Guidelines for Documentation of a Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act were enacted to provide a clear and comprehensive mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. In compliance with these laws, the Office of Student Accessibility at ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ is dedicated to maintaining an environment that guarantees students with disabilities full access to its educational programs, activities, and facilities.
In order to receive support services and accommodations from the Office of Student Accessibility, students are required to submit documentation. This documentation will verify eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ policies. The following information is provided to assist the student in ensuring that the documentation provided is complete and appropriate.
Documentation on file should:
- Be current (does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging
nature)
- Within the last six months for psychological disabilities
- Within the last five years for learning disabilities
- Within the last three years for all other disabilities
- State clearly the diagnosed disability
- Describe the functional limitations, resulting from the disability
- Include complete educational, developmental, and medical history relevant to the disabilities for which accommodations are being requested
- Include a list of all test instruments used in the evaluation report and relevant sub-test scores used to document the stated disability (does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature)
- Describe the specific accommodations requested and detailed explanation of why each accommodation is recommended
- List relevant medications. Does medication substantially limit college-level academic pursuits? Does the individual experience any side effects from the medication in such a way as to negatively affect his/her ability to study or learn?
- Be in one or more of the following forms:
- ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ Accessibility Form
- Housing and ESA Addendum
- Letter that is typed or printed on official letterhead and signed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis
- Diagnostic report that includes the names, titles, professional credentials, license numbers, addresses, and phone numbers of the evaluators as well as the date(s) of testing.
- Further notes:
- Diagnostic report should be in English. If translated, the translation must be official.
- Diagnostician must be an impartial individual who is not a family member.
- Notes on a prescription pad are not accepted. Please see point 8.
- Acceptable file formats for documentation include .pdf, .png, .jpg, or .jpeg. Other formats will need to be converted to a .pdf format before submission.
Additionally, students requesting academic accommodations should include evidence of any prior accommodations received. This includes accommodations in high school, other undergraduate or graduate institutions, or on the ACT/SAT/GMAT/LSAT/etc.
*See additional guidelines and recommended assessments for learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD below