional office, at the patient’s home or by video conference.
It is not the place of the consultation that gives the document its value, but the qualification of the professional who signs it. A speech therapy assessment report written by a state-certified speech therapist, whether carried out in an office or by video conference, has exactly the same legal and administrative value. It can be used immediately for all procedures with the school, the MDPH or other health professionals.
ORA-VISIO’s speech therapists all hold the French state qualification. Their reports include the required elements: full identification of the professional, scores from standardised tests, diagnosis and recommended adjustments.
Book an online speech therapy assessment
Report recognised for PAP · MDPH · Extra time · Delivered within 1 to 2 weeks · State-certified speech therapists
Use 1 — The PAP (Plan d’Accompagnement Personnalisé): the most direct procedure
The PAP (personalised support plan) is the most accessible school adjustment scheme. It is set up directly with the school, without going through the MDPH, and can be activated within 3 to 6 weeks once you have the assessment.
How does the PAP work?
The PAP is an internal school document, set up by the head teacher on the school doctor’s recommendation. It is suitable for pupils with a diagnosed learning disorder — dyslexia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, developmental language disorder (dysphasia), ADHD — but without the need for official recognition of disability by the MDPH.
The adjustments provided for in a PAP may include:
- Extra time for tests in class
- Adapted materials (enlarged texts, sans-serif fonts such as Arial or OpenDyslexic)
- Permission to use a computer for written work
- Instructions read aloud by the teacher or the teaching assistant (AVS)
- A reduced amount of written homework
What is the procedure for activating a PAP with an online assessment?
The procedure is the same whether the assessment was carried out in an office or online:
- Send the assessment report to the school doctor — they are the one who approves the PAP.
- The school doctor reviews the report, may meet the child, and approves or adjusts the recommended adjustments.
- The PAP is formalised in writing and signed by the head teacher, the parents and the school doctor.
- It is then sent to all of the pupil’s teachers.
⚠️ Important: the PAP does not automatically give the right to extra time in national exams (brevet, bac). This requires a separate procedure — see below.
Use 2 — The MDPH application: the speech therapy assessment as the central document
The MDPH (Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées, the departmental disability centre) is the one-stop shop for disability-related applications. For a child with learning disorders, it can grant support that transforms their schooling: the education allowance for children with disabilities (AEEH), a teaching assistant for pupils with disabilities (AESH), adapted teaching equipment, or a personalised schooling plan (PPS).
What role does the speech therapy assessment play in the MDPH application?
The speech therapy report is the priority document expected by the MDPH’s multidisciplinary team. Without it, the assessment is blocked. It must contain:
- The scores in standardised tests with percentiles or standard deviations compared with the norm
- A stated diagnosis (e.g. “severe dyslexia-dysorthographia”)
- Precise recommended adjustments (extra time, computer, AESH…)
- The full contact details of the signing speech therapist
ORA-VISIO’s reports are structured to meet these requirements precisely, which makes it easier to process the application.
PAP vs MDPH: what is the concrete difference?
These two schemes are complementary, not alternatives. The PAP is often the first step: it is set up quickly, directly with the school, and covers day-to-day teaching adjustments. The MDPH is the second step, when the needs are greater or when official recognition of disability is needed to obtain financial or human support (AESH, AEEH).
Use 3 — Extra time for the brevet and the bac: a separate procedure
Many parents confuse the PAP with extra time in exams. They are two different things. The PAP organises day-to-day adjustments in class. Extra time (tiers-temps) in the brevet or baccalauréat exams is subject to a specific, separate and more tightly regulated procedure.
How do you obtain extra time in exams?
To benefit from adjustments in national exams, you need to:
- Put together a medical file including: the speech therapy assessment, a recent medical certificate describing the disorder and its impact, and the current PAP or PPS if the pupil has one.
- Submit this file to the school doctor, who assesses the request and sends it to the rectorat (regional education authority).
- The rectorat approves (or adjusts) the adjustments granted: extra time, separate room, secretary, writing-aid software, calculator…
⚠️ Critical deadline: for the brevet and the bac, the request must be submitted to the school doctor before 15 December of the school year preceding the exam. After that date, it is too late for the June session. If your child is in 3e or terminale, do not wait.
An online assessment carried out in September or October makes it possible to put this file together in time. This is precisely why many families turn to teleconsultation at the start of the school year.
Book an online speech therapy assessment
Report recognised for PAP · MDPH · Extra time · Delivered within 1 to 2 weeks · State-certified speech therapists
Use 4 — Sharing with other health professionals
The speech therapy assessment report is not just an administrative document. It is also a clinical tool that can be shared with:
- The GP or paediatrician, who can complete the prescription for speech therapy
- The neuropsychologist, for an additional assessment if executive function or IQ-related difficulties are suspected
- The occupational therapist, in the case of associated dyspraxia
- The psychologist, if emotional or behavioural difficulties accompany the dys disorders
- The psychiatrist or paediatric neurologist, if ADHD or ASD is suspected
ORA-VISIO sends the report securely (via the internal messaging system), and it can then be shared with the health professionals concerned.
FAQ — Online speech therapy assessment and administrative procedures
Can the school doctor refuse an assessment carried out online?
No, as long as the assessment was carried out by a state-certified speech therapist. The way it was carried out (in person or by video conference) is not a criterion of validity.
Does the assessment have to be recent to be accepted?
For most procedures (PAP, MDPH, exam adjustments), an assessment less than 3 years old is generally accepted. For some MDPH renewals or exam extra-time requests, an assessment less than one or two years old may be required. Check with the school doctor or your department’s MDPH to find out their precise requirements.
Is a prescription needed for the assessment to be valid?
No. For a diagnostic speech therapy assessment (such as those carried out by teleconsultation), no prescription is required. However, for the speech therapy sessions that follow to be covered by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie), a medical prescription will be essential. The assessment report can be used to support this prescription.
Is the online assessment reimbursed?
A speech therapy assessment carried out in private teleconsultation is not covered by Assurance Maladie. Some supplementary health insurers (mutuelles) reimburse all or part of the consultation — check your policy. For expat families, most international health insurance policies cover these services on presentation of an invoice.
In summary: what you can do with an ORA-VISIO assessment
A speech therapy assessment carried out online via ORA-VISIO allows you to:
✓ Request a PAP from the school
✓ Put together an MDPH application for official recognition of disability
✓ Obtain extra time and other adjustments for the brevet or the baccalauréat
✓ Share the results with the doctor, the paediatrician, the neuropsychologist or any other health professional
All with no waiting list, within a few days — with a report delivered within 1 to 2 weeks.
Book an online speech therapy assessment
Report recognised for PAP · MDPH · Extra time · Delivered within 1 to 2 weeks · State-certified speech therapists
