Disability Support: Documentation
Guidelines for Documentation of Disability on the Post-Secondary Level
Documentation is required so that appropriate reasonable accommodation(s) can be made on an individual basis. The provision of all reasonable accommodations and support services is based upon assessment of the impact of the student’s disabilities on her/his academic performance at a given time. Therefore, it is in the student’s best interest to provide recent (no older than three years) and appropriate documentation relevant to the student’s learning environment. The documentation must describe the functional impact of the disability so that potential accommodations can be identified.
General Documentation Guidelines:
Documentation of disability should consist of an evaluation by a qualified professional. Included must be a clear statement of the diagnosis, the basis for the diagnosis, and the current level of functioning in the educational setting. The documentation should include the following elements as appropriate to the disability:
-
All reports/evaluations must be submitted on the letterhead of the professional performing the assessment. The report must be typed, dated and signed by the professional conducting the assessment.
-
The name, title, and professional credentials of the health professional performing the evaluation should be clearly stated in the documentation; including information about license or certification as well as the area of specialization and place of employment.
-
The report/evaluation must stipulate the major life activity or activities impacted by the disability.
-
A diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of the most current diagnostic evaluation, the date of the original diagnosis, and recommendations for academic accommodations.
-
For learning disabilities, a comprehensive assessment battery and the resulting diagnostic report should include a diagnostic interview, assessment of aptitude, academic achievement, information processing, specific diagnosis, test scores, clinical summary, the examiner’s narrative interpretation, as well as recommendations for academic accommodations.
-
A description of the diagnostic tests, methods, and/or criteria used including specific test results (including standardized testing scores).
-
A statement indicating treatments, medications, or assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use, with a description of the mediating effects and potential side effects from such treatments.
-
A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time, particularly the next five years.
-
A history of previous accommodations and their impact.
-
Diagnosing professionals shall not be family members or others with a close personal relationship with the individual being evaluated.
-
Documentation prepared for specific non-educational venues (i.e. Social Security Administration, or Department of Veteran’s Affairs, etc.) may not meet these criteria.
-
IEP or 504 plans will not be considered sufficient documentation unless accompanied by a current and complete evaluation.
Recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services should be considered within the context of the individual’s current program.
Nationally, most institutions of higher education utilize guidelines developed by the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the Educational Testing Services (ETS). They are referenced below for informational purposes.
The College reserves the right to change or modify these guidelines, as more information is discovered and new or additional knowledge becomes available under the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act.